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

[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.