By: Barnali Bose, Editor-ICN World
KOLKATA: In your daily interactions, various words and phrases you use and hear being used, a few of them more often than others. You might have come across some of them while reading.
If you pause to think, you will notice that quite a few of these, you hardly use anymore or hear them being used. One plausible explanation is that they might have become obsolete or perhaps their use is confined to a particular subject or area and you have drifted away it.
Despite that, like certain memories, time is unable to delete them from the hard disk of your memory. Although I cannot boast of having an inexhaustible vocabulary, a few words, refuse to fade away from my mind. ‘Idiosyncrasy’ is one such word that has left an unerasable stamp on my long term memory.
As a student of English literature, I first came across this word in making analysis of literary characters. I, myself have not quite often used the word in my day to day interactions with people although I must admit I have noticed that the response to the word differs from person to person and not without reason.
The other day, I overheard a group of young millennials discussing excitedly about a particular big silver screen male character. The character is quite an anti-hero from the traditional point of depiction of hero.
Although critics have given scathing reviews on the character, quite surprisingly the millennials have been going gaga over it.
I have personally found the actions of the hero alarmingly offensive and intolerably over the board. But, exaggeration is a common flaw on the silver screen, isn’t it? Characters are either too good to replicate in real life or too diabolical to be able to relate to.
” Oh, how intense his emotions are,” said a voice with conviction. Overcoming an initial hesitation to barge into the discussion with the logical reasoning that the discussion was in full public hearsay, I tentatively began, ” Well, every character has its idiosyncrasies……”.
There was a sudden pause and then somebody said, ” ……idio ..what? Will you repeat the word, please ?” I obliged her. ” Idiosyncrasy,” I pronounced with more emphasis on the ‘ syn ‘ than required ( Readers,excuse my use of the pun). Another inquired,” But what does it mean?”
Obviously, I was only too happy to dwell on the word. “Well, any peculiarity that defines each one of us individually is an idiosyncrasy.” To sound more convincing, I continued, ” The dictionary interprets it as a behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person, a slight glitch, mannerism; something unusual about the manner or style of something or someone.”
A young girl who introduced herself as a budding writer said,” Does that mean that when I create a new character I should describe some of its idiosyncrasies?” ” Yes,of course!” I replied,” If you want to inject a little more life into a character, you should try adding a striking mannerism to it ,a few nuances,quirks and body language; in other words an idiosyncrasy or more.”
” Can you exemplify, please?”, she said, curiosity evident on her face.
“ Remember Sherlock Holmes,the famous detective that was Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation?” I said,pausing for a moment before I quoted,”Elementary, my dear Watson …” , Remember, how Holmes rebuffs praise showered by Dr. Watson, many a time by saying these words? Well, that is an idiosyncrasy.”
“Sherlock Holmes smokes cigars, cigarettes, and pipes. Occasionally, he snuffles tobacco from a jewel snuff-box.These are his idiosyncrasies.” The small audience was now all ears.
“Well, idiosyncrasies can be anything from biting nails, fidgeting with anything within grasp,twitching in nervousness, mumbling to oneself, switching lights on and off or when a person wears glasses he doesn’t need to. The list is endless,” said I, almost in one breath.
I noticed a girl twirling the edges of her hanky around her finger repeatedly. Seeing my amused look, her friend pointed to her blurting out , “ Anita, that is an idiosyncrasy of yours” Visibly embarrassed, Anita smiled as she said, ” Alright, I accept. Is it then idiosyncrasy that gives a special identity to a character? ” Yes, sort of,”I nodded in agreement, inwardly patting myself for not having had to draw a blank as on many an occasion.
The discussion then began to centre around their individual Idiosyncrasies. They began to try to identify one another’s idiosyncrasies. ” Hey, I have seen you trying to split the split- ends of your hair. That’s surely an idiosyncrasy of yours, ” said one girl to another. “ And what about your intermittently adjusting your spectacles on the bridge of your nose?” she retorted. This went on for quite sometime almost like a game.
I was now a silent spectator to a discussion that I had triggered. My instinct told me that before it took an ugly turn, I should draw the curtain on the topic. I said, ” Come on girls, I have given you food for thought.” ” Indeed, you have,” pat came the almost chorus reply. A smile lit up my countenance. The word that time had not blurred from my memory was now dancing merrily before my eyes at its grand revival.
Well, dear readers, why not sneak a peek into your own idiosyncrasies? I assure you, you have nothing to lose.Besides, it will be quite fun as long as you let it remain so.
