What the hell are you trying to say?!?

My friends and I talk a lot. Usually about a little of everything, yet nothing in particular. Jokes fly, but they usually fall into abstracts and obscure references. Jokes often are simply shocking statements or general gripes about life, work, politics and sex. One particular reference that was passed around quite a bit between Crasskins and I consisted of the word articulate. The joke would go like this... “Yeah, I really think she’s cool but she’s not real good at putting her ideas together in a way that can be expressed verbally.” I would say. Crasskins would reply, “You mean articulate.” Ha ha ha, we would both laugh. Very funny indeed. Yeah, we’re so fucking clever. Using vocabulary as jokes and laughing (while others look at us strangely) thinking what stupid ignorant fucks everyone else is. Ha ha ha, we would laugh some more.

When I’m bored and I don’t feel like writing or reading anything heavy, sometimes I read a dictionary (hey, Christians read their bible, at least this way I learn something) and during one of my recent boredom sessions I came across the word articulate. Reading the definition I was surprised and embarrassed at what I found. Articulate simply means to speak. To use clear distinct words and syllables or having the ability to speak. Articulate has to do with the mechanics of speech and not the less tangible aspects of forming ideas and thoughts into a series of words to express ones self.

Further research uncovered the word coherent. Coherent is a much better (yet underused) word that means logical and consistent speech or the ability to speak clearly and logically while holding together to form a whole. Coherent deals with the abstract mechanics of turning thought into speech. While it can be argued that one is a synonym of the other and that they can be interchangeable (and that whole, language continually evolves, argument). The point I’m trying to illustrate is that sometimes when you think you’re so fucking clever, you are just as ignorant as everyone else. Strong men also cry, Mr. Lebowski, strong men also cry.
Whether articulating in a coherent fashion or not, conversation is one of the primary ways in which humans communicate. Even before we get down to hot monkey love, conversation usually precedes it on some level. Sitting around a bar stool, killing time at work or just plain old internet chatting, it’s all conversation. Hell, the cell phone industry has thrived on it. No matter how often you articulate to your fellow human try to be coherent in expressing what you mean. It helps to have a strong grasp on vocabulary, also.