How I learned to research through the 4 letter word.
When my family and I moved to Canada from the Netherlands, none of us knew any English. Naturally, we did whatever we could to learn. My dad did his best to help us all so when he would come home from work, he would bring us a new word to learn.
Then there was the fateful day, although I didn’t know it at the time, that I learned to never take for granted what you are told is accurate. This day my dad came home and told us that the word he was about to tell us was very important. He said that each time someone would say something, they emphasized it by putting in this word. He said, each time you want to say something important, you put this 4 letter word in it and it will show the importance of what you are saying. We were suitably impressed.
I had just started my first job working in the Claims Department of an Insurance Company. My English was good enough for the job I had applied for but was at the stage where I wanted to impress my Scottish boss. I even remember his name – It was Ernest Hagan. Other names have come and gone but this incident left such a lasting impression that I have never forgotten it.
I remember going to work and my boss always was in first and want say good morning to me and telling me it was a nice day. I told him it was a (4 letter word) good day. I thought he looked at me strangely but he didn’t say anything else. To practice a new word, I would use it the whole day so that it would become part of my vocabulary and I could say it with ease.
For that whole day, I use that 4 letter word at every opportunity I had that by the end of the day, my boss called me into his office. He said, Ms van Mourik, please do not swear in the office. No one has the nerve to tell you this but the word you are using is offensive. I was surprised and said, doesn’t it mean very? He told me that he did not want to embarrass me but to talk with someone who could explain it to me.
When I finally found out what the word meant, I never again would take for granted that what I was told was accurate until I would check it out. This has never failed me and to this day, no matter what new information I receive, I will make sure that it is accurate before I would use it.
I never thought the 4 letter word was able to teach me anything but it did.
Lydia
May 13, 2016
