Preface
Stop for a minute and think about your last conversation, e-mail, or text message. You think you said something about dinner plans, your laundry, a strategy for the next sales meeting. And you probably did. But at the same time, you said much, much more. The precise words you used to communicate your message revealed more about you than you can imagine.
You, a, am, to, I, but, the, for, not...
Pronouns, articles, prepositions, and a handful of other small, stealthy word reveal parts of your personality, thinking style, emotional state, and connections with others. These words, typically called function words, account for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of your vocabulary but make up almost 60 percent of the words you use. Your brain is not wired to notice them but if you pay close attention, you will start to see their subtle power.The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us
by James W. Pennebaker
This opening strikes me as fascinating and full of possibility. Does that makes me a word nerd? Either way, I stumbled upon this book at the library last week and couldn't resist bringing it home for a close look.
What do you think? Does it make you want to keep reading?
Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.
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