Allow me to bring you behind the curtain of this newsletter for just a moment – I had no clue what I was going to write about this week. Usually I have an idea that I’ve been mulling over for a bit that I can word-barf into a Google Doc and hash out into something coherent, but this week my mind was blank. So, being the nerd that I am, I went to Etymonline (the best online etymology resource) for inspiration. I searched up walk, but nothing there stuck out. Then, really pulling from my four years of plodding through high school Latin, I brought up ambulance, knowing that it has a root in ambulare, the Latin word for walk. I poked around the other descendants of ambulare and, after a good long search, came upon preamble. I will now use the rest of this newsletter (and the next few minutes of your time) to argue for the resurrection of this mostly forgotten word. I promise, I’ll keep it interesting.
A lot of us are probably most familiar with the word preamble as it relates to US history and memorizing the opening paragraphs of documents written in the late 1700s. But it hasn’t been used much in everyday speech since, overtaken by words like introduction and foreword. I’ve given this some thought, and despite its historical connotations, I think preamble is actually a much better word for the words that come first.
Looking at the Latin roots of the word, preamble literally means “to walk before” or “to walk through.” This puts a picture in my head of the author literally walking with their audience, pointing to and quickly explaining each key point of their work as if they’re showing us around their hometown, pointing out the notable landmarks and best places to eat. This explanatory “walk” welcomes the reader into the words in a way that the author and audience are on the same level – we are walking in a small group, staying at the same easy pace, and stopping together to observe certain pieces of the larger work. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the two most memorized preambles in American history start with a big “we.” A preamble brings the reader and writer together in a way that an introduction cannot.
The etymology of introduction comes from the Latin word ducere “to lead,” the same word duke and duchess come from. An introduction, then, automatically assumes the writer is in a position of power and above the reader. The author becomes a leader responsible for guiding or controlling the audience’s time with the written work. Compared to this, the leisurely preamble sounds even better to me. I would much rather stroll along with the author than be led forcefully through a topic I might already be intimidated by.
What about foreword, preface, or prologue? All of those words work okay, but none have the extra oomph preamble does with its connection to walking. Foreword, preface, and prologue are all just different ways of saying simply “the words before” – foreword from German, preface from Latin, and prologue from Greek. Preamble alone has a connection to the physical world, moving through new ideas as one walks through an unfamiliar place.
And I don’t think we need to stick to preambles only meant for stuffy documents and men in white powder wigs. There are many good preamble examples, opening words that welcome and engage the audience as equals. I think one of the best examples is perhaps the most recognizable TV theme song of the late 20th century – Mr. Rogers’ “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Mr. Rogers welcomes us into his living room, the same place we are most likely watching from. He makes a point, as his song invites us to be his neighbor, to change into comfier clothes, matching what the audience is probably wearing while lounging on a Saturday morning. Mr. Rogers meets us at our level to express the core ideas of the show. His preamble is short and sweet, but it connects us to him in a way that is unarguably good.
I don’t expect everyone to go out and start putting preambles at the beginning of every book or writing a preamble for every Facebook status. But I think we can all certainly take something from the idea of walking together with our audience, whether we write in journals or newsletters or Instagram posts or photobooks. We can use the essence of the preamble, of walking through sometimes hard ideas and concepts on the same footing as the reader, to write and make things that are more empathetic and that connect to people instead of trying to persuade, belittle, or control. I see the preamble as a way to acknowledge that, at the end of the day, the author and audience are just neighbors living in the same neighborhood.
And also, preamble is a close word cousin to ramble, an aspect of discourse (and walking) that I am obviously fond of. Thanks for reading.
Links to Things I’ve Enjoyed Recently:
Gardens and arboretums. I visited The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in LA recently, and have visited the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Phoenix. What great places to walk around and enjoy the outdoors while also learning new things and seeing plants from around the world. See if there is a garden near you!
My friend Tia makes fun and beautiful jewelry and is releasing a lot of new things very soon! Check out her super cool stuff at Okay Okay Co. on Instagram and her website.
More Shameless Self Promotion:
My book Ulysses, NY is for sale on my website, and every order comes signed with a 5x7 print on fine art paper. I am going to stop taking orders at the end of the month, so order one soon!