Words

What Matters

As a writer I know that words matter. When I approached this passion project, I knew I had to find a word to reference Sneads Ferry but I didn't want to steal any identifying word that was already being used, nor did I want to offend anyone.

Sneads Ferry has been described and identified by the county and similar entities as a Waterside Community, an Unincorporated Village ... in the County of Onslow ... a part of the Stump Sound Township ... on the south end of the Crystal Coast of North Carolina.

Community

As a Board Member of the Sneads Ferry Community Council (that group of people dedicated to taking care of the Sneads Ferry Community Center, producing the annual Shrimp Festival, Christmas in the Ferry and so much more), I knew I didn't want to use the word "Community" because of confusion between what I do as a volunteer on the council and what I am doing with this OSF business.

Village

As a follower of the Facebook Group, Sneads Ferry Village News and a patron of Ace Village Hardware, I didn't want to steal their title by using the word "Village" and possibly causing a conflict of interest. Besides, I had heard a heritage resident say "We are NOT a village". Note: "Heritage" is a word I respectfully use to refer to people whose families have lived here for generations. So, I there was another reason to stay clear of that word. Even though it is often very fondly used around town along with the phrase "It takes a village - come join ours".

Township & Neighborhood

Sneads Ferry being a part of the designated Stump Sound Township - I couldn't use the word "Township".

Each subdivision within Sneads Ferry was generally known as its own neighborhood. So, I couldn't use "Neighborhood".

Short

And that left me ... Short of Words!So, I headed to my old faithful "New Webster's Dictionary, of the English Language - Modern Desk Edition copyright 1975! The version that had been at my side throughout my first career, pre-Internet, pre-Wikipedia, pre-AI. And, there I found it: "Province".

I admit, I had to sift through some definitions that didn't feel appropriate to my needs but there were several phrases that did ring true to my purpose. Besides, I liked the sound of it. "Province" reminded me of my Country French Provincial furniture which I bought years ago and still live with and love - graceful, solid, beautiful, warm and inviting.

Here's what I claimed for my own use from Webster's ...

Province:

An administrative unit of a country - "That sounds applicable "A sphere of action or speculation - "Hmm, Could fit "Territory at some distance from the metropolis - "Absolutely!"

Provincial:

Referring to a province - "Okay "Simple, of narrow interests or thought - "I definitely wanted to keep my business simple and narrowly focused on Sneads Ferry"

Descriptive of certain types of architecture, furniture or decor derived from the provinces - "Well, I don't know about all that, but I did want to describe certain kinds of businesses, groups, organizations, from the Province of Sneads Ferry, so Yep - it's a fit!"

Plus

The one single word offered me a whole new group of words to play with:

Provinciality - as an adjective

Provincially - as an adverb

Provincialist - a person belonging to a province as distinguished from the metropolis

Provincialize - as a verb

Provincialized - one who displays narrowness of interests or thoughts - (focused)

Provincialism - philosophy narrow mindedness, ignorance, or naivete, which is the result of

Provincial Life - a peculiarity, particularly of speech, characteristic of a province

Would I have to teach people what I meant by Province? Yep

Would some not care for it? Maybe

Would it take time to win people over? Probably

Would it be worth it? Hope So!

Don't let the word rub you the wrong way - substitute whatever word feels good to you: Community, Village, Township, or Neighborhood. My intention was pure - to find a word that allows us all to see Sneads Ferry with new eyes - as a quickly growing environment where both the quaint and the contemporary commit to thriving together.

May All Thrive in the Province,

Dottie