END-OF-THE-WEEK-RUMINATIONS: "Apotheosis" and "Anathema"

       In last Sunday's post on "The Giving Tree," I surprised myself a little by those two big words at the close of it.  The surprise was, I guess, that I don't think of someone as moving into big words when emotions are aroused, usually more simple and direct language, maybe images or metaphors, but not large Greek and Latin words, which are often abstract.  And I was angry there.

       But only a "little" surprised because I am an academic (who learned those 365 words when a freshman in college--see post of October 2, 2014) and am wont to move into vocabulary mode as well.

       Struck by words.  It's a little like being electrocuted by lightning.


       (Succinctly:  "apotheosis"--deification
                               "anathema"--formally, ecclesiastically banned)