Paying It Mind

Where do all the great sayings of the past go?


As usual, I spent some time yesterday listening to the genius of Mr Bob Dylan and I found that I have possibly become so obsessed with what he has to say that it now influences my own speech.


In 'Mr Tambourine Man', Bobby attests that he "wouldn't pay it any mind" and it got me thinking: when did paying it 'mind' turn into paying 'attention'? Attention is such a boring, frigid, military expression; one half expects its use to often be followed by an angry man shouting "Quick march!" Mind is so much more expressive and so much more personal. I can give you my attention and you will have my dutiful sighs and reassuring back channelling, or I can give you my mind and we can engage on a much higher, much more deeply personal level. As usual, Mr Dylan's way is, if not the best, at least the most human of the two.


But, surely, that is why these sayings shouldn't die out in favour of newer, usually simpler phrases. I am not making this point because I am a prescriptive old pedant who cannot embrace change; I think both phrases should exist because they signal completely different actions. This is why people should listen to their grandparents. Grandparents are linguistic piñatas that are just waiting to be cracked open. (Disturbing as that image might be). Some of my nana's favourites were "you've got to eat a penneth of dirt before you die" and "once is a mistake, twice is your own fault". It mightn't be expected of us to use these type of outdated phrases in our everyday lives but every word, every phrase, every utterance makes for a richer, fuller language that can turn chaos into precision and into chaos once more. And if someone scoffs at you for using such sayings, I wouldn't pay it any mind. It is their loss, after all.


Have a beautiful day, reader!
Mike.xx