Confounding Age with a Word and a Smile
Feeling old? Shucks. You’re only as old as you feel,
right? After all, our sister-site says, no matter how many times you’re 39 and Holding again … Age
is a Number … LIFE is ATT-i-tude!
What can you do to feel young again?
Smile! Or smirk. Or grin. Or flat-out belly laugh! You don’t even need a reason,
and may find you feel younger instantly.
“Science has shown that the mere act of
smiling can lift your mood, lower stress, boost your immune system and possibly
even prolong your life.” (“Smiling can trick your brain into happiness — and boost your health”; 11/28/17)
So if sixty is the new forty, and
fifty the new thirty, this word will take you ‘til you’re ninety (in any
context) to master its tongue-twisting pronunciation …
QUINQUAGENARIAN (kwin’kwɘ jɘ nerʹē ɘn; kwiŋ’-) adj. – 50 years old, or between the
ages of 50 and 60 (n. a person of this age). [WW #222]
The fifteen-letter tongue-twister
is a mouthful. I’ve practiced … and still can’t pronounce quinquagenarian correctly three times in a row.
Surely there must be somewhere,
sometime, in your writings or conversation that you can pop quinquagenarian out to the amazement and amusement of your readers
and friends. Go ahead. I dare ya!
Word Challenge: QUINQUAGENARIAN. Think ageless with a twinkle and a smirk, as you slip quinquagenarian
into your week of age-appropriate prose.
Learning knows no prejudices or boundaries, and it isn’t fattening!
Expanding your mind is a no-cost, simple joy. Do you feel that way too? What’s
your inspiration? Share your creative genius and Wordplay Wednesday comments below.
Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)
[LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by
trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of
three) in her Blast from Your Past series about pioneering R&R Radio DJs. True behind-the-mic tales
make GREAT Holiday Gifts available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book
2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic
Seventies!]
Note: Dictionary
definitions are quoted from Webster’s New World College Dictionary.
Endnote: FYI – All links in the PFP site are personally
visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of
reputable note. However, as with everything cyber-security, use at your own
discretion.
E-N-Dzzzzzzzz
