by Miko Johnston
Words have become a frequent topic for my posts. I often say they’re a primary tool in the writer’s toolbox, and like all tools they need to be kept sharp as well as up-to-date.
When I read, I’ll occasionally come across a word I don’t know or might be unsure of its meaning, whether in English or another language. Whether plots or articles, writing that includes corporations or government agencies and bureaus often use acronyms, and thanks to texting, so does modern fiction. We all know FBI, CEO, LOL. If the mystery is set in the fictional Gotham City, we can figure out what GCPD stands for. When the unfamiliar term is foreign, an acronym or other modern slang I’ll search for it online. I don’t mind doing this, as I enjoy learning new words, terms and expressions to expand my vocabulary, even if I never use them.
I used to keep my dictionary and thesaurus handy when I write. Now, I prefer to look up words online when I’m not sure of the proper meaning, or if they’ve changed over time. I google “(language) to English” if I need a translation, or the reverse if I need the word or phrase in another language. If I’m uncertain if a word I want to use is best or if another would be clearer, I check the thesaurus. I often understand the meaning better from similar examples than dictionary descriptions. If the synonyms don’t relate to what I want to express I delete the word and find another. You could say the dictionary “tells” me the meaning while the thesaurus “shows” it.
My thesaurus also comes in handy when I need a substitute for an overused word, or if I can’t think of the right one to use. However, it’s old and doesn’t reflect modern speech. If I want the language to be au courant, I google the word, or the idea I want to express, and add synonym. The results help me decide whether to stick with my original word, choose a better one from the list, or pick a different word that more closely expresses what I want to say.
I also search for the etymology of words, phrases and expressions. As a writer of historical fiction, I must know when they came into usage to avoid anachronisms. The reverse is true as well. A word or phrase that brings authenticity to a period in history would sound ridiculous spoken out of time – who says 23 skidoo, groovy, or gag me with a spoon anymore? Then, I consider who will use the word. For example, I wouldn’t have a fusty old person use hipster (for the time) jargon, or vice versa.
Sometimes I must use an obscure word. When it’s foreign or an historical reference, I often describe it in the sentence following its usage. Sometimes the meaning can be gleaned by context, such as when my characters lit a yahrzeit candle to commemorate a loved one’s death. However, some terms can’t be explained without a dictionary-like entry – for example, plastron, which I used in my first novel, set in 1899. I expect most readers had to look that word up to find it meant “an ornamental front of a woman’s bodice or shirt consisting of colorful material with lace or embroidery, fashionable in the late 19th century”. Hardly something that could evolve naturally in dialogue. Certain genres, such as historical fiction and hard sci-fi, as well as unique careers and hobbies of the characters, give the writer some leeway for the occasional obscure term. So does a post on a writer’s blog.
Even so, I sometimes question the use of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to the average reader, like etymology or anachronisms. I don’t want to oversimplify the subject, nor do I want to write over the reader’s head. I wonder – should I find another way to express myself? Is there a better way that won’t send readers rushing for their dictionary? Or is that necessarily a bad thing?
Some believe using more complex terminology – what we used to call “hundred dollar words” – makes them sound smart, while others find it pompous and pretentious. A wise person can explain complex ideas in complex terms, but a wiser person can do the same using plain language. I wouldn’t consider that “dumbing down.” I’d call it making the information more accessible to more people. Even so, the best word may be foreign to some, including me. As a reader, I will look up a word I don’t know or am unsure of its meaning in the context of what’s on the page. If I have to do that once or twice, I will, but too many unfamiliar words put me off.
Some writers must use foreign words, terminology, slang, or acronyms related to the time period, profession, or avocations of their characters. How do you handle challenging vocabulary as a writer and as a reader?
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Miko Johnston, a founding member of The Writers in Residence, is the author of the historical fiction series “A Petal in the Wind” as well as a contributor to several anthologies, including the about-t0-be-released “Whidbey Island: An Insider’s Guide”. Miko lives in Washington (the big one) with her rocket scientist husband. Contact her at mikojohnstonauthor@gmail.com
The Writers in Residence 
I love words too, and have several Thesauri (?) plus books of synonyms and antonyms and word sources. What a lovely way to wile away some time!
I know what you mean about using jargon. I recently story-edited a manuscript by a friend. He was in the pharmaceutical business, and the book was a big, scary thriller about a drug company that went wrong. (Terrifying, actually!) The problem with the manuscript was that he used words from his trade that I couldn’t figure out. They were everyday words but used in an entirely different way. I could look the word up, but it wasn’t the jargon of a pharmacy drug seller. It didn’t make sense. He agreed they were “insider” particular to his trade, and said he would make them more reader-friendly.
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A challenge to be sure, whether to aim for authenticity or readability. I’ve seen some books that have glossaries to define unfamiliar terms or acronyms. It can be helpful or off-putting, depending on the reader.
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I’m a word fanatic too, Miko, and am always delighted to find a new one that makes sense for me to learn. These days, I also participate in online trivia a lot, maybe too much, where words and definitions are involved. Thanks for an enjoyable post–and one that makes me want to go out and find a new word or two… or more!
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I read several newspapers and magazines online and it’s rare not to find at least one acronym whose meaning I don’t know. Some are so banal or useless I don’t remember them past reading the article, but sometimes I learn a worthwhile abbreviation.
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Very informative, Miko. I too love my thesaurus and always find an alternative word so as not to be repetitive.
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It’s not surprising that writers love words, and enjoy learning new ones. I’ve overused words in my early writing, but the thesaurus has helped me avoid that.
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I try to keep the words close to the era in which I’m writing which is usually contemporary, but when I go back seventy or eighty years, I will put in words that fit that time period. But I also remember something that happened when we first started our writers’ group and we had several younger people in the group. After reading one guy’s work that was full of bad, if not totally missing, punctuation, I realized he had a hard time making sense in the first place, so I stopped critiquing his work. From that time forward, I decided I would write for people who could actually read and understand basic high school English. If the reader can’t handle my words, sarcasm or my many references to the vast world in which we live, they can stick to their cellphones but when they text someone and that AI lurking in their phone rewrites their words, probably incorrectly, and their message doesn’t make much sense, that will be their problem.
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Great point, Gayle. Words need to fit the era as well as the genre. For those of us who’ve had the benefit of a good education, or cared enough to learn, using punctuation and good grammar comes naturally.
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Of course I love words. We all do. I savor the right words to convey the 1920s Hollywood in my Lottie Topaz books. Or current jargon in today’s writing. I love my big, fat Thesaurus, (did you know, according to the OED, the name is derived from the Greek word for Treasure – ‘thesauros’?) plus my Mum’s old 1950s Thesaurus and multiple dictionaries. The right word transports us to another world – or has us crashing back down to reality!
Great post, Miko.
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Thanks, Rosemary. I figured writers would enjoy a look at the myriad variety of words.
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I love learning new words. But I take care in my writing that a word a reader may not know can be understood in context.
An author I know sprinkles French phrases throughout her stories and doesn’t provide the usual translation. Most annoying! Sometimes the context is clear, but often it is not.
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Annoying, and I would add elitist. An internet search can translate those foreign phrases. However, in the writers’ group Gayle mentioned earlier, I’d often remind writers there’s no advantage in impeding your story from the reader.
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Thought-provoking post, Miko. I, too, keep dictionary and thesaurus within reach when I write. However, I often resort to an online search for an unfamiliar word. The “trouble” with using a dictionary is that too often I get sidetracked by other words, so it takes me a while to get to the one I originally intended to find.
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