Having to look up words in a story

[EmilyMiller]

Personally, I’m delighted when I read a story and the author has used a word I’m unfamiliar with. It’s a chance to learn a new word. But do some people find inaccessible vocab annoying?

Em

 

[Bazzle]

Thesaurus use can be a little annoying, and potentially and possibly a bit extravagant?

Also dont you find throws you out of the story if there is a strange word?

 

[onehitwanda]

Personally, I’m delighted when I read a story and the author has used a word I’m unfamiliar with. It’s a chance to learn a new word. But do some people find inaccessible vocab annoying?

Em

it depends on the word. Sometimes I do regret being able to read after I've read a definition: e.g "felching"

 

[EmilyMiller]

Thesaurus use can be a little annoying, and potentially and possibly a bit extravagant?

I don’t use a thesaurus - it’s all natural

Also dont you find throws you out of the story if there is a strange word?

I don’t. I like it. But I get that others might not.

Em

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Only when it feels forced, or overused.
That, "this person is trying to sound smart" feeling, and it reads like they have a Thesaurus app on overdrive.

 

[EmilyMiller]

it depends on the word. Sometimes I do regret being able to read after I've read a definition: e.g "felching"

You used something recently, about the wind whispering (can’t recall the word) and I’d never read it before. It didn’t break me out of the story to look it up.

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

it’s all natural

I'm sorry, I'll stop now!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Only when it feels forced, or overused.
That, "this person is trying to sound smart" feeling, and it reads like they have a Thesaurus app on overdrive.

I have had the feedback “stop trying to convince the reader you’re intelligent.” I guess that might be me having IRL hangups leak into fiction.

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

You used something recently, about the wind whispering (can’t recall the word) and I’d never read it before. It didn’t break me out of the story to look it up.

Em

susurration perhaps?

 

[Djmac1031]

I don't mind it. Except that sometimes it makes me feel less smart than I like to pretend I am

 

[StillStunned]

I looked up "clitoris" a bit ago. Couldn't find it anywhere.

 

[OverconfidentSarcasm]

Personally, I’m delighted when I read a story and the author has used a word I’m unfamiliar with. It’s a chance to learn a new word. But do some people find inaccessible vocab annoying?

Em

Depends on how much I need to look up. One or two words in a story of a thousand words won't disturb my reading flow.

Posts like this one, I imagine, would make people stop reading (especially if English is not their first language).

 

[BBlaketbv]

English is my 2nd language, so this happens every so often.
I don't mind at all, as long as it doesn't feel like I'm reading an academic paper

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think that there is a difference between thinking “wow that was just the perfect word and I never knew it” and “that’s just being pretentious.” Probably a fine line.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Depends on how much I need to look up. One or two words in a story of a thousand words won't disturb my reading flow.

Posts like this one, I imagine, would make people stop reading (especially if English is not their first language).

That was me making fun of myself, hun .

I’m pretty self-aware for an autie.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

susurration perhaps?

No. I know that one. Oh, this is going to annoy me now. Maybe it was a nautical term.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I looked up "clitoris" a bit ago. Couldn't find it anywhere.

OK that gets a

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I have had the feedback “stop trying to convince the reader you’re intelligent.” I guess that might be me having IRL hangups leak into fiction.

Em

Read a short story in a literature class about 4 boys. One of them had a personality quirk where he would try to work all the words from the monthly Reader's Digest "It Pays to Enrich Your Word Power" installment into his daily conversation. It always came across as forced and a bit silly. In hindsight I wonder if it was some sort of in-joke for the author.

The Professor explained Reader's Digest and the article to us, but we were on our own for the vocab.

 

[OverconfidentSarcasm]

That was me making fun of myself, hun .

I’m pretty self-aware for an autie.

Em

Wasn't intended as an accusation. Just an example.

 

[SimonDoom]

I enjoy it, as long as it's the right word.

I also enjoy when a reader of my story comments positively on my use of a somewhat unusual word, and they tell me they're going to try to use it later in one of their stories.

 

[StillStunned]

Once upon a time, when I was in uni, we had an American exchange student who would repeat what the professor had said but using the biggest words be could find. Happened at least once every tutorial.

AES: "So you're saying that the poet is alluding to a youthful canine?"
P: "Ehm, yes. He's talking about a puppy. That's what I said."

Never use a big word when a little word will do, unless you're after a very specific effect. Or because you want to, of course.

 

[Bamagan]

Personally, I’m delighted when I read a story and the author has used a word I’m unfamiliar with. It’s a chance to learn a new word. But do some people find inaccessible vocab annoying?

Em

I think it tends to be more acceptable when it's part of a character's dialogue rather than part of the narration. It can maybe seem a little condescending when the author uses it, but when it's actually that asshole the author is writing about, well, it seems maybe more authentic and reader and writer can both share a sneer about that pretentious foil.

 

[Djmac1031]

Smart people should never apologize for being smart.

If we stumble across a word in a story we don't know the meaning of, that's our problem, not the authors.

Instead of complaining about it, or accusing the writer of showing off, or being pretentious, perhaps instead we should actually take a moment, go look up the word, then THANK the author for helping us learn something new.

 

[Bazzle]

I don’t use a thesaurus - it’s all natural

I don’t. I like it. But I get that others might not.

Em

There was a story in the Halloween competition that the author had written by Thesaurus. I think it did rather badly?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

susurration perhaps?

Thank you Terry Pratchett for that lovely word.