Word association
May. 13th, 2004 11:23 amIn a completely incongruous context (sample letter of invitation to join the Editorial Board of an academic journal), I came across the word "dinner". I was struck by what a strong image this word called to mind. Dinner, for me, means a very specific thing: A china plate, tilted slightly, from which I am scraping with the edge of my fork the last mouthful of gravy-soaked mashed potato. The texture of the memory is overwhelmingly acute.
Now that I think about it, this turns out to be based on a memory of eating in my grandmother's house, which we did on most Friday evenings when I was maybe between twelveish and sixteenish. I don't know why this particular association should be so very strong (after all, it's only a tiny element in my experience of eating dinner), but there it is. I bet it's not the only word to which such an image applies, either, although I can't think of any others at the moment.
Am I weird, or can you relate?
Now that I think about it, this turns out to be based on a memory of eating in my grandmother's house, which we did on most Friday evenings when I was maybe between twelveish and sixteenish. I don't know why this particular association should be so very strong (after all, it's only a tiny element in my experience of eating dinner), but there it is. I bet it's not the only word to which such an image applies, either, although I can't think of any others at the moment.
Am I weird, or can you relate?