The difference between the right word and the almost right word is like the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. —Mark Twain.
Mark Twain’s statement is one of my all-time favorite sayings and inspires me as a writer to hunt for the perfect word.
One of my writer’s goals this year is to increase my vocabulary. Not with $100 flashy and impressive bricks, but with earthy, concrete words to paint my word pictures.
Here are five tips I am following to enlarge my lingo and proliferate my phraseology: (sorry, just practicing, folks)
1. Find a word – Be aware of words. Make a habit of discovering a new word each day. Read, read, and read some more. Eavesdrop onto conversations. Subscribe to a word of day site such as: http://www.merriam-webster.com. They even state on their home page: “Discover Your Inner Lexicographer.”
2. Study a word – Learn what the word means, its background, where did it originate. What word picture comes to mind when you read or say the word? For example, gargantuan (very large) creates in my mind another “G” word – Gorilla. Or put the word in sequence: small, medium, large, gargantuan.
3. Say the word – Studies suggests we have to say a new word 10-20 times to fix it into our brains.
4. Use the word – Play scrabble, work that crossword puzzle or other word games. Use the word in context. Write a blog post about “fathoming the semantics and gentle nuances of nomenclature.” (again sorry, just having fun with the thesaurus)
5. Use it again – keep practicing the new words you learn. I read 8 year olds learn about 3600 new words every year. Adults only 20. Be an 8 year again.
My new word for the day: Malapropism – the misuse of words!
Some final thoughts from other writers:
“One forgets words as one forgets names. One's vocabulary needs constant fertilizing or it will die.” Evelyn Waugh
“The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for”. Ludwig Wittgenstein
“A powerful agent is the right word…Whenever we come upon one of those intensely right words in a book or a newspaper the resulting effect is physical as well as spiritual, and electrically prompt.” –Mark Twain
Happy Hunting! Jeanie
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2 comments:
Whenever I see I've used a word twice in successive sentences, I let Word help me find a synonym. I might not use it; I just want to make sure it hasn't slipped out the holes in my internal dictionary.
Good idea, Sheila about finding synonyms. another way to reinforce the new word. i will try that!
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