I like breaking down words. My previous specimen have been “research” and “alter ego“.
In this article it’s going to be two victims.
Supernatural
and
Extraordinary
I’ve found these two words very contradictory from the moment I heard the theme song of ” The Parent Trap” starring Lindsey Lohan as the twins.
Do you know The Parent Trap? It’s a cute family movie and I would say this was Lindsey Lohan’s golden age of acting. A great movie that adults and kids can enjoy even to this day. I recommend it 🙂
Back to the words. So in The Parent Trap they have this theme song called “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole (I had no idea it was Nat King Cole until I looked it up) and the song goes, “E is very very extraordinary” and from a young age, I couldn’t understand how something “WOW” could be “EXTRA ordinary”.
The same goes with supernatural. Look at the word.
SUPER and NATURAL
SUPER: Very good or pleasant; excellent. (Oxford Dictionaries: super)
NATURAL: Existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind. AND/OR Entirely to be expected. (Oxford Dictionaries: natural)
So naturally, if it is super natural, it should be more natural than normal natural, right? Definition-wise, that’s how it should be.
But,
SUPERNATURAL: (of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature. AND Unnaturally or extraordinarily great.
Makes no sense
And look, Oxford Dictionaries is using “extraordinary” to define supernatural.
SO,
EXTRA and ORDINARY
EXTRA: To a greater extent than usual; especially. AND/OR An item in addition to what is usual or strictly necessary. (Oxford Dictionaries: extra)
ORDINARY: With no special or distinctive features; normal. AND/OR What is commonplace or standard. (Oxford Dictionaries: ordinary)
So if something is ordinary, it is normal. If something is extra, it should be better than normal. Basically it’s extra normal. Extra normal should be so normal you don’t even notice it.
But,
EXTRAORDINARY: Very unusual or remarkable. AND Unusually great. (Oxford Dictionaries: extraordinary)
It’s like dictionary people stuck two opposite words together to make a new word just for the heck of it. And they make it mean something that is the opposite of the second word to screw people’s brains.
Let me try that!
Why not colorfulmonotone?
COLORFULMONOTONE: Something that is more colorful than any other colorful thing out there. (The Tiger Writer Dictionaries).
How about solidliquid? No, solidquid. Don’t say SO-lid-quid. It’s pronounced, so-LID-quid.
SOLIDQUID: something that is so solid, it’s never EVER going to be liquid. Like wood. Wood is solidquid. And that makes it extraordinarily supernatural 😛 (The Tiger Writer Dictionaries).
In the end, no, I have not solved the mystery of why we say “extra ordinary” for things that are NOT ordinary at all and “super natural” for things that are NOT natural at all.
FOXWOOD FOREST 