Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Remember that dialogue from The Big Bang Theory that I used to demonstrate last week’s vocabulary word? Well, it’s time to learn about the other word that was tripping Penny up.

“Altruism” refers to the theory or practice of putting the well-being of others before one’s own. In other words, “altruism” is the virtue of doing good deeds without expecting any benefits in return, as described in studies of various cultures and religions. The word can be traced back through different languages, from the French noun altruisme; to the Italian adjective altrui “other person”; to the Latin term alteri huic, meaning “to this other”.

In philosophy, “altruism” is the opposite of “egoism”, that is, the view that people’s actions are driven by self-interest. However, some disagree on whether these concepts are mutually exclusive, since doing good for others often comes with the side effect of personal gratification. Interestingly, the term “altruism” is also used in zoology to define the behavior of an animal that benefits others at its own expense (e.g. monkeys that sound alarm calls when predators are near, warning their troop of danger while simultaneously drawing attention to themselves).

Because of the weight it carries as a scientific and/or religious concept, the word seems to me like an even more virtuous form of “selflessness”. While a “selfless” person does good mostly for people closer to them, an “altruistic” person has a natural tendency to put the welfare of others in general before their own. That’s not to say these synonyms can’t be used interchangeably, of course; this is simply my own interpretation. In any case, “altruism” is usually a great character trait for a narrative’s hero, so it may be a good word to know for your writing, especially if you write adventure stories. A truly admirable protagonist is often a selfless one!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Amy: Perhaps you could assuage your guilt through altruism. (pause as Penny looks confused) Which word’s tripping you up? Assuage or altruism?

Penny: Both.

Bernadette: You’ll feel better by doing something nice for someone.

Penny: I actually knew that.

Amy: I never doubted you.

– The Big Bang Theory, (Season 5, Episode 11- The Speckerman Recurrence)

The above dialogue was taken from an episode of The Big Bang Theory, when Penny realizes a certain truth about herself of which she wasn’t aware until her friends brought the subject to her attention: she was a bully in high school. In light of this revelation, Bernadette and Amy suggest she do charity work in order to ease the guilt she starts to feel over the suffering she caused her peers as a teenager, a fact she claims to have already known (though not quite in the same sophisticated manner as her biologist friends).

To “assuage” a bad feeling is to ease it, thus making it less unpleasant. When referring specifically to a wish or appetite, to “assuage” it means to satisfy it. The word can be traced back to the Old French verb assouagier (“appease, calm”), which is based on the Latin roots ad- “to” and suavis “pleasant, sweet”.

This verb is one of several synonyms for “alleviate”, though each seems to have its own specific uses. While “relieve” suggests reducing discomfort to a tolerable level and “allay” is often used to demonstrate a negative emotion (as in fear or suspicion) being put to rest, “assuage” implies an achievement of satisfaction on a greater or more permanent scale. Therefore, I would suggest using the word in reference to the relief of unpleasant feelings that are relatively more intense, such as the guilt that drove Penny to call an old bullying victim of hers and apologize to her for pranks mistakenly thought to have been all in good fun. Whether used to express alleviation of strong emotions or of simple desires, “assuage” is a good verb to consider when seeking the best word on the “relieve” spectrum for your writing. Use it well!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Mr. Darcy: Do you talk, as a rule, while dancing?

Elizabeth Bennet: No… No, I prefer to be unsociable and taciturn. Makes it all so much more enjoyable, don’t you think?

– Pride & Prejudice (2005)

My mother is a big fan of Pride & Prejudice, as much Jane Austen’s novel as the 2005 movie. To hear her tell it, it’s one of those films that she’ll watch over and over again whenever she sees it showing on TV, because every time she watches it, she takes away something new. And having watched it many times with her already, I have to say that I agree. However, it’s worth mentioning that while my mom is probably learning about the complexities of social protocol in early 19th-century England, I’m learning more about the differences in speech between the language of two centuries ago and that of today, including the differences in common vocabulary. “Taciturn” is one word that jumped out at me a few times while watching this movie, and though I didn’t think much of it at first, I realized after looking it up that it was more relevant to me and my life than I realized…

A “taciturn” person is one who is reserved in their speech, that is, someone who doesn’t talk much. It emerged in the late 18th century (close to the time period of Pride & Prejudice) from the Latin adjective taciturnus, meaning “silent” or “quiet”. This in turn came from tacitus, the past participle of the verb tacere (“be silent”) and the root of the adjective “tacit”, which means “understood or implied without being stated”.

So why do I consider the word “taciturn” relevant to me? Because it’s an adjective I could use to describe myself. Maybe not in every social situation (especially when I’m only in the presence of people close to me), but certainly in public. When it comes to the outside world, most of my communication is in the form of writing instead of speaking. Because of this, I would probably use the word “taciturn” to describe a character similar to me: withdrawn and mostly quiet, more of a listener than a talker. Much like the witty Elizabeth Bennet, who prefers to remain silent and observant during a dance, a person who comes off as “taciturn” on the surface could prove to be a wonderfully complex and engaging character in any story, particularly those as intricate as Jane Austen’s novels.

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Obstinate” is another word I learned thanks to vocabulary flashcards in standardized test prep materials. Until then, I was only familiar with much simpler terms for “stubborn”, such as “hardheaded” and “strong-willed”. To be honest, I was surprised I had no memory of ever seeing this word before, since it seems intermediate enough to fit into the type of writing I usually like to read, but then again, “stubborn” usually works well enough to get the point across.

A person who is “obstinate” is someone who won’t change their stand on an opinion or action even after attempts have been made to persuade them otherwise. Similarly, an “obstinate” situation is one that is hard to overcome or change for the better. The word can be retraced to the Latin adjective obstinatus (“firm, resolved, resolute”), in turn stemming from the Latin verb obstinare (“persist, be determined on”), or so my research has led me to understand.

It’s worth noting that while “stubborn” is a more general term for any person who is naturally resistant to altering their ways, “obstinate” is more appropriate for describing specific cases in which one refuses to back down on a decision, especially when others try to convince them to change it. Also, while there are other synonyms for “stubborn” that may be neutral, this word usually seems to carry a more negative connotation, as in unpleasant behavior or problems that can’t easily be fixed. In light of this information, when describing someone, I would probably suggest using “obstinate” to define unyielding behavior on a particular course of action that might otherwise be atypical for the character in question. In most other cases, “stubborn” and its simpler substitutes would likely work just fine.

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s Word of the Week was suggested to me by my mom, who discovered it through her most recent TV obsession: Downton Abbey. Apparently it’s a word that’s been used a few times in the series, and since I had come across it before while studying vocabulary for standardized tests, I agreed that it would be an interesting word to include in this segment.

According to Oxford Dictionaries, there are two similar definitions for this adjective. An “ersatz” product is a substitute for a higher-quality version of that item, while anything else defined as “ersatz” is simply fake. Either way, it’s used to refer to something that isn’t the real thing. Now if you’re thinking this word sounds a little different from all the others featured in my Word of the Week posts before, it’s because this one is the first in the segment to come neither from Latin nor from Greek. “Ersatz” is actually a German noun meaning “replacement”, which also functions as a part in compound words (most notably Ersatzkaffee, or “ersatz coffee”).

So how did this German word seep its way into English vocabulary? “Ersatz” evidently started being recognized outside of Germany during World War I (hence its use in Downton Abbey, or so I presume), as it was used in terms referring to replacement military troops (Ersatz Corps) and substitute products developed during the war. Its transition from a noun in one language to an adjective in the other is due to grammatical differences between English and German; for instance, while a word like Ersatzkaffee is a compound noun in German, English-speakers who easily recognize the second half as “coffee” would logically assume the first syllables make up the adjective describing the familiar noun (which would probably translate to something like “false coffee”).

It’s worth noting that while the word can have either a positive or a negative connotation in German, its English uses generally imply inferiority. As far as how one might use it in writing, my limited experience with the word tells me it likely fits best in historical fiction, as it does have an archaic feel to it (when was the last time you heard someone call something “ersatz” as opposed to just “fake”?) Still, it could also appear in modern dialogue involving academically accomplished characters (such as Leonard’s neuroscientist/psychiatrist mother analyzing Howard and Raj’s friendship as an “ersatz homosexual relationship” on The Big Bang Theory). In my opinion, the word’s historical origins alone make it interesting, so feel free to get creative with it. Whether you choose to use it in a World War-themed novel or a conversation between characters of differing linguistic backgrounds, “ersatz” can be a great word for adding a foreign touch to your writing. Have fun!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Little did he know that this simple, seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death.

– Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

If you’ve seen the movie Stranger Than Fiction, you probably remember this iconic quote from the most important plot point in the story of Harold Crick. While resetting the time on his wristwatch after it inexplicably goes on the fritz, the narrating voice in the IRS agent’s head notes the irony that such a normally harmless act is what will lead to the untimely and heartbreaking end of his life’s story (at which point Harold understandably begins to panic).

To call anything “innocuous” – whether concrete or abstract – is to say that it’s harmless. The word is actually a prefixed form of the adjective “nocuous”, meaning “noxious, harmful, or poisonous”, though this stem seems to be used mostly for poetic writing than for modern prose. “Innocuous” comes from the Latin adjective innocuus (“harmless, innocent”), comprised of the elements in- “not” and nocuus “injurious”.

As far as I can remember, the first time I ever heard this word was while watching the movie Stranger Than Fiction. It sounded like an interesting word (though that may have been due in part to Emma Thompson’s lovely British accent), so I made a note to look it up, and have since included it a few times in my own writing. Although it may just seem like a fancy alternative to “harmless”, I find that when used once in a while, “innocuous” can add a certain charming note to a narrative that more common words like “harmless” and “innocent” seem to lack. Too much advanced vocabulary in your stories might be annoying, but using intermediate words in moderation is, in this writer’s opinion, an innocuous act.

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Exacerbate” isn’t a word I’ve seen or heard a lot in my lifetime. In fact, I didn’t even discover it until I started studying vocabulary words for a standardized test I took as a requirement for university admissions. The first time I read it on the flashcard, I might have guessed that it had a similar definition to the word that it sounds the most like: “exasperate”. Turns out that’s a common mistake, though these two words are not as unalike as common test prep materials might have you believe…

To “exacerbate” something is to take a bad situation and make it worse. For instance, a movie or play with a terrible script can still be exacerbated by poor direction and talentless actors. The word stems from the Latin verb exacerbare (“make worse”), which in turn is made up of the roots ex- (as in inducement of a state) and acerbus (“harsh, bitter”). Interestingly, this verb can also mean “irritate”, placing it in the same lane as the common word with which “exacerbate” is easily confused. Note, however, that “exasperate” has slightly different roots behind it (such as asper, meaning “rough”), so this shouldn’t be mistaken as a green light to use them as synonyms. The noun “exacerbation” may have meant “provocation to anger” in the past, but for the sake of modern comprehension, it’s probably best to just acknowledge the words in their separate current definitions!

So remember, as much as they may seem similar, these are two different words that are intended to have two different meanings. Take care in your choice of verbs; you don’t want to exasperate your readers by exacerbating your flawed writing with mixed-up vocabulary!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

OK, so I decided to go with a simpler word this week. There isn’t too much I can say about the word “irate”, except that it’s on the more intense end of the “angry” spectrum. This is easy to understand, since the root of the word “irate” is “ire”, both of which come from Latin, respectively the adjective iratus (“angry”, “enraged”, “furious”) and the noun ira (“anger”, “rage”, “wrath”). Basically, it’s just another word to add to the long list of synonyms for “angry”.

When it comes to my writing, I prefer to use “irate” in scenes involving characters who are so enraged by the given circumstances, they’re practically seeing red. For example, the most recent use of the word in one of my narratives was in a love story involving a teenage couple whose relationship, for sociopolitical reasons, was considered taboo (yes, sort of like a modern version of Romeo and Juliet). In this case, “irate” was one of my words of choice to describe their parents’ reactions upon discovering they’d been secretly involved for several months. While I included various synonyms for “angry” in the scene, this one seemed especially fitting for the level of outrage that I wanted to portray, as it rests on a similar line of the spectrum as words like “infuriated” and “livid”. In my opinion, “irate” is a good word to keep in mind for descriptions of extremely angry characters; after all, you can never have too extensive a vocabulary when writing about emotions!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I’m going to take a second here to be completely honest about something: I consider myself a little pedantic. Not about everything; mostly just when it comes to writing. I sometimes catch myself fussing over the littlest details about grammar and technique, and I haven’t been shy in the past about using advanced vocabulary in my stories to come across as an erudite writer (the fact that I just used a word like “erudite” should prove my case). Even my blog’s “Word of the Week” segment probably makes me seem pedantic. It’s a flaw of mine that I’ve had since at least my teen years, possibly stemming from my (admittedly unfounded) insecurities when I was growing up…

A person who’s “pedantic” (i.e. a pedant) is someone who tends to put extra thought into minor details or effort into proving their knowledge. The word possibly has roots in the first element of the Latin noun paedagogus (“pedagogue”, meaning “teacher”), which in turn comes from the Greek word paidagōgos (pais, paid- “boy” + agōgos “guide”).

Aside from myself, I would use a word like “pedantic” to describe a character like a particularly fussy teacher or an executive obsessed with showing off their advanced vocabulary and business skills. As far as I can tell, the word always seems to carry a negative connotation, and thus would be best considered a flaw as opposed to a neutral trait or even a strength. Pedantic isn’t something I’m particularly proud to be; your characters probably shouldn’t be either!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Penny: Hey, I think I know how you did the card trick.

Sheldon: Oh, please! If I don’t know, you don’t know. That’s axiomatic.

Penny: (to Howard) Come here. (whispers in his ear)

Howard: You’re right.

Penny: Not too bad for someone who doesn’t know what “axiomatic” means.

– The Big Bang Theory (Season 4, Episode 18 – “The Prestidigitation Approximation”)

If you’re a fan of the popular comedy TV series The Big Bang Theory, you may remember the above dialogue from an episode where the brilliant but hopelessly arrogant Dr. Sheldon Cooper has trouble figuring out the secret behind a magic trick performed by his friend Howard Wolowitz. When his less-educated friend/neighbor Penny claims to have found the secret herself, he is quick to dismiss this as an obvious impossibility. After all (to hear Dr. Cooper tell it), in what universe could a waitress solve a problem too perplexing for a physicist? Turns out ours seems to be that universe, as Penny not only manages to further confuse Sheldon by apparently beating him to the right conclusion, but even rubs salt in the wound by making it clear that she isn’t even knowledgeable enough to grasp the full offense of his belittling remark.

(If you want to find out Howard’s secret yourself, you can watch all the episode’s card trick scenes in this video. The above dialogue starts at about 4:00. Very funny!)

To call a fact “axiomatic” is to claim that it’s already evident without the need for argument. In a way, it’s a fancy translation for the phrase “it goes without saying”. And now for a twist: for once, I’m bringing you a word that stems, not from Latin, but from Greek! “Axiomatic” is derived from axiōmatikos, which in turn comes from the Greek noun axiōma, meaning “that which is thought fitting” or “a self-evident principle”. Note that this is also the origin of the noun “axiom”, defined as “a self-evident truth”.

To be honest, I don’t remember ever hearing the word “axiomatic” before watching Sheldon use it on The Big Bang Theory. Outside of narrative, it seems to be a fitting word for dialogue spoken by academically advanced characters, especially those involved in the exact sciences. Bonus points if you can incorporate the word into an actual mathematical context; another definition for “axiomatic” is “relating to or containing axioms”, that is, “a statement or proposition on which an abstractly defined structure is based”. Feel free to get creative with the word; off the top of my head, it could prove especially versatile in science fiction writing. And that, my friends, is axiomatic!

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