"Tent," "Tensive," "Tenacious," "Thin," "Tone"

       How wonderfully malleable and clay-like are the roots of words, slipping from one meaning into another by barely perceptible degrees.

       In classes I taught, I talked about "tensiveness" in literature and performance (tensiveness is a less "anxious" sounding word for tension) and about tone, tone of voice and tone in the literary work.  And I always had to prompt myself to recall there was a connection between the two--between tensiveness or tension and tone.  What was it?  What is it?

       (Five-Part series on the Title words above continues tomorrow.)