Two Sides of the Same Coin: Chapter 3

Language and Literature: Let's Toss up Whose First

Barnett knows how mad he is to follow Emma that time when they finished workshop and his destiny finds a smooth path when Emma visits his restaurant inadvertently. But his father tells Barnett to go upstairs and have dinner. Once again Barnett loses the chance to meet her personally....

All these happenings are anew to Barnett and to his friends as well, they never find him going to other ways than study. Abie, Barnett's best friend, is sure about Barnett, he will meet someone special... Abie was searching Barnett that day when Barnett was following Emma.... What a shock, Abie finds the same gal who came in the conference and lost peace of mind of Barnett is sitting in Barnett's restaurant! That also without Barnett! Abie rushes to the girl, Emma and introduces himself, "Hi, I am Abie. You are a fairy queen. Everyone is dying for you... Oh gush, I am so lucky...to be one of! Am I standing before that princess. I really impress and welcome to the Stratford-Upon-Avon!"

Emma who is engrossed in her dinner, suddenly look at the strange voice of a guy. Abie is an American, short, dark hair, and with bright eyes. Emma softly replies, "Thanks a lot, I am Emma, come to the land of English Literature and their scholars." Within a second Abie who blesses with the gift of the gab, interrupts her with a smile and says, "It's my pleasure and moreover I am thankful to God who sends me to a goddess." And Abie puts too many questions before Emma, "Where are you from Emma, the universal? Are you doing your PhD research here? What are your areas of interest?" Before Emma answers any of these questions, Abie takes a chair and sits beside her.

Now it's Emma's turn to answer Abie's chain of questions... but she is not feeling comfortable. Though Emma is so beautiful that anyone might get attracted towards her, people dare not to talk her. Her beauty has a restricted choice to judge people in the first sight, puts her on a safer way for a certain time. She has a long nose, narrow head with golden hair that are being praised for all the days. She likes to wear dark colors, always cover with a scarf with a lavish handbag. Her greenish gray eyes are more appealing than anything we can praise. Emma's tweedling sound seems of a new world but she is descended from a noble family in England. Hmm, instead of answering Abie's multiple questions Emma too follows a chain of questions, "Are you the same guy who sits beside that honorable speaker in the conference? Tell me, how could I meet him? Does he live in the Stratford-Upon-Avon only? When did you meet him for the first time? How? Do tell me fast, Abie?"

Abie's face looks as if Emma puts an ax to grind him. It was tit for tat. What to say in such situation, Abie encounters first time with someone who can stop his talk! He was speechless. Oh, Emma is really a universal being of all things! Abie thoughts this is the good way to start a friendship with her... so he talk too polite, answers every questions of her, "Yes madam, I am the same guy you have seen in that workshop with that pleasant handsome - Barnett. He is my friend and I will be your classmate, I am pursuing PhD in Linguistics." And suddenly he takes a pause and asks, "Anything else you want to know more about, anything?" Emma, now smiles and tells him, "No Mr. Abie, your answers are up to the mark. Can you be my friend?" Abie shakes hands with her. What he was planning, was done by Emma without any hesitation.

Emma welcomes Abie to join her. Emma again has a query, "What is a Linguistics? I first time listen this concept in the M.A classes. Linguistic states that - There is a difference between a language and a literature. Tell me, what have you studied about Linguistics?"

Abie nods his head in affirmation and says, "Yup, there is a difference between a language and literature. An individual communicates through a language. You might know, we have verbal and non-verbal strategies to express our emotions that are more convincing for effective communication. Animals have very limited sounds such as 'oink, moo, meow' to express themselves than human beings. Today, we find animals become more closer and friendly to human beings. A baby cannot grows up without his companion 'puppy' - both try to speak whatever ways they can. Sometime by gestures, symbols, postures, eye contact etc. and the parents easily get the meaning of their expressions. Therefore, Linguistics is a part and parcel of a language, which studies scientifically and can be experimented for origin, development and association of all languages spoken all over the world."

Emma was stunned and was full concentrated on the Abie... So to add few more of his knowledge Abie said, "The words 'zip, buzz, hiss' are the sounds that indicate its meaning within the words. These are known as onomatopoeia in English. A "buzz" sound, means a sound of a bee - is the surface meaning. If someone says, "the bees were buzzing around the hive" - means noisy and busy sounds of an organization, thinks the work is important so they are united into a team - is the deeper meaning. Linguistics studies all these concepts and it is open for all who can define and study. Moreover, Linguistics is a coordinator between language and literature. The creative use of language in the literature helps to make literary work unique than the ordinary language. Thus, we find writer and poet are deviated with group of words to make their work a masterpiece, well-known for the ages.... So, I think we cannot prove whose first? - Language or literature. Both are interdependent as well as they promote each other. Literature saves a language in its vast history, whereas language helps to learn more about a culture, religion, different people through literature."

Emma satisfied with Abie's deep study of Linguistics and still Abie continues his talk, "Tell me you might have used these two meanings to analyze the characters in a play? Here also, one single word has more than several meanings. Isn't it a 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'?"

But at that long word, Emma feels Abie is cracking a joke, "What is that? I never heard about - super-califragilistic-expialido-cious?" But Abie is serious and explains her, "Mam, this is the largest word ever in English. It's nice to learn and pronounce it pragmatically. You are too a 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. Ok, relax, we have no dictionary right now, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious means - Fantastic, very wonderful!"

Both Emma and Abie laugh in the huge restaurant occupies by few people. Emma interrupts Abie with a joy, "I know one good example. The word 'Barnett' - can be a name of a thing or a person - is a denotative meaning, but its meaning is a noble person - is a connotative meaning, Isn't it?" Here Abie interposes her sarcastically and adds, "Do you know, other types of meaning - like shocking meaning. Well, I will tell - The place we're sitting belongs to Barnett, so it is named Barnett... The same person who is my friend and your adorable majesty of literature whom you wish to meet!"

What a surprise! As soon as Emma listens about Barnett, (omnipresence!), her breathing stops for a moment. The way Emma glances at Abie with a surprise, is full of meanings than any actual pronounced word. Her baffled face is more communicating than any words available in a language. Yea!

The way you love, the way you hate. Isn't it the two sides of the same coin? Desires and facts...Feel free to post your comments.