$20 Words

[M_K_Babalon]

I thought I had a good vocabulary until I started reading @EmilyMiller's stories

Yeah, I bet her works are something Amy Farafowler would read to get off

 

[Katie_Mae]

It wouldn't cross my mind that someone wouldn't know "bangs." What word do you use for hair hanging down over the forehead?

I'm from the U.S. Where are you from?

As others have mentioned, fringe. Like how you'd call a fringe on clothing or furnishings

I'm not from the US.

But the "never crossed my mind someone wouldn't know it" is why I use it as an example. It wouldn't cross my mind that a native English speaker old enough to read here might not know every word in "music and memory are ubiquitous"

Just differing sense of "normal." So I go for what's normal for the narrator, while trying, where possible, to be considerate to my reader (thinking about who my audience might be).

"Bangs" is a very dated description of a hair style, I think. You'd far more likely say "fringe", these days.

I'd always seen it as one of those U.S. vs the world things.

I also considered it a U.S. vs rest of the English speaking world things, however, I hear bangs much more commonly now than in the past, but this could be because I hear American English a lot more now than in the past.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

That implies that educated people are not also 'regular, ordinary folks', which grates a little. I consider my wife and me, both university educated, to be 'regular, ordinary folks'.

That said, neither of us would use 'big words' unless confident that they would be understood.

No it doesn't. It means the average blue collar, maybe high school drop out, maybe community college, warehouse worker, fast food/steak house worker, not very cultured or well read, average Joe Blow type person. And you know that. Not to say that you and yours aren't regular folks, but the average person is always defined as like the guy who changes your motor oil, or the chick taking your order at Waffle House–not folks that could have a deep convo with Fraiser Crane or Sheldon Cooper.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

As others have mentioned, fringe. Like how you'd call a fringe on clothing or furnishings

I'm not from the US.

But the "never crossed my mind someone wouldn't know it" is why I use it as an example. It wouldn't cross my mind that a native English speaker old enough to read here might not know every word in "music and memory are ubiquitous"

Just differing sense of "normal." So I go for what's normal for the narrator, while trying, where possible, to be considerate to my reader (thinking about who my audience might be).





I also considered it a U.S. vs rest of the English speaking world things, however, I hear bangs much more commonly now than in the past, but this could be because I hear American English a lot more now than in the past.

It could be, like Boot vs Trunk, or cookie vs biscuit.

 

[NuclearFairy]

No it doesn't. It means the average blue collar, maybe high school drop out, maybe community college, warehouse worker, fast food/steak house worker, not very cultured or well read, average Joe Blow type person. And you know that. Not to say that you and yours aren't regular folks, but the average person is always defined as like the guy who changes your motor oil, or the chick taking your order at Waffle House–not folks that could have a deep convo with Fraiser Crane or Sheldon Cooper.

I'm a high school dropout (I eventually got my GED) and I've been denied jobs for being too well spoken for the job I was applying for.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Interesting I just spent five minutes choosing the perfect synonym for sad to match the exact mood I wanted to describe a smile in a sentence. The winner was doleful.

I couldn’t find the words, so I just nodded and watched as he gave me a doleful smile and closed the door.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

From. WIP: eructatorial. The MFC has just guzzled a beer and describes her reaction as an ‘eructatorial performance’.

 

[Writer61]

And you know that. Not to say that you and yours aren't regular folks, but the average person is always defined as like the guy who changes your motor oil, or the chick taking your order at Waffle House–not folks that could have a deep convo with Fraiser Crane or Sheldon Cooper.

No, I don't know that.

 

[old_prof]

From. WIP: eructatorial. The MFC has just guzzled a beer and describes her reaction as an ‘eructatorial performance’.

I am not familiar with that word, so I looked it up. The first two online dictionaries I tried did not know the word. That is too obscure, in my book. Or you misspelled your word you meant to write,

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I am not familiar with that word, so I looked it up. The first two online dictionaries I tried did not know the word. That is too obscure, in my book. Or you misspelled your word you meant to write,

Eructation is to belch.

EDIT: only had to retype it six times to get it spelled right... LOL

 

[Writer61]

I am not familiar with that word, so I looked it up. The first two online dictionaries I tried did not know the word. That is too obscure, in my book. Or you misspelled your word you meant to write,

I know what eructation means, so I guessed what was meant by eructorial, but my 'go-to' dictionary (Chambers, available in app or dead-tree form) does not include it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I know what eructation means, so I guessed what was meant by eructorial, but my 'go-to' dictionary (Chambers, available in app or dead-tree form) does not include it.

In general, a suffix of 'ial' means of or relating to. so eructorial would be of or relating to belching.

 

[Writer61]

In general, a suffix of 'ial' means of or relating to. so eructorial would be of or relating to belching.

Yes, it does, which is why I could make sense of it. But if multiple dictionaries do not recognise it, then I wonder if there is a cheaper alternative.

 

[old_prof]

In general, a suffix of 'ial' means of or relating to. so eructorial would be of or relating to belching.

If I pulled the suffix off, both my dictionaries included it. It didn't occur to me to try that. Probably because I stayed up all night last night and I'm running this evening of two short naps.

 

[Voboy]

Yes, it does, which is why I could make sense of it. But if multiple dictionaries do not recognise it, then I wonder if there is a cheaper alternative.

Of course. There are a dozen alternatives.

But "eructorial" is a fun word to use. It highlights the wonderful flexibility of English and it might help deepen the characterization of the narrator who'd use such a word unironically.

I like letting the audience know something about the character without telling them what it is.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Yes, it does, which is why I could make sense of it. But if multiple dictionaries do not recognise it, then I wonder if there is a cheaper alternative.

There probably are if you want the five dollar version, but this thread is about twenty dollar words, so...

 

[Writer61]

There probably are if you want the five dollar version, but this thread is about twenty dollar words, so...

The OP asked:

Who enjoys using big words that are written so damn well that it makes the reader rush to a dictionary to see what it means?

It seems that anyone using a S20 dictionary to look up what 'eructorial' means will be disappointed. Perhaps it needs a $50 dictionary.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

The OP asked:

Who enjoys using big words that are written so damn well that it makes the reader rush to a dictionary to see what it means?

It seems that anyone using a S20 dictionary to look up what 'eructorial' means will be disappointed. Perhaps it needs a $50 dictionary.

Or a $20 dollar Latin conjugation guide...

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

The OP asked:

Who enjoys using big words that are written so damn well that it makes the reader rush to a dictionary to see what it means?

It seems that anyone using a S20 dictionary to look up what 'eructorial' means will be disappointed. Perhaps it needs a $50 dictionary.

Did a little research and the actual correct adjective would be eructative. It's even in Merriam Webster .

Aren't you glad so many of us have OCD?

 

[YmaOHyd]

Did a little research and the actual correct adjective would be eructative. It's even in Merriam Webster .

Aren't you glad so many of us have OCD?

Advantage of doing reading on a computer rather than a phone or tablet. Don't really need a $20 dictionary when you can double-click -> right-click -> Search Google For...

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Advantage of doing reading on a computer rather than a phone or tablet. Don't really need a $20 dictionary when you can double-click -> right-click -> Search Google For...

but that won't get you this:

 

[YmaOHyd]

but that won't get you this:

View attachment 2584136

Eh?

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Eh?
View attachment 2584139

At this point I'm just being a snarky bitch.

 

[NuclearFairy]

At this point I'm just being a snarky bitch.

Don't you mean mordacious harridan?

 

[M_K_Babalon]

No, I don't know that.

Shrugs