From the era of Renaissance explorations to the time when the British Empire extended its influence worldwide, and continuing into the present, a constant influx of fresh vocabulary has entered the English language. These new words and phrases serve as linguistic bridges, and enable English-speakers to navigate and label the complexities of life.
In some ways words are like families. Just as there are different relationships among members of the same family, there are similar relationships among words and also among those who love words.
A “milver” is an individual who shares a strong interest with another person, particularly related to words and wordplay. This term was coined by the American essayist and critic Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) as a response to a friend’s complaint about the lack of a suitable English word to describe “a person who is enthusiastic about the same thing you are enthusiastic about”. Smith found expressions like “fellow fan” or “co-enthusiast” too cumbersome, leading him to invent the term “milver”. As he elucidated in his 1936 book Reperusals and Recollections, “Since language is never fully equipped to capture all the various relationships between people, I have introduced the term ‘milver’ to describe those who share a common passion.” (It is not clear what the etymology of the word is, but it does have the merit of providing poets with a rhyme for “silver”!)
“Milver” epitomises our ongoing exploration of the boundless possibilities of language; playfully exploring it and creating new words is fun. When we delve into the realm of words and wordplay, whether we’re coining new terms or unearthing existing linguistic gems, it’s a vivid reminder of our capacity to invent and adapt words and our innate ability to craft and modify language. Often, scepticism towards unfamiliar words and an aversion to linguistic innovation are ingrained in children from a very early age by uninspiring parents and teachers. Fortunately, I was blessed to have a father and teachers who taught me the exact opposite: always uncover the most appropriate word, even if it wasn’t widely used.
As Barbara Chatton suggests: “A love of words comes from the work of playing around with language. We learn words by hearing them, rolling them around on our tongues and in our minds like a small child does as she learns language. A person who loves language plays with it — hears words and links them with other sounds, other meanings, and other words. The patterns and sounds of language are fascinating to the lover of words.”
This deep and enduring love of words, which I acquired in childhood and have not ceased to nurture, has been with me throughout my life. Blessed with a keen ear for words, and a capacious memory, a robust lexicon of exceptional and highly specific words has found a place in my mind. There exists a term for people like me who have a deep affection for words – a “logophile”. Despite the presence of many members of the tribe, the word “logophile” is yet to be widely used, though it is included in most dictionaries. “Logophile” has its origins in two Greek roots: “logos”, which signifies “speech, word and reason”, and “philos”, which means “dear one or friend”. Their condition is “logophilia”, the love of words. These roots have also contributed to the formation of more commonly used English words. “Logos” has historical ties to words like “analogous”, “apology”, and “logic”, while “philos” has given rise to the noun combining form “-phile”, denoting “someone who greatly enjoys something”. A Francophile, for instance, likes all things French.
A “logophile” is someone who has a deep affection for words; a “milver” is one who exhibits a significant enthusiasm, especially for language and wordplay, with people of similar interests. When we converse with others, our words possess the power to inspire, connect, and influence. This column is a testament to my intellectual curiosity and my desire to share a strong interest, particularly one related to words and wordplay, with others. But is there a “milver” out there among my readers, another devoted word enthusiast like me who shares the same enthusiasms? I’d love to hear from them!