In this new world of ours where exposure to other cultures have become prevalent, we are now inundated with new words and terms that somehow seem familiar and yet totally foreign. With the blending of cultures in different locations all over the world, languages begin the inevitable change, an evolution of sorts. The English language as we know it, is one of the most dynamic and versatile languages in the world. It always incorporates new words from different cultures to make English more universally accepted. But as new words are developed and used, there are some really “cool” words that a majority of people today seldom get to use anymore. Perhaps in trying to reinvent themselves, most people tend to use the same words that the majority of people use in the present. And one of the most colorful among the parts of speech is the adjective.

Adjectives, as we well know, are descriptive words. And as such, they have to be really interesting, enjoyable, and often times, memorable. During the 80's, the “cool” adjectives used to describe people were “smoking”, “rad”, “gnarly”, and “fantastic”. These same words, when used today would bring about stares from the younger crowd whose lexical skills are no doubt channeled by the domination of the internet, and at the same time bring a smile on the faces of people who grew up in the 80's. During the 90's, the words evolved yet again, due in part to the growing influence of TV and MTV, whose musicians were the voice of the new generation. “Grunge”, “laidback”, “Chill”, and “ice” were descriptions used. But with all the growing up English has done, these words lack the flavor needed to actually fully describe the person or thing it is supposed to depict.

For me, really “cool” adjectives are the ones that define a person completely that there can be no other adjective to substitute for it. Take the word “captivating” for example. How would you use this word nowadays? Would you use it to describe your car? A movie? Your girlfriend? Can you look at someone you like in the eye, and tell them with all honesty that she is “captivating”? It may seem “cheesy” to some, but the person making the compliment will never be swayed to use any other adjective for the word “embodies” this “magnificent and wondrous being of creation”.

Cool you say? Think back on the movies that you have watched time and again, those which are dubbed as “masterpieces”. The next time you watch “With Honors”, close your eyes and listen really closely. You will begin having an “epiphany”, a sudden burst of insight on the “overwhelming beauty” of the language used. And at the end of the film, you will begin to look back on those words that you “deemed obsolete”, and start a “renaissance” of “pure enjoyment” of having “re-discovered” a “channel worthy of the golden soul of humanity”.