Vocabulary

[varjohaltia]

Within about 80 pages of Jack Vance's novel Lyonesse, I've amassed the following list of words I had to check for meaning or secondary meaning:

Obstreperous
Deportment
Sepulchral
Chert
Gonfalon
Lack-witted
Furze
Pavanne
Fane
Replete
Larch
Awhisper
Frousting
Uncial
Comportment
Hoyden
Slantwise
Dint
Irascible
Lighter
Remonstrance
Dismast
Forepeak
Adjudge
Dropsy
Unction
Indisposition
Nonce
Abnegation
Collation
Bullock
Bung
Troth
Flibbet
Lambent
Involuted
Lummox
Kirtle
Escutcheon
Consonant
Bucolic

Whatever illusion about fluency in the English tongue I thought I had has been steadily eroded -- but I shall learn!

(Okay, I lied. I did know what a lighter was, and guessed right on some of the others. But I still figured the list might demonstrate why I like Vance's prose.)

Comments

[silvertales.livejournal.com]

You know... honestly, I've never seen the point of some authors using ridiculously out-dated, archaic, or seldom-used synonyms for perfectly good words just to make themselves look that much more intelligent by forcing their readers to have to look them up.

It seems pompous and pretentious, not to mention, insulting to your audience. It forcibly, and jarringly, removes your reader from the universe you've created if they need to keep referring to a dictionary.

That could just be me, though. :)

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

Well, it depends. The idea that I don't know all the words sort of comes naturally to me, like reading subtitles, although I can certainly understand how it would be a bother. Similarly, it can be used to, and come across as, a show of intellectual prowess which only serves to make one look petty. For some reason, I keep getting that reaction from a lot of the scholarly work school makes me read, but much less so from Vance.

[practicesmiling.livejournal.com]

Lummox? Dropsy? Lack-witted? Wow. Way to work the archaic English.

[koogrr.livejournal.com]

Many of those show up in the daily game on Free Dictionary (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I should read more Jack Vance. Carefully. When I do, I end up writing like him for a week, too.

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

Which only makes the technical papers that much more interesting to read!
But woe! An integer as a loop index only goes so far! Wisely consider your architecture; compile with care.

[elgordomagyar.livejournal.com]

23 were easy, if you have a foundation in UK English, maritime fiction during the age of sail, and if you're a gamer or listen to Goth music, then words like Sepuchral should be within your vocabulary.

Remember Toivo UK English is quite a bit more complicated & difficult than your Euro English or heaven forbid my American English.

I think Silvertales hit the nail on the head, but one also has to consider that for many writers, its all about the ART of writing.

Art writing and commercial writing are two distinct and very different critters. Commercial writing serves to make $ for the author & publisher, and entertain or provide information to the reader. Art writing is all about the art. Fawning over the author(ess) or some other cult of personality BS is secondary. Sales are tertiary at best.

One of the nest examples of a commercial writing publisher is BAEN. You're not likely to find the works of arthouse snobs there!

OT

[roguer.livejournal.com]

There are very few words on that list that I don't know, but the very first one, "Obstreperous", is certainly one of those few. What the hell?

If I had to guess, it might be some sort of dinosaur. Or perhaps something that obstructs your progress to a preposterous degree. I don't know; maybe I'll start using it randomly; like, throw it in there without it actually making sense. "I was going to stay late and study, but an Obstreperous wind left me with no clothes." Or perhaps: "A rather Obstreperous police officer gave me a Frousting ticket for speeding down the Pavanne."

-Roguer