Language of the Day: Dreams
Today we’ll look at the complex world of dreams including vocabulary and concepts that are associated with the familiar, yet, mysterious world of dreams!
There are a lot of theories about what dreams really are. Some people believe that dreams are just the brain’s way of processing information including all the visual stimulation we encounter throughout the day, much like a computer. While others believe that dreams are a window to our unconscious mind and others look at dreams symbolically and seek deeper meaning by analyzing them. Either way, dreams are both interesting and a bit of a mystery!
Dreams are often associated with good feelings, and the opposite, nightmares, are bad dreams. Again, nightmares can be actual bad dreams, for example, “Last night I had a nightmare that I was being chased by a pack of wild wolves!”
“Nightmare” can also be used to describe a particularly horrible experience. For example, “I didn’t study for the test and couldn’t answer most of the questions. It was a total nightmare.”
Even though everyone dreams, it can be difficult to describe our dreams because they can be abstract, but also because it’s hard to remember them after we wake up!
Regardless, dreams are a big part of our lives. Not only the dreams we dream while we’re asleep, but our dreams for the future.
Our dreams help motivate us and remind us that our lives are in our hands and that there is so much that we can achieve and create to make our dreams come true!
Like a lot of languages, the word dream has two general definitions:
“a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep,”
“a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.”
The difference between the two meanings can be clearly recognized whether someone asks you: “What did you dream about last night?” versus “What are your dreams?”
However, there are also some similarities and overlaps between the two meanings. The concept of daydreaming is a good example. Unlike dreaming while we’re sleeping, we have more control while we’re daydreaming and can dive into a world of fantasy that we’ve created! Daydreaming also tends to reflect our dreams, what we wish or hope for in life.
