Word of the Week: Abysmal

by Naomi L. | April 13, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Man, this is bad. And I’ve had my share of bad reviews. I still remember my first good one, though. “Everything else in this production of Our Town was simply terrible. Joey Tribbiani was abysmal.”

– Joey Tribbiani, Friends (Season 8, Episode 21 – The One With The Cooking Class)

While we’re on the subject of vocabulary used on Friends, why not take the opportunity to learn another word from Joey? Interestingly, the first time I remember hearing the word “abysmal” was in a case where it was being used incorrectly. While everyone is reading a terrible review of Monica’s restaurant in the newspaper, Joey comments that among all the negative reviews he’s ever received on his acting, he distinctly remembers his first positive one. However, he quickly makes it clear that he has no idea what the critic meant by “abysmal”, for the comment he thinks is that his performance was the best thing in the play is actually that it was the worst.

Anything considered “abysmal” is awful or of extremely poor quality. This informal word dates back to the early 19th century as the adjective form of the noun “abysm”, a literary term for “abyss”. The latter word comes from the Latin noun abyssus “bottomless pit”, which in turn is derived from the Greek adjective abussos, meaning “bottomless” or “without depth”.

Aside from its common meaning, “abysmal” can also be used as a literary term for “very deep”. This definition is relatively rare in modern use, though, so you may not see it much in this sense except in very specific contexts, such as in poetry about the sea. In any case, it’s safe to assume that whatever is described as “abysmal” is being portrayed in a negative light, so be sure to keep that in mind the next time you need to define something horrible in your stories. The important thing is that your readers don’t consider your work itself “abysmal”! Good luck!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Negate

by Naomi L. | April 6, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Monica: (on Richard’s answering machine) “Hi, it’s Monica. I’m just checking in ’cause I got this message from you and I didn’t know if it was old or new or what. So, I’m just checkin’. So let me know. Or don’t, whatever. I’m breezy.”

Joey: Hey, you can’t say you’re breezy! That totally negates the breezy!

– Friends (Season 3, Episode 2 – The One Where No One’s Ready)

Here’s an interesting verb that I’ve heard on my favorite TV series, Friends. After replying to a phone message from Richard, a nervous Monica accesses his answering machine and plays back her message for her friends to see what they think. Unfortunately, they make it clear to her that her message is not nearly as casual as she’d hoped; as Joey points out, by saying she’s breezy, she’s actually cancelled out the breeziness she was hoping to convey to her ex-boyfriend.

To “negate” something is to cancel it out, rendering it null and void. The word comes from the Latin verb negare, meaning “to deny” or “to refuse”. This verb is derived from the adverb nec “not” and the verb aiere “to say”.

Aside from its primary definition, “negate” can also mean “to deny the existence of something”. If you want to get into the technical part of language and grammar, the word also has the sub-definition “to make a clause, sentence or proposition negative in meaning”. I’m most accustomed to its first sense, though, so I would use it in my stories to indicate things that nullify each other. If you often find yourself writing an action that neutralizes the effects of another, “negate” is a good word to remember for your stories! Good luck!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Maelstrom

by Naomi L. | March 30, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Have you ever been to Epcot at Walt Disney World? My family and I used to go there all the time when I was a kid, and the World Showcase was by far my favorite feature of the park. Each country pavilion had its own major attraction, and the one in Norway – before being closed in October 2014 for renovation into a Frozen-themed attraction – was a dark boat ride based on Norse legend, which for its many turns and drops was appropriately named “Maelstrom”.

A “maelstrom” is a sea or river whirlpool of tremendous power. As a metaphor, it indicates a state of great confusion or turmoil. The word is of modern Dutch origin, having arisen in the late 17th century to refer to a mythical whirlpool said to exist west of Norway in the Arctic Ocean. This noun is comprised of the verb malen “to grind” and the noun stroom “stream”.

I think my favorite thing about the word “maelstrom” is how foreign it sounds compared to the rest of my vocabulary. Most of the words I feature in my Word of the Week segment come from Latin or Greek, so it’s refreshing to learn a Germanic word from time to time. Coupled with its association with the ocean and its dual literal and metaphorical definitions, “maelstrom” may be one of the most interesting words I’ve come across yet! If you write tales of the sea or tend to put your characters through chaotic situations, you’re sure to find an excellent place for a “maelstrom” in your stories! Good luck!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Surreptitious

by Naomi L. | March 23, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Surreptitious” is one of those words that I loved from the moment I first heard it just for the way it sounds. There’s something about it that rolls nicely off the tongue, or at least off mine. Of course, when I learned what the word means, that made me love it even more. I do enjoy discovering words related to secrets.

A “surreptitious” activity is one that is carried out in secret, usually because it would be frowned upon by those who would otherwise be aware of it. The word comes from the Latin adjective surreptitius “concealed”, which in turn is derived from the verb surripere, meaning “to steal” or “to take away secretly”. This verb is comprised of the preposition sub “under” and the verb rapere “to seize”.

I rarely use the word “surreptitious” myself, but when I do, I make sure it fits perfectly not just with the present context, but with the overall theme of the story. For example, the last time I used it was in a story about the Romeo-and-Juliet-esque forbidden love between two teenagers, in which it was used to describe the main characters’ secret affair. I feel like the word carries an air of deep mystery to it, so I would highly recommend it for works with such themes. If you enjoy writing mysteries or secret affairs, a “surreptitious” event is certain to fit into your stories! Have fun!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Patronize

by Naomi L. | March 16, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s vocabulary post features another word with a wide gap between the time I first heard it and the time I learned what it meant. When I was a kid, I would often hear people refer to others’ actions as “patronizing” or tell someone not to “patronize” them, but it wasn’t until I was a little older that I even bothered to look the word up. Until then, I relied on context to help me understand what was being implied, though in truth it was fairly easy to figure out anyway, given the air of condescension that always came with the word.

To “patronize” someone is to treat them with a phony sort of kindness that poorly masks a sense of superiority on the part of the speaker. Generally used in the adjective form “patronizing”, the word is derived from the Old English word “patron”, which in turn traces back to the Latin noun patronus, meaning “defender” or “protector”. This word is derived from the noun pater, which means “father”.

Despite being the most common meaning, bearing a condescending attitude is not the only definition for “patronize”. Note that in some cases, it refers to the act of frequenting a store, theater, restaurant or other establishment as a customer. As a sub-definition, it can also mean to “give encouragement and financial support to a person or a cause”, generally an artist or organization. Most people probably associate the word with its first definition, though, so for general fiction, you’re more likely to use that one than the others. If you often write dialogue involving one character talking down to another, then “patronize” is definitely a good verb to remember for your stories! Good luck!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?