So, I've had a request to post about the nasty cases I get at work. Never fear--there will be plenty of those forthcoming. However, I had an experience last Friday that was just too good to pass up. A woman called in during the day with a toothache and I agreed to fit her in. She came in, got some radiographs taken and was sitting in the chair when I walked in to meet her.
"Hi there! My name is Dr. Nelson and I'll be working with you today."
"My name is Bo-NEE-tah."
"Good to meet you, Bonita."
"Likewise, I'm glad to make your acquaintance, I'm sure."
"Oh oh," I thought.
I looked at her radiographs and began to explain to her what I saw. Really, there was no problem with saving the teeth--they would just need root canals (two of them).
As we began to discuss this, she interrupted me:
"Doc, I know you're going to talk to me about saving them, but I just want them taken out. Just pull 'em."
"I understand that you may not think that they can be saved, but really they can."
"Now, I am NOT ignorant. Don't you try to ignify me."
Huh? Ig..Ignify?
"I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"I said, don't ignify me."
Hm.
"Bonita, I did not mean to imply that you are ignorant. I know that you aren't. I was merely pointing out that the teeth can be saved."
We finished our discussion, she received treatment and left. Now, using context clues, I gather that when she said, "ignify" she meant that she didn't want me to treat her like she was ignorant. My questions to all of you readers out there are these: Was my inference correct? What exactly IS ignification? When does 'informing' cross that ever-so-fine line into the dark realms of ignification? I really need help here. I didn't even know that I could ignify someone, let alone how to do it. Admittedly, there have been times in my life when I wish I would have known about this particular verb--granted, it's probably better that I didn't, as I likely would have used it altogether too much.
The online Webster dictionary defines ignify: "To form into fire." Well, if that's what she thought I was doing, she was way off...
6 comments:
HaHaHa! That is too good!
I've never even heard that word. What a funny lady.
I can see where she was concerned... and what did you do to resolve that concern?
...I guess she wasn't on fire when she walked away.
What a looney. How fun for you!! Nope, I've never heard that word either (though I generally have the vocabulary of a 12 year old, so that's not saying much!)
Actually, people used to ignify eachother all the time in old England. Eventually the great reformer, Fitzgrimeldus, said, "Enough is enough'" and began to promote a new word "de-ignification." People began to "de-ignify" one another and eventually. Everyone felt much better about themselves under this new policy. The term was eventually contracted "d'ignify." Today it is even shorter "dignify." So, as you can see, its all very simple....
I often find myself walking that narrow line between informing and ignifying... thanks for your enlightening insight.
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