"Made Up" Words in narration...

[snooper]

...
Pomposity: a component of deamicufacation.
...

Unfortunately "pomposity" is a real word.

...
Literated: to be satiated by the wonderful literature here at LIT.

Presumably the opposite of "obliterated".

 

[snooper]

If grok isn't acceptable, I don't want to be acceptable.

I don't understand this. In the Devonian dialect (south-west England) grok is the verb for what grockles do. Of course, further west (Cornwall) they are called emmets.

 

[CopyCarver]

What about korg--for people who think they grok, but actually got it all bass-ackwards?

 

[Recidiva]

I don't understand this. In the Devonian dialect (south-west England) grok is the verb for what grockles do. Of course, further west (Cornwall) they are called emmets.

Get thee to a Heinleinery.

 

[Recidiva]

What about korg--for people who think they grok, but actually got it all bass-ackwards?

That's perfect.

 

[DeeZire]

Unfortunately "pomposity" is a real word.

My life is a celebration of ignorance. Thank you for enlightening me.

 

[MarshAlien]

And what is that "longest" word accomplishing?

You take obvious pride in looking up the most obscure shit, and I wonder if it's even an English word! Please, do tell, how do the masses take advantage of it? Go back to sleep, It's not Hlloween yet!

In the example given, I have to agree with that question. When you stretch way above the general reading level of your text for a remote word, what you have is not only jarring to the flow of the story, but it also sends most of your readers to the dictionary and/or off the flow of the read; they'll feel you are talking down to them and they'll resent you for it. The last person you want to alienate is your reader, at least in fiction.

And, as mentioned up the line, if you use a manufactured word, you're not doing yourself any favors by using one that the reader won't understand within the context of the text--unless you are the only reader you care about, in which case, by all means write it--and then stick it in your desk drawer.

I apologize for giving the impression that I delight in long words for the sake of long words alone. As a reader, I like coming across unfamiliar words, as long as they fit the character/narrator's voice (I generally think they're better in dialogue than in narration) and as long it doesn't happen too often in any given story.

Since the story of mine that included "slubberdegullions" (which is an English word, albeit not used much now) wasn't posted until Saturday, the word's utility was probably a little suspect. In this one character's voice, however, and in a story set in 1814, I actually think it worked fairly well:

And there, walking down the steps of the enormous townhouse where the carriage stopped was a familiar face.

"James. How nice of you to meet us," Caroline said as she extended her hand to allow James to kiss it.

"My pleasure. William's messenger foretold your arrival only yesterday, and I have been busy shaking up the household staff. I wonder you do not dismiss them all, William. A lazier group of slubberdegullions I have yet to see."

"Now, now, Mr. James Stanhope," said an older woman who had bustled out the door immediately after James. "There's no need for you to show off your fancy education or call us any names. The house is clean and fit for visitors, my Lord, despite your brother's attempts to rearrange all of your furniture."

"It was just a few beds," James said in as surly a voice as his smile would allow.

"Thank you, Mrs. Woodward," William said smoothly. "I'm sure it's all quite perfect.

I recognize that there are still people who will disagree, authors, editors, and readers alike. At least one reader liked it, however, and left a comment:

Excellent
08/11/07 By: Anonymous in Erehwon
and well written follow up to the first part of this story. Loved the phrase "slubberdegullions"; perhaps it could be used as a collective noun for a bunch of politicians.

 

[sr71plt]

It wasn't "slubberdegullions" that I was responding to. I think that's a fun word that would be well used if the context told the reader what it meant.

I was referring to this sentence, where I find "mendaciloquent" both awkward and dissonant for the context and deflating for the rhythm of the read. It's the sort of word that I wouldn't bother to look up, I'd just keep on reading, thus negating any point the author was trying to make. The construction of the sentence sets the reader up to share some rich thought or amusing connection with the author--but it doesn't, because the reader has to go off and look up the word if they have any interest and what the point was building to goes "puff." I think another clever, yet understandable word could be found to use there.

"There are plenty of liars in the world, but the truly mendaciloquent have a gift. "

 

[MarshAlien]

It wasn't "slubberdegullions" that I was responding to. I think that's a fun word that would be well used if the context told the reader what it meant.

I was referring to this sentence, where I find "mendaciloquent" both awkward and dissonant for the context and deflating for the rhythm of the read. It's the sort of word that I wouldn't bother to look up, I'd just keep on reading, thus negating any point the author was trying to make. The construction of the sentence sets the reader up to share some rich thought or amusing connection with the author--but it doesn't, because the reader has to go off and look up the word if they have any interest and what the point was building to goes "puff." I think another clever, yet understandable word could be found to use there.

"There are plenty of liars in the world, but the truly mendaciloquent have a gift. "

Then I beg your pardon for including your e-mail with the other. I actually did think twice about using "mendaciloquent," but ultimately decided that, in context, it would bear my own connotation of someone who lies with ease (which, I will admit, is not the precise definition):

For a minute there, I even started to feel fondly toward ol' General Sherman [the name by which the speaker, an author, refers to his new editor]. I remembered in particular one argument that we had had over Chapter One, when he had wanted me to use the word "mendacious" in place of "lying." His argument was that readers liked to be challenged occasionally, and that in any event "mendacious" implies a more evil, less commonplace liar. He pointed out that there were so many liars in my books -- lying sellers, lying buyers, lying appraisers, lying real estate agents -- that I really needed to use a different word now and then.

I had responded with a flippant e-mail: "Why should I use a five-dollar word when there's perfectly good one-dollar word?"

His replay was immediate: "Because we both hope that your book is not going to be available for one dollar until at least six months after it is published. There are plenty of liars in the world, but the truly mendaciloquent have a gift. I'll leave it up to you. The grammar changes are non-negotiable, but I believe that a writer should choose the vocabulary that best fits his characters."

Jerk. Two hours later, though, I had grudgingly agreed to label the character "mendacious." Now, watching Tracy work, I had a little bit better understanding of the passion with which the General approached his job, and my book.

I do agree with you about the rhythm, particularly since it's difficult to figure out how to pronounce the word upon first reading. but it fit so well with the character I was trying to establish that I couldn't help it. Call me weak.

 

[rydia57]

You guys make me wonder who was the first to say "duh". I saw a commercial using it and just loved it!

 

[ninefe2dg]

You guys make me wonder who was the first to say "duh". I saw a commercial using it and just loved it!

We said it as kids. Homer Simpson's variation, "doh", has quickly been adopted as the new gold standard.

See how language evolves lol!

 

[ninefe2dg]

I think your ability to do it depends in large part on getting the reader to buy into the "voice" of the narrator or the speaker. I don't think I'd find it very easy to do in a narrative related in a third person POV (which I have considerable trouble with anyway), but in first person or dialogue, once you have the audience hooked, and believing that the person is the kind of person who will use that kind of word (whether it exists or not), I think it works great. I do think, however, that you have to be careful. Gilloolied is a great word (like bobbited), although becoming more and more obscure the farther we get from the early 90's; gorgalicious I think is probably a little much.

Lewinskied...an intern giving you a blow job? Or the act of sticking a cigar up someone's twat? Or both?

 

[rydia57]

Lish, short for delicious. I say it alot anyway.

 

[ninefe2dg]

any thoughts '57?