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Words as Spells — And Why I Won’t Correct Yours
Episode Description:
I recorded this one directly in Substack — first time trying it, bear with me — and it turned into something I didn’t plan on.
It started as a quick update. Two launches this week. A week where I had to cancel sessions and take care of myself. The first time since starting my channel that I didn’t post a YouTube video.
And then it turned into a twenty-minute rabbit hole on the English language. Which, honestly, is exactly how my brain works.
In this episode:
The two launches: Vocal Recess is now available as a standalone purchase outside the community — seven weeks of play-based voice lessons including Romancing the Voice, Once Upon a Voice, a Shel Silverstein week, a punk rock week, and more. And THE FIFTH is now available as a standalone subscription for $5.99 a month, with four back issues included when you sign up.
The Word Police article — and why correcting other people’s language, even with the best intentions, is a form of coercion. I’ve done it myself. I know how it lands. It doesn’t work, and it’s not as virtuous as it feels.
The hidden history of English — and here I go deep. Queen Elizabeth I. Her court astrologer John Dee. The theory that English was designed to be the language of the angels — and possibly also designed to manipulate. The homophonic meanings hiding in plain sight: good morning as good mourning. The days of the week as the daze of the weak. Awake as a service for the dead. Raised, traced back to the antebellum South, meaning razed — burned to the ground to be rebuilt.
I’ve been studying etymology obsessively for several years. I have a homophone dictionary. I spend time on Etymology Online following puns back to the Middle Ages. And what I keep finding is disturbing and fascinating in equal measure.
The conclusion I’ve landed on: intention matters more than perfect pitch. Be discerning. Study your own language. But don’t stop someone mid-sentence to correct their vocabulary. That’s not wisdom. That’s exhausting for everyone, including you.
Plus: Courage Circle update — ten people signed up to share their voices tomorrow. Which is exactly what this whole thing is for.
Links mentioned:
* Vocal Recess standalone — 7 weeks of play-based voice lessons: COMING SOON!
* Subscribe to THE FIFTH — $5.99/month, 4 back issues included: https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/thefifthsub
* Join The Healthy Voice Community: https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/untitled-page
* Voice Liberation Method ($97): https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/untitled-page-1-e9c083
* Book a private session: https://calendly.com/hello-bellapayne/75
* Free Voice Guide: https://bella-payne.kit.com/freeguide
* Get 5% off harmoniums, sitars, shruti boxes, and tanpuras. https://olddelhimusic.com/collections/harmonium
Leave a comment: Are you someone who polices language — your own or other people’s? Have you ever noticed a word that disturbed you once you learned its history? I want to know.
Subscribe and share if you made it to the end — it helps more people find their way here.
Get full access to The Healthy Voice Writes at rawveganbella.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Bella PayneEpisode Description:
I recorded this one directly in Substack — first time trying it, bear with me — and it turned into something I didn’t plan on.
It started as a quick update. Two launches this week. A week where I had to cancel sessions and take care of myself. The first time since starting my channel that I didn’t post a YouTube video.
And then it turned into a twenty-minute rabbit hole on the English language. Which, honestly, is exactly how my brain works.
In this episode:
The two launches: Vocal Recess is now available as a standalone purchase outside the community — seven weeks of play-based voice lessons including Romancing the Voice, Once Upon a Voice, a Shel Silverstein week, a punk rock week, and more. And THE FIFTH is now available as a standalone subscription for $5.99 a month, with four back issues included when you sign up.
The Word Police article — and why correcting other people’s language, even with the best intentions, is a form of coercion. I’ve done it myself. I know how it lands. It doesn’t work, and it’s not as virtuous as it feels.
The hidden history of English — and here I go deep. Queen Elizabeth I. Her court astrologer John Dee. The theory that English was designed to be the language of the angels — and possibly also designed to manipulate. The homophonic meanings hiding in plain sight: good morning as good mourning. The days of the week as the daze of the weak. Awake as a service for the dead. Raised, traced back to the antebellum South, meaning razed — burned to the ground to be rebuilt.
I’ve been studying etymology obsessively for several years. I have a homophone dictionary. I spend time on Etymology Online following puns back to the Middle Ages. And what I keep finding is disturbing and fascinating in equal measure.
The conclusion I’ve landed on: intention matters more than perfect pitch. Be discerning. Study your own language. But don’t stop someone mid-sentence to correct their vocabulary. That’s not wisdom. That’s exhausting for everyone, including you.
Plus: Courage Circle update — ten people signed up to share their voices tomorrow. Which is exactly what this whole thing is for.
Links mentioned:
* Vocal Recess standalone — 7 weeks of play-based voice lessons: COMING SOON!
* Subscribe to THE FIFTH — $5.99/month, 4 back issues included: https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/thefifthsub
* Join The Healthy Voice Community: https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/untitled-page
* Voice Liberation Method ($97): https://the-healthy-voice-community.circle.so/untitled-page-1-e9c083
* Book a private session: https://calendly.com/hello-bellapayne/75
* Free Voice Guide: https://bella-payne.kit.com/freeguide
* Get 5% off harmoniums, sitars, shruti boxes, and tanpuras. https://olddelhimusic.com/collections/harmonium
Leave a comment: Are you someone who polices language — your own or other people’s? Have you ever noticed a word that disturbed you once you learned its history? I want to know.
Subscribe and share if you made it to the end — it helps more people find their way here.
Get full access to The Healthy Voice Writes at rawveganbella.substack.com/subscribe