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Philosophy
Challenge Ended
What's in a name?
Ended July 4, 2016 • 49 Entries • Created by rh
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What's in a name?
Cover image for post Whisper My Name, by sandflea68
Profile avatar image for sandflea68
sandflea68 in Philosophy

Whisper My Name

You run your words along my spine

when you whisper my name.

Husky voice of passionate embrace

bringing me to heights of want,

surfing your waves of need,

yielding to wafted passion

cushioned deeply in my ear.

You tenderly wrap my name

in gossamer tissues of love

opening to my name

chiseled in granite

for all eternity,

murmured flames

of my identity.

Name resonates

through floating echoes

and is absorbed

through my skin.

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for YosiLiao
YosiLiao in Philosophy

The Proof of You

A name has power, a belief that is shared by many culture throughout the globe. 

A name identifies you. 

                 holds you accountable.

                           defines who you are. 

It is the representation of you, the essence of you being put into words. Your past, your present, your very being. 

From your parents, it is a gift, one they bestow upon you when you came into this world.

    Your nickname, a form of affection from those around you. 

       An insult, proof that your antagonist notices you enough to hate you. 

    Epithets represent your accomplishments - be it for good or evil. 

Pseudo names, the masks - personas - you choose to hide behind. 

A name, your name, is your blessing, your curse, your bond, your liberation - it is your brand in life.

Without a name you are but a blank slate.

Without a name, you have no history. 

Without a name, you will not be remembered.

Without a name, you do not exist.

Nothing comes out of nothing. 

None that exist is nameless.

Now, is that disagreement I sense? So tell me friend:

without a name, what are you?

Challenge
What's in a name?
Wordslinger
Chapter 286 of 448
Profile avatar image for DavidMark
DavidMark
Cover image for post Ford, by DavidMark
Wordslinger
Chapter 286 of 448
Profile avatar image for DavidMark
DavidMark

Ford

Prefect, not Harrison.

Not to keep you guessing,

I'm an alien who saves

Arthur Dent from the dying

Earth, being demolished

for a freeway vying

intergalacticly.

If it wasn't for me

there would be no

Guide to the Galaxy.

There would also be

no introduction to

Vogon poetry.

Smabash trigonmy

Slob du nashtiy poo.

Hope that's agreeable 

to you but Vogans

have a knack

with a vowel or two.

By the way,

don't bother

saving the dolphins

they're smarter than you.

Challenge
What's in a name?
Cover image for post Son, by Vyxyn
Profile avatar image for Vyxyn
Vyxyn in Philosophy

Son

Be careful what you name your children! Make sure their names mean calm or gift or joyful because I was tricked into naming my first born a Native American name that I thought was sweet.

OH HELL NO! His name means little warrior!

And he is!

Nykeao Mecoma

NICK-EYE-OH MEE-CO-MAH

His white name

Is Justin. I call him

SON.

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for _A_
_A_ in Philosophy

A name is not just a word

not just an arrangement of random letters

it is precious

A name spoken 

conjuring an utterly unique soul

a soul with deep textured thoughts

horrible scars

a fire that refuses to go out

A name is not just a word

it is the label of something extraordinary

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for snaggletooth
snaggletooth in Philosophy

Said your name was dog

so you 

spent five years

sniffing and begging.

Said your name is dog

so you

tipped over trashcans and

ate scraps from fine diners.

Said your name is dog

so you were

stray and

mangy. You

were alone and gray.

Said your name was dog.

Said you ain't got no name.

Said dog don't define you.

But it do, don't it, boy?

People is mirrors, see?

They know things by

what they call them.

When they ain't got a word

for what it is you are?

You don't exist.

Said your name was dog.

Said your name was cunt.

Said your name was dickhead.

People spoke you outside your name.

So you were outside yourself.

But I said, "Your name is William.

You is free."

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for claudiaelle
claudiaelle in Philosophy

Stuck

It 

could be

anything-

Bark or

Felt.

Plentiful

Johns

old and

young

bowler-hatted

or

t-shirted

proliferate

as

Sons of man,

Anonymous 

dead

or

Slut seeking

Nobodies.

Thriving

too,

throngs

of

indiscriminate

Debbies

viciously

frolicking

everywhere

from

PTAs to

phone books

to the

snack aisle.

Our

Logo-

preternaturally unique, 

bestowed

upon Us

by

hormonal humans

worshipping

their golden calf

and

imprinting their quarry.

Challenge
What's in a name?
StrawhatDays in Philosophy

[Name]

A name is a tragedy of the owners desires. It wants to scream into the world with a sore throat. A name contains so much of a single person but is thrown into personality quizzes from a mediocre website. Whats in a name? The world, the people, and their tears. 

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for Prucheek
Prucheek in Philosophy

Name Game

Her first name is Mary Sue

Prepping for a job interview 

Another soul emails her resume

Best of luck to you Sha-nay-nay

Mary Sue reached her goal; got the work

Born with a suitable name; she don't twerk

Black Sha-nay-nay; (ya'll knew she was)

Named for past slaves and her 2nd cous'

Marked for life with assumptions made

Attorney at Law; still don't make the grade

Tick-tac-toe where does she go

Make her own NAME fools not forsake it 

Let those fuckers eat crow

Challenge
What's in a name?
Profile avatar image for CecilyChoi
CecilyChoi in Philosophy

What’s the Word?

            Nowadays, many slang terms derive from existing words used in novel ways. One such word is “word.” In many different contexts, “word” can mean many different things; more specifically, it is used to agree with someone, to show you understand, to express shock, to convey empathy, and to declare that something is awesome or impressive. It is rarely used to convey disapproval or disagreement consequently making the spirit of the word encouraging, appreciative, and approving. Basically, “word” is synonymous with the phrase “speak the truth.” “Word,” however, can rarely be understood through literary language or out of context as the definition is implied through vernacular language. When used in common day language, “word” is understood through body language, tone of voice, and pronunciation. For example, when “word” is pronounced with an elongated “r,” it expresses extreme support and endorsement. When someone questioningly says “oh word?,” they are often expressing approving shock. Moreover, when someone states “word to everything,” they are usually in an extremely elated state. Lastly, when someone asks, “what’s the word?,” they are asking what about is going on.

The etymology of “word:”

                  cognate(s) with Old Frisian word (West Frisian wurd ), Old Dutch wort                           (Middle Dutch wort , word , Dutch woord ), Old Saxon word (Middle Low                     German wort ), Old High German wort (Middle High German wort ,                               German Wort ), Old Icelandic orð , Old Swedish orþ (Swedish ord ), Old                         Danish orth (Danish ord ), Gothic waurd , all denoting both ‘an utterance’                       and ‘an element or unit of speech, a word’ (Oxford English Dictionary)

It is derives from:

                  the same Indo-European base as Lithuanian vardas name, forename, title,                         Latvian vārds word, forename, promise, classical Latin verbum word, showing                   an extended form of the Indo-European base of ancient Greek ῥήτωρ (earlier                   ϝρήτωρ ) speaker, (Epic and Ionic) ἐρέω (earlier ϝερέω ; Attic ἐρῶ ) I shall                       say, and perhaps also Sanskrit vrata behest, command (OED)

           The foundations of the word “word,” as stated above, have helped shape and form how it is used today. In different areas, “word” was used to generally represent the same notion of a component of language. In the Oxford English Dictionary, these definitions are then supported with a timeline of examples of the usage of “word.” These timelines vary from length from definition to definition showing how some applications have disappeared quickly or after some time as the utility of “word” changed. With each related definition of “word,” it has taken on different meanings at various points in history.

            For instance, “word” is defined as “speech, utterance, (or) verbal expression” and sub-defined as “something that is or has been said,” “in apposition, with the text of utterance or statement as complement,” “in negative contexts (or with negative implied),” “a watchword; a password,” “a (short or slight) utterance, statement, or remark,” or as “something said on behalf of another” (OED). The first three sub-definitions stated above are denoted as “Now rare” and their timelines have confirmed this statement as they are shortened and outdated. A more closely related definition of “word” as it is commonly used today is “an act of speaking or uttering something, usually in contrast with writing, or with action, gesture, thought, etc” (OED). As explained above, the slang definition of “word” is usually expressed through vernacular language rather than literary language. This definition correlates as writing is not the chief way of using this slang term. This is further illustrated by J. Erksine in Inst. Law Scotl. II.III.iii (1771) who said, “this contract cannot be perfected till the mandatory has undertaken to execute the mandate; which he may do, either by word, by writing, or by any deed which sufficiently discovers his resolution” illustrating the distinction between word and written language (OED). The definition of “word” can also be described as “report, information, news, (or) tidings” (OED). This definition differs from previous definitions stated as it is more specific and certain with it’s definition. When “word” is examined in a broader sense, it is less understood and less clear as to what the function and utility is of the word. As time progresses, it becomes clear that words lose their general meanings and gradually come to represent a single, more precise and explicit idea. To put it differently, analyzing words suggests that the factors that shape language arise from people discovering what words more accurately describe over time. In this case, “word” has progressed from a verbal expression to a verbal expression of specific approval. In it’s former, general definition, “word” could be used in many different ways while now it is used with less ambiguity.

             In the broader picture, the nature of definition is never a definite one, as the word implies. With changing times, changing definitions are necessary to words functional in current society. Dialect and language have progressed as unfit words continue to disappear. Just as sciences advance everyday and previously accepted hypotheses are disbanded, languages change everyday and previously used terms become inappropriate, inadequate, and improper in context. As definitions are constantly changing, the nature of definition can best be described as deceiving and constantly transforming as time continues and society transitions.

#CecilyChoi #ShortWriting #Whatstheword #Whatsinaname #word

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