The cool side of the pillow
There exists an undeniable magic within the realm of words, an intricate dance of syllables and sounds that can paint vivid realities or create bewitching illusions. As someone who finds solace in the written word, I find myself perpetually enamoured by the possibilities that language unfolds, though, occasionally, also bemused by its limitations.
Take, for instance, the simple yet profound joy of the ‘cool side of the pillow’. A universal, nocturnal pleasure that transcends cultures and continents, yet, strangely enough, doesn’t have a specific word in English to capture its essence. Now, wouldn’t it be delightful if there existed a word that encapsulated that comforting chill, the soothing coolness that embraces you in the heart of a warm night? Our friend Douglas Adams, of Hitchhiker’s Guide fame, in his playful work “The Meaning of Liff” might have concocted such a term, had he thought of it.
Then there’s ‘Schadenfreude’, a German import that expresses a rather complex human emotion, that hidden smirk of satisfaction one might feel at another’s misfortune. In English, the concept remains elusive, a linguistic gap filled only by a borrowed foreign word.
Words, indeed, are a curious tool for the writer. They are the bricks and mortar that construct the grand edifice of a narrative, yet use too many and you risk building a labyrinth rather than a mansion. One must tread a fine line between verbosity and scarcity, choosing each word with the precision of a watchmaker, ensuring it fits seamlessly into the intricate mechanism of the story.
Yet, it’s in this delicate balance that I find joy, the thrill of the chase for the perfect word, the satisfaction of a sentence well-constructed, the silent triumph of encapsulating an emotion that seemed too vast for the confines of language. Yes, words can be fickle, they can be elusive, but they can also be illuminating, enchanting, and utterly delightful.
So, as I continue my exploration of the linguistic landscape, the thrill of discovery, of unearthing new expressions and finding homes for unnamed emotions, fuels my journey. And if along the way, I find myself flummoxed by the lack of an English word for the ‘cool side of the pillow’, I simply turn the pillow over and relish the feeling instead. After all, as they say, the beauty of language lies not just in its words, but also in the silences they can create.
Leave a Comment