June 24, 2025
Beautiful Words
Beautiful words
What makes you want to remember a word like cornucopia, abecederian, heterodoxy, circumlocution when you read it? ? Do you try to decode it first–Is ‘-locution’ the root? and what’s the prefix–‘hetero-‘ tell you about the meaning? What about the suffix -ian–does that make it a noun?
Here’s a great word that roles off your tongue–contradistinction. Think root and prefix and you’ve got the meaning, one that translates to your writing with a single word rather than …hmm… How many would it take?
It reminds me of art. So much is said with a picture in such a concise place. The artist provides us with a 12×14 canvas (or smaller, or larger) and it takes us hundreds of words to explain its meaning.
I posted a list of my favorite words here and here and here. These are words that you’ll want to use in your writing. They say so much in their few little syllables. And for those of you working valiantly to avoid adverbs and adjectives–because you understand they are the crutch of weak verbs and nouns–as Stephen King said, “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”–you will notice that they replace up to five normal words.
Here’s the question. Do you love words so much you’ve become a logomach–one who disputes over words and their meanings. Or a neologist–one who invents words for a situation (do you verbize nouns and nounize verbs?). You might simply be a philomath–a lover of learning.
Whatever your reason for loving words, make sure it isn’t for sesquipedalia. That just annoys the people you talk to.
Check back for some recommendations about books. I have a few favorites I read to make sure I don’t get lazy with my writing.
