Your mama is so fat…	Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
The “N” word	I have a dream…
Death panels	I win!
Danger!	Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows
Our little girl has cancer	Free kittens!
Hijacked jets destroy twin towers	Je suis Charlie

Sweet Emotion

What do the words and phrases in the above columns have in common? They are “charged words”—words and phrases that, by their very sounds, definitions, connotations, or denotations, evoke a strong emotion in the reader or listener. Note the variety of emotions represented here—the horror you felt on 9/11, your anger at the racial epithet, your delight as you sang with Mary Poppins, the excitement you’ll feel when you win the lottery (even a dollar!).  Continue reading The Shocking Truth about Charged Words