The REAL power of words

A single word can take on so many different meanings.  Take the word REAL, for example.  It can be used in many different ways. When you use the word REAL you usually intend it to mean one of the following:

1 actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined or supposed

• used to emphasize the significance or seriousness of a situation or circumstance

• Philosophy relating to something as it is, not merely as it may be described or distinguished.

2 (of a substance or thing) not imitation or artificial; genuine

• true or actual

• [ attrib. ] (of a person or thing) rightly so called; proper : he's my idea of a real man | Jamie is my only real friend.

3 [ attrib. ] informal complete; utter (used for emphasis) : the tour turned out to be a real disaster.

real ² |rāˈäl| |reɪˈɑl| |riˈɑl| |reɪˈɑːl|

noun ( pl. reals or reis |rā sh; rās|)

the basic monetary unit of Brazil since 1994, equal to 100 centavos.

• ( pl. reales |rāˈäles|or reals) a former coin and monetary unit of various Spanish-speaking countries.

ORIGIN Portuguese and Spanish, literally ‘royal’ (adjective used as a noun).

Needless to say, words can be confusing, fantastic and multi-functional. 

Editors like to play with the meaning of words.   They take familiar words and use them in many different ways to make us think.

Five minutes away from my house is a little market gardener.  Like all market gardeners, they sell mostly local produce.  This local farmer, however, loves to advertise his home-grown goodness by calling it “REAL” -  “REAL” corn, “REAL potatoes and “REAL” blueberries. 

These signs annoy and intrigue me.  Why would anyone call local produce “REAL” ______?  What ever happened to using good old words, like local, farm fresh, homegrown?  I mean “REAL”, really?  Oh course, it’s real.  I can feel it, see it and, most importantly, taste it.

Whoever chose this slogan thought of a way to get my attention and to get me thinking about their product with one word. This is the power of words.  They can get us thinking and feeling about anything. 

As an editor, it’s important to attract your audience with interesting words and visuals that stops them in their tracks.  With all the competition in the market, it’s important to use whatever means you have to stick in the audience’s mind, and words can have a huge impact on getting your audience's attentions.