Giving up can have many different meanings.  But I want to focus on 2 of them.  One definition is to abandon hope or to despair as in “I give up.”  The other is to freely let go of something, as in giving up something you like as an action of sacrifice.

I was astonished by the many different synonyms I found, which were listed in several different sources.  But I have always been struck by these two in particular.  They have such strong differences in the emotions attached to each of them.  

One of these definitions is very negative in nature, while the other meaning is positive.  And while one definition is an act of anxiety and a feeling of unhappiness, giving up can also mean an action of purpose and strength.

This is one of the reasons that the English language is so fascinating to me.  And many of the words we use have multiple meanings.  That is why it is so difficult to learn if it is your second language.  I worked with a student who was hearing impaired and from another country.  She was constantly surprised and sometimes frustrated by the English language.  But she was as bright as she was inquisitive and was not a person who would ever give up.

I often wonder how I would have fared in another country if I didn’t have an adequate vocabulary.  I am glad that my first language is English.  But if I could have a talent for picking up new languages, I would be so happy.  I have always admired polyglots.  Isn’t that a fantastic word?  I would really love to be one.  And if I’d had the opportunity and the time to learn new languages when I was younger, I can honestly say that I would never have wanted to  “give up.”  Too bad I am so old and my memory is not not what it used to be.  Unfortunately, I must say that I have to “give up” the idea of being a polyglot.  And giving up is very hard to do.