What are the opening hours?

Monday 08:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00 Thursday 08:00 - 17:00 Friday 09:00 - 15:30

A word or 2

Name: A word or 2
Address: Johannesburg, 2192, ZA
Telephone: +27728736061

A word or 2 provides copywriting, blogging, editing & social media content to boost your web presence Professional writing services

27/08/2026

The Nia teacher was quite emotional when she lodge her appeal that dancers be on time for her classes. "We start at 8," she said allowing no compromise. I told her she was preaching to the choir.

At another event, the leadership body of the organisation appealed for better attendance from members, addressing the few who were present. Again, preaching to the converted.

Sometimes it's just unavoidable - you want to rally the troops to get on board with you, so rather say what's on your mind than nothing at all, even though you have a committed audience.
(pic: Pavel Danllyuk)

www.awordor2.co.za/blog

04/08/2026

****The Horn of Plenty****
Cornucopia -what a lovely word. I happened upon it just the other day and decided it needed focus.

Derived from Latin, the word ‘cornu copiae’, means ‘horn of plenty’. The image owes its origins to a colourful Greek mythology. According to the best-known legend, the infant Zeus was hidden from his father, the Titan Cronus, who had developed the unfortunate habit of swallowing his children.
Energetic Zeus was nursed by the divine goat Amalthea. During his energetic infancy, he accidentally broke off one of her horns.
more/www.awordor2.co.za/blog

03/07/2026

****When History Shrank an Emperor: The Napoleon Complex****

At a mere 1.52cm in height, I have never felt short. But then I’m female. Having said that, I refuse to date anyone not at least a head taller than me.

For men, it’s a different matter and being short may come with some psychological challenges. This may manifest as overachieving, aggressive behaviour or excessive ambition to get noticed, making up for the fact that they do not measure up, so to speak.

This kind of scenario was described by historians as the ‘Napoleon complex’.

25/06/2026

**** Chewing over a well-used expression ****
When an editor approached me to edit his novel, I responded enthusiastically, delighted to have an opportunity to be in my happy place. Not so fast. He required a prolonged process of quoting and re-quoting, assurances and detailed notes on how the methodology would unfold.

It got me thinking that I might have bitten off more than I could chew. Then I took stock of myself and realised, the only thing hard to swallow would be working for an amount far below my value. I am well qualified for the task, one bite at a time.

This is not like diving into a project outside of your area of expertise, like offering to cook for 10 people when a fried egg is the extent of your culinary reach. That would be biting off more than you can chew.

Failure
The idiom refers to taking on more work, responsibility, or commitment than you can realistically manage. Like someone attempting to stuff an impossibly large piece of food into their mouth, the result is discomfort, anxiety, and often failure.
www.awordor2.co.za/blog

18/06/2026

******Quasimodo: The name that echoed beyond the bells******

The scene: Paris, the book; a memoir; the topic, fused identity: Jewish and Muslim.

When the author referenced Quasimodo, I wanted to explore the legend in more depth. I assume that, like me, many people know the character without knowing where he came from or how he entered everyday language.

Quasimodo first appeared in the 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by French writer Victor Hugo. The story is set in fifteenth-century Paris and centres on the great cathedral of Notre-Dame, which Hugo feared was falling into neglect. Through his novel, he hoped to rekindle public appreciation for Gothic architecture.

more/www.awordor2.co.za/blog

(pic by Michel Avril)

11/06/2026

*****It takes balls to beard the lion*****

I have to say, I'm not a fan of beards on men. I like clean-shaven, short back and sides. So when I happened across the phrase “to beard the lion” in a memoir I was reading. I was eager to find a situation where I would be partial to the beard. And here it is.

You could be challenging an unfair boss, questioning a public figure, or standing up to a bully. These great acts of courage are colourfully captured in the phrase “to beard the lion."

more/www.awordor2.co.za/blog

(pic by Nachalita Kodwong)

27/05/2026

****Writing on the wall: innocuous or ominous? Depends how you read it.****

When a friend drops me off at home, I tell her, “The writing is on the wall” as the house on the corner where she has to turn has the owner’s name painted on it, and it just so happens to be the same name as hers. To say, “The writing is on the wall,” to remind her where to make a left, never gets corny.

However, there is a more significant meaning to the phrase, which dates back several centuries.

Some phrases survive because they capture a truth so perfectly that generations keep reaching for them. “The writing is on the wall” is one of those expressions – a dramatic warning wrapped in ancient imagery. We use it when disaster seems inevitable, when the signs are obvious, or when denial is no longer possible. Long before it became the language of failing businesses, doomed relationships, or collapsing political careers, however, the phrase emerged from one of the most chilling scenes in the Bible.
(pic by Brett Sayles)
www.awordor2.co.za

06/05/2026

****Dionysus: Where Order Unravels and Instinct Takes Over****
I love theatre and the arts. My ticket for the South African production of Pretty Woman is booked, and I can't wait! Today I was treated to some theatrics at a surprising venue. I played my part and danced - on the stage - mind you, to gay abandon, throwing caution and inhibition to the wind. It's fair to say I had a
Dionysian experience.
There’s a particular kind of chaos that feels almost… holy. Not the destructive kind, but the kind that loosens the grip of routine and lets something older, wilder slip through. Enter Dionysus — the Greek god who didn’t just flirt with excess, he embodied it.
Nine lives?
www.awordor2.co.za

30/04/2026

My posts are always about words and here's one I found thanks to daily news updates.

"The verb for throwing something out of a window is to defenestrate. It sounds a bit like die venster uit." Daily Maverick

Apologies to those who do not speak Afrikaans.

24/04/2026

Dischem can't spell - No apology

In the so-called efficient service Packmymeds, Dischem issued Normison - fast acting sedative for chronic insomnia, instead of Normoten for blood pressure. When I pointed this out, the pharmacy assistant insisted that the pack said Normeton. It took almost an hour to issue the correct medication. I imagined what would have happened if I had consumed the Normison before getting into my car, with a horrible scenario of a major car accident., due to the fast-acting psychotropic drug. Dischem has offered no compensation.

Address

Johannesburg
2192

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 17:00
Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 15:30

Telephone

+27728736061

Website

https://www.awordor2.co.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when A word or 2 posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to A word or 2:

Want your business to be the top-listed Business in Johannesburg?