"Made Up" Words in narration...

[ninefe2dg]

I posted this on the OK/Okay/O-tay thread, but got no response, the conversation took a different turn. I am interested in a discussion on it, though. Any and all substantiated and unsubstantiated opinions and views are desired, welcomed, and respected. ...

What I like about "liberties" in writing, is perhaps how they contribute to the evolution of the language. Perhaps it's my lack of training/discipline not to be too bothered by them.

If language didn't evolve, save for Billy Graham's invocations at the Super Bowl, we'd still be thanking God for "thine graces thou hast bestowed upon us".

Goofy as they may sound now, I like making up words, even in narration. I'd feel like I was cheating if I simply introduced a character that "liked to make up words". And so I strongly defend (to whom I'm not sure), my contributions of "gorgalicious", "noobophyte", and "gilloolied", the last being when someone takes a steel pipe to your knee, which, interestingly, I do use properly in a sentence in a story I'm writing now.

Thoughts? Just today, I also came up with "strokepace", a masturbatory compound word. Dunno if it already exists, tho...

 

[snooper]

... If language didn't evolve, save for Billy Graham's invocations at the Super Bowl, we'd still be thanking God for "thine graces thou hast bestowed upon us"...

Some of us still use the second person singular to address the deity as in the Book of Common Prayer, and in some areas of the UK "thou thees then as thees thou" to this day.

... Goofy as they may sound now, I like making up words, ...

Me too. I am proud to say that I invented "holistographic" as in:

"This is a hand held device which, given the appropriate password, produced an holistographic display of all the relevant information."

This was used in a description of a Wide Area Network disgorger (or WANd) and a typical password might be <abracadabra>.

 

[DeeZire]

I remember your post from the ok thread, and I really liked your words. I quoted one of George Bush's words in another thread: misunderestimate. Now there's a word, my friend.
I also like it when a writer gives people new names. Lisa Carver at Nerve was really good at that, back in the Lisa's Diary days. A woman would morph from Shelly to Ass-girl, and it would be endearing and descriptive and funny, all at the same time.
I think making up your own words allows you to paint a more vivid picture. In other words, you can vividate your writing that way. (Well, I tried, but maybe that one won't fly.)

 

[MarshAlien]

One of my correspondents was delighted that I had made up the word "mendaciloquent" in one of my stories, and I had to regretfully inform him that such a word actually does appear in the OED. But apparently the idea that I could have made it up didn't detract from his enjoyment of the story.

 

[sr71plt]

Agree that manufactured words--or even puns on existing words--can be used quite effectively, even in narration. And purposely (and consistently) doctoring words in dialogue to illuminate the character is also an effective technique. This is separate from misspelled words or renderings that arrest (and therefore distract) a reader's attention from the flow of the work where this serves no literary purpose.

 

[MarshAlien]

Agree that manufactured words--or even puns on existing words--can be used quite effectively, even in narration. And purposely (and consistently) doctoring words in dialogue to illuminate the character is also an effective technique. This is separate from misspelled words or renderings that arrest (and therefore distract) a reader's attention from the flow of the work where this serves no literary purpose.

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.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I love "noobophyte." And thank you so much, MarshAlien, for "mendaciloquent." If it means what I think it means - for alas, I have no easy access to the OED - that one really needs dusting off as the election season approaches us. Can one safely assume that it's the delightful combination of "mendacious" and "eloquent" that it seems to be?

I'm not much for making up words myself. My energies do not seem to run in that direction. However, I do enjoy some of the older vocabularies and usages of other periods. The century may indeed have turned - twice - since the 1800's, but I don't always care to draw a vulgar degree of attention to that fact. Still, some words sadly must be given up to the tides of change; I know that the chambermaid can flee the room incontinently and only have done it swiftly and without restraint, but I reluctantly acknowledge that no one else can read the line without giggling. Even dictionary.com send me advertisements about Overactive Bladder Syndrome if I type the word in.

 

[BlackShanglan]

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.

Amen. Burgess got away with the better part of an entire new language in A Clockwork Orange, and worked it just as you say. I love the mastery of that book; the language is so playful that it whisks me right past robbery, rape, and even murder without ever breaking the damned charm of the narrator. Brilliant stuff.

 

[DeeZire]

Here are a few more, not brilliant by any means, perhaps tiresome and annoying in come circles, but I had fun.

Bushify: to make up pretend-words, much like we’re doing in this thread, but to do it with no knowledge that you’re doing it.

Cheney reaction: a series of events resulting in Halliburton being awarding billion-dollar no-bid contracts.

Laissez-Flaire: an attitude of confidence and disdain when dismissing concerns over human rights and decency.

Laissez-Fear: concern about the ability to pay an upcoming rent payment or other bill, with nonpayment resulting in homelessness.

Corpornation - a nation with a pretend-democratic government purporting to be “by the people, for the people” when, in reality, it is “by the corporations, for the corporations.”

Walsmart: a state of mind conducive to perpetuating child labor in foreign countries.

DeAmicufy: to stall an argument by not responding to valid points made by the other party.

Pomposity: a component of deamicufacation.

Liberub: the point in the discussion when the liberal reveals the hypocrisy in the conservative’s argument. (related - fuzzy-headed liberub: when the argument has been de-amicufied but the fuzzy-headed liberal won’t give up.)

Snubborn: a feeling of entitlement born out of wealth, resulting in a social position which precludes relating to persons of a lower class.

Lacognac: the laconic feeling caused by drinking expensive Cognac while watching the servants clean the house.

Country-Schlubbers: Well-to-do people who, if they weren’t rich, would be considered trailer-trash. Think the Jerry Springer show, with guests wearing Armani.

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

 

[J.Q. Hack]

"Made Up" Words in narration

I think that made up words are wonderful to use in a story. They can capture a sense that to the author other more traditional words can't quite get. They can make a memorable story even more memorable.

Having said that I think it is important that made up words are used sparingly in the story. Also, that the readers can easily understand and grasp the meaning and context of the word. If they can't they will get bored and won't finish reading the story. Then all the effort put into the new word will be for naught.

My favorite made up word comes from Heinlein's Stranger in a Strangeland . He introduces us to the word "grok." Judging from his definition in the story and the way it is used throughout it means anything from love to understand to any number of other things. I wish that word would become acceptable in everyday writing and discourse.

J.Q.

 

[Recidiva]

I make up words in fiction, just as I do in real life.

"Womaninity" I swear should be a real word. I use it often enough...

Since I coin new words myself, I put them into my fiction. In a world where "jiggy" shows up in the dictionary, and "truthiness" gets awards, go for it.

 

[Recidiva]

I think that made up words are wonderful to use in a story. They can capture a sense that to the author other more traditional words can't quite get. They can make a memorable story even more memorable.

Having said that I think it is important that made up words are used sparingly in the story. Also, that the readers can easily understand and grasp the meaning and context of the word. If they can't they will get bored and won't finish reading the story. Then all the effort put into the new word will be for naught.

My favorite made up word comes from Heinlein's Stranger in a Strangeland . He introduces us to the word "grok." Judging from his definition in the story and the way it is used throughout it means anything from love to understand to any number of other things. I wish that word would become acceptable in everyday writing and discourse.

J.Q.

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

 

[CopyCarver]

If all else fails, just refer to your words as neologisms instead of "made-up words." Semantics are everything to retro grammarians.

 

[MarshAlien]

I love "noobophyte." And thank you so much, MarshAlien, for "mendaciloquent." If it means what I think it means - for alas, I have no easy access to the OED - that one really needs dusting off as the election season approaches us. Can one safely assume that it's the delightful combination of "mendacious" and "eloquent" that it seems to be?

I'm not much for making up words myself. My energies do not seem to run in that direction. However, I do enjoy some of the older vocabularies and usages of other periods. The century may indeed have turned - twice - since the 1800's, but I don't always care to draw a vulgar degree of attention to that fact. Still, some words sadly must be given up to the tides of change; I know that the chambermaid can flee the room incontinently and only have done it swiftly and without restraint, but I reluctantly acknowledge that no one else can read the line without giggling. Even dictionary.com send me advertisements about Overactive Bladder Syndrome if I type the word in.

My Compact (i.e., "tiny print") edition of the OED, indicates that mendaciloquent is obsolete and rare, but that, derived from mendaci-, -mendax mendacious + loqu-i to speak, it simply means "speaking lies." I gave it the same reading as you did, however, and in my story "Forget the Drink, Gimme the Bitch," used it as follows: "There are plenty of liars in the world, but the truly mendaciloquent have a gift. "

It is not the longest word I have used in a Literotica submission, nor perhaps the oldest. In a historical romance submitted last week (to be posted soon), I actually had occasion to use "slubberdegullion." Which I also didn't make up.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Which brings to mind this...

As an editor, it's "Okay", take the time to type out two more friggin characters! And it's not "5" whatever, it's "five". Five blowjobs, five orgasms, etc.

Whatever.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

My Compact (i.e., "tiny print") edition of the OED, indicates that mendaciloquent is obsolete and rare, but that, derived from mendaci-, -mendax mendacious + loqu-i to speak, it simply means "speaking lies." I gave it the same reading as you did, however, and in my story "Forget the Drink, Gimme the Bitch," used it as follows: "There are plenty of liars in the world, but the truly mendaciloquent have a gift. "

It is not the longest word I have used in a Literotica submission, nor perhaps the oldest. In a historical romance submitted last week (to be posted soon), I actually had occasion to use "slubberdegullion." Which I also didn't make up.

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!

 

[sr71plt]

"And what is that "longest" word accomplishing?"

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.

 

[cloudy]

I may be different from most readers, but I rather like running across words I don't know...probably since it happens fairly rarely. I don't mind looking them up.

Must come by it naturally - a HUGE dictionary has it's own stand and place of prominence at my mother's house.

 

[palisa]

Agree that manufactured words--or even puns on existing words--can be used quite effectively, even in narration. And purposely (and consistently) doctoring words in dialogue to illuminate the character is also an effective technique. This is separate from misspelled words or renderings that arrest (and therefore distract) a reader's attention from the flow of the work where this serves no literary purpose.

Second the motion, but I would add another "separate from" caveat: Making up words that have a perfectly good standard synonym either because you don't know the standard word or think it's cute to do so.

Bottom line for me is: Break the rules when it serves a purpose in your story. Your readers will also hope the purpose is reasonably clear. If "oogie-woogums" serves to illuminate a character, that's fine. If it just illuminates you, you have a problem :lol:.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Bah. I think "slubberdegullion" a beautiful choice. I even have not one, but two reasons for that opinion.

First, the story is historical fiction. What's the fun of reading that if you never have to find out what a roasting jack or a stalking horse or a brougham might be? Not just the objects but the words themselves are part of the feel of the time.

Secondly, "slubberdegullion" is an ideal choice for inserting as an unfamiliar word because its onomatopoetic quality would make its meaning immediately obvious in context.

Of course, one has to pick and choose one's readers. Some readers don't like anything that's not immediately familiar and clear in its reading. They prefer a more journalistic style. That's a fine thing in and of itself, but there are others who quite enjoy playing with language and seeing what it can get up to when let loose. Dickens' argot uses some unfamiliar words, but I find it part of the flavor of the story; I'd be sorry to lose it.

 

[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.

I'd rather be gilloolied than bobbitted, but agree both have "shelf life".

How about noobalicious then?

 

[ninefe2dg]

Here are a few more, not brilliant by any means, perhaps tiresome and annoying in come circles, but I had fun.

Bushify: to make up pretend-words, much like we’re doing in this thread, but to do it with no knowledge that you’re doing it.

Cheney reaction: a series of events resulting in Halliburton being awarding billion-dollar no-bid contracts.

Laissez-Flaire: an attitude of confidence and disdain when dismissing concerns over human rights and decency.

Laissez-Fear: concern about the ability to pay an upcoming rent payment or other bill, with nonpayment resulting in homelessness.

Corpornation - a nation with a pretend-democratic government purporting to be “by the people, for the people” when, in reality, it is “by the corporations, for the corporations.”

Walsmart: a state of mind conducive to perpetuating child labor in foreign countries.

DeAmicufy: to stall an argument by not responding to valid points made by the other party.

Pomposity: a component of deamicufacation.

Liberub: the point in the discussion when the liberal reveals the hypocrisy in the conservative’s argument. (related - fuzzy-headed liberub: when the argument has been de-amicufied but the fuzzy-headed liberal won’t give up.)

Snubborn: a feeling of entitlement born out of wealth, resulting in a social position which precludes relating to persons of a lower class.

Lacognac: the laconic feeling caused by drinking expensive Cognac while watching the servants clean the house.

Country-Schlubbers: Well-to-do people who, if they weren’t rich, would be considered trailer-trash. Think the Jerry Springer show, with guests wearing Armani.

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

Great contributions, thanks! Love snubborn in particular.

What would Laissez Blair be? (I know he's not PM anymore tho)

 

[ninefe2dg]

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

You grok, babe...don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise

 

[DeeZire]

Great contributions, thanks! Love snubborn in particular.

What would Laissez Blair be? (I know he's not PM anymore tho)

Wasn't Blair one of Bush's buddies? Coming from the USA, I try to ignore those dudes, (especially Bush) except when I'm making fun of them.

Here's another one:
Democrasunk: A once proud democracy that has sunk to the lowest level, due to incompetent, arrogant leadership and corruption in government.

 

[Recidiva]

You grok, babe...don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise

Drink, brother.