Cheap - buying an illusion

Here's a versatile adjective: cheap. Depending on its context, it can be positive or negative. 

In its positive meaning, it can be a compelling adjective: 'Buy this now! It's too cheap not to!' In our western retail stores, the signs screaming 'SALE' are so ubiquitous we hardly see the word, but once '50% OFF' is added, now that's definitely a bargain! 'Those t-shirts are so cheap; I think I'll get three!'

But in its negative meaning, cheap is a dismissive adjective: 'Let's get something else, that fabric looks a bit cheap'. It can also be a critical adjective: 'He's so cheap, he never pays his share', or 'Talk is cheap; I want to see action'.

Interesting. What does the dictionary have to say about the word cheap:

♦️ charging or obtainable at a low price; purchasable below the going price or the real value

♦️ of inferior quality or worth; stingy; contemptible because of lack of any fine, lofty, or redeeming qualities

♦️ gained or done with little effort.

So, when it's about the price we have to pay for something, cheap seems positive. Yet when cheap refers to the quality of a product or a person's behaviour, it's not good at all. The negative implication of cheap is that something important is missing, something that we expect to be present: quality, generosity or effort.

Why do we have a different connotation altogether when cheap refers to the amount of money we have to pay? 

If we look a bit closer, we will see that someone important is missing then too.

Romantic - the language of flowers

♦️ Romantic (adjective): relating to love or to sexual relationships.

It's a Tuesday evening and my friend B and I are enjoying a beer after work. We're doing what we often do: making up back stories about the city workers walking past on their way home.

It's nearly 5pm and the streets are starting to crowd, so we finds lots of inspiration in the jostling pedestrians. Eventually B says, "Why are so many people carrying flowers?"

"Because it's Valentine's Day; didn't you remember? Ooh, you'll be in trouble when you get home!"

He shrugs, "Nah, I would never get flowers just because it's Valentine's Day. We never used to do that in Australia. I don't know why we started. I think Lee minds a bit, but I find it annoying to be told I have to buy them."

TATKOP 104

There Are Two Kinds Of People: those who think 'love is all you need' and those who run the world.

Inspired by Prince Charles' amusement at his Harry's wedding at the speech by Bishop Curry about the power of love, and this image of the word 'love' surrounded by the destruction caused by fire, from Liam Hemsworth.

See more in the TATKOP series.

Feisty - a lifetime of training

By guest explorer: Mae Wright

Most dictionaries define feisty as 'having or showing a lively aggressiveness'; 'tough, independent, and spirited'; 'lively, resilient and self-reliant.' Sounds like a good thing to be.

Unable to find a source

The Collins dictionary adds the essential element that helps us understand exactly words feisty can be combined with: 'often when you would not expect them to be, for example because they are very young, old or ill'. We see a feisty 85 year old who is active and assertive in their local community, and not what you would expect them to be: the elderly archetype of retiring, quiet, decrepit, submissive, helpless, ill. 

It seems like a positive concept.

Not what she is expected to be.

However, the word feisty combined with woman usually has a negative meaning.

TATKOP 103

There Are Two Kinds Of People: those who can entertain an idea they don't agree with and those who don't agree with entertaining an idea. (Apologies to Aristotle.)

See more in the TATKOP series.