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!)

Remember, if you have suggestions for prompts or TnT topics, feel free to let the mods know :)

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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

[cariadwen]

I have recently read a book for children. "I will Wear Midnight" by Terry Pratchett. Now the author never talks down to children and loves the English language and believes the only way a child will learn to have a wider understanding of language is to use words which may or may not be words an adult may find in normal conversation but would be generally understood.

However he used one word that not only I have never come across before but I can't even guess the meaning from the surrounding sentence. I've looked it up in my Oxford paper dictionary and it's not there (but then neither was defenistration) And it's gone out of my head because the story was so fast paced I needed to finish the book before looking the word up. Now I need to re-read the book to find it again!

I have mixed feelings on this but at least when I find it again I will have learnt something.