tnt: thesaurus

[azuire]

Reminders: This week's topic and editing post! Both are due this Saturday, so I hope everyone's on top of their game. (If not, best of luck!)

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Some writers really like their thesauruses.

I mean really. I think it's fantastic to learn new words (cachinnate), or see a less used one pop up (defenestrate, vitriol), but when I have to stop reading and run for the dictionary, it becomes a nuisance (asseverate).

What do you think about Thesaurus Word of the Day? Should we dip into less-used words to write, or will everyday language suffice?

Comments

[ex_pippin880]

The thesaurus is a life-saver when it comes to consonance-based writing. "I need a word that means 'stop' but the only consonants I have at my disposal are 'k, g, ch, and r" sort of thing.

It depends on the character, mostly, for me. Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are a good example! Archie's always having to look up or ask about what Wolfe says, and that's just who they both are: the genius and the assistant.
"I have looked up 'dally', and yes, I wish to dally."

[pipisafoat]

Yes. Thesaurus, totally useful when you need a word that fits a certain thing like your consonance, or if you're trying to make your iambic pentameter right, or if you know the word you're looking for but just can't remember. But I never never never use a word I haven't heard before. I am quite well read. I'm not saying I know every word that everyone else does, but if I don't know a word, the chance my general readership knows the word is extremely slim. However, some authors don't have that vocabulary. I imagine it's more difficult if you think your audience might know the word but you don't.