Week 478: We Keep Playing Them Word Games Forever

Roughly speaking, there are more than six-hundred thousand words in the English language (minus the stuff you see on medicine jar labels). The average English speaker’s vocabulary is between twenty and thirty-five thousand words. Anyone can contribute new words to the language; Mr Shakespeare added seventeen-hundred now commonly used words on his own. But with so many words, it is inevitable that some of the juicier ones are often overlooked. (Quick disclaimer–the obviously googled numbers produced many results–I selected the sanest looking source to quote.)

Recently, behind the veil, unctuous made an appearance. I have never spelled that word right due what I feel is a needless u in the middle. But I like the meaning and the synonyms it brings to mind: toady, oily, obsequious, bootlicker and fawning. It is a fine word, the needless u withstanding.

And yet there are words that I have used incorrectly because I had thought they meant something else. For a while I did not know that eclectic meant “from a variety of sources.” I thought it meant something similar to authoritative. I also thought that sanguine was synonymous with disdainful; penultimate (as discussed before) stood for extra groovy ultimate; and observed no difference between continuous and continuing or disinterested and uninterested. I also have gone to war against fewer and less and have come out on the losing side.

Setbacks withstanding, I find myself attracted to some words because of their sound. Pettifog is a great sounding word, as are aloof and odious. And there is the nostalgic case of words once popular in small societies. When I was in grade school, my friends and I used atrocious to define most members of the male gender. So scientific sounding, and essentially correct.

Although writers trade in words there is a temptation, for some, to get fancy and pepper their prose with words that force the reader to stop and look them up. I find that showoffy and irritating. But what I really dislike are prolonged gusty passages in which Latin is inserted, apparently for the benefit of ancient clerics and no one else. The ostentatious assembly of obsequious pettifogs all decried: “Osculamus omnes asinus.” (The last part is what you get when you type “Let us all kiss ass” in Google English to Latin.)

Still, you can liven up the occasional sentence with the correct usage of a word that teeters on the edge of obscurity. On Fraiser, I heard Niles say, “Oh, you odious tool.” So they have a place, because it certainly is a bit dry when people go for the “Hemingway dictionary” when the topic is an odious tool: He was a bad man. He did bad things. He felt bad about doing bad things. But it was a time for doing bad thing.

Then there is the subject of character names. Believable fiction usually goes best with “normal names” consistent with the time and place the character is from. In olden times, you might see a vanity plate for “Caligula” on a chariot, but probably not on one of those kid’s bike license plates in the 1960’s–unless the topic is some poor kid with a name that makes him/her a target of abuse. And I’ve noticed that the use of unisex first names that sound like surnames is popular–I like that myself. Penrose, Renfield, Fenwick are used by Yours Truly. But I object when an MC we meet and read about for up to the word limit never gets anything better than a pronoun. That’s errantly attributed to Hemingway, but he always gave his people names. There are those who say “The Man” or “She” symbolize the meaninglessness of one life against the gods. All right, but I still say that the same thing can happen to someone named “Stacy.”

Now, segue is an interesting word. It infers a writing flow not synonymous with “abrupt” or “divergent” or a sentence: “The subject changed like slamming the car into park while speeding on the freeway.” Alas, we all have our weaknesses. Yet my less than artistic segues do lead to good things, such as the five well worded works of fiction we published on the site this week.

Steven French opened the week with his third site piece, Gentlemens’ Agreement. This was accepted so fast that I didn’t get to read it for a while–but it was clear to me why it made it so fast when I did get to it. Can’t say too much, but it is a brilliant look at “professional courtesy.”

Tuesday saw the LS debut of Mohammed Babajide Mohammed, with The Monster at the End of This Tale. It is a fine blend of Nigerian folklore and stone cold reality that keeps the reader off balanced and susceptible to its many frequent surprises.

Bunker Cleaning Lady by newcomer Franny French shows although it will take time for the class system to reorganize itself, under the right conditions it will happen. It is funny and quite pointed and I have the uncomfortable feeling that the scenario presented could easily come true. Then again it is inevitable that societies will crumble when decadence rules for too long. The top of the social order always becomes useless. Good luck to this future at Bellus and Zyra.

In Shinmiyangyo, 1971 by Samuel T. Hake we get a unique glimpse at imperialism boiled down to one human being. The images are stark and vivid and even funny. It is spare and runs deep. And I admire the “boy” for sticking it out for as long as he did before running.

It won’t be long until Jack Kamm makes his second appearance. And the strength of his first Hooked makes his talent clear. This is the rare piece that suggests there is a thin wall between what is and is not. As soon as something, no matter how unlikely, can take a bite out of you, then it joins the roster of “reality.”

There they are, tales as divergent as the writers themselves, yet, once again, all met at the standard of high quality. Please check them out if you have yet to do so.

Without further waste of words, behold a new vocabulary sheet of words that I like–archaic or otherwise. I leave the vowells open for easy contributions.

A.

B. Bellicose

C. Cadaverous

D. Draconian

E.

F. Fussbudget

G. Goatish

H. Hammerhead

I.

J. Jabber-jaw

K. Knockabout

L. Lugubrious

M. Megalomaniacal

N. Nitpickingest

O.

P. Persnickety

Q. Queeny

R. Ratbastardry (my contribution. Noun: “Due to continuing acts of Ratbastardry the beatings will continue.”)

S. Stench

T. Twerp

U.

V. Velleity

W. Wraith

X. Xerox (I enjoy the vacant look that word wins from young co-workers)

Y. Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

Z. Zippity doo dah

And why not a song for the hell of it? Something for a Saturday Night/Sunday Morning.

Leila