by Naomi L. | October 3, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: leitmotif
Pronunciation: LYT-moh-teef
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Have you ever watched a movie or musical play and noticed that some pieces of the musical score always played when certain characters were on-screen/stage? This use of recurring themes is a popular trope in works that use music to convey ideas or represent characters. One of my favorite examples of such works is the video game Undertale, which makes heavy use of recurring and remixed musical themes to hint at connections between characters in the story. This has led to the common consensus among fans that creator Toby Fox is a genius when it comes to using “leitmotifs”!
A “leitmotif” is a theme that recurs throughout a musical or literary work and is associated with a particular person, idea, or situation. The word arose in English in the late 19th century and comes from the German noun Leitmotiv, meaning “leading motive”. This noun comprises the verb leiten “to lead” and the noun Motiv “motive”.
The word “leitmotif” was originally used in reference to Richard Wagner‘s operas and is a device most commonly associated with musical scores and soundtracks, as evidenced by its Wikipedia and TV Tropes pages, though its modern usage seems to be expanding its definition into literature. Note that “leitmotif” can also be spelled the original German way: “leitmotiv” (though it needn’t be capitalized in English as all nouns are in German). You may not find this word particularly useful if you only write literature, but if you compose music for stories (or write characters who do), “leitmotif” could be a handy addition to your vocabulary!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | September 26, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: circumlocution
Pronunciation: sər-kəm-lə-KYOO-sh(ə)n
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Have you ever tried having a discussion with someone who insisted on stalling the conversation to no end or using a thousand words for something that could have been said in three? I’m sure we’ve all met people like that before, but while some simply like to hear themselves talk, others deliberately use this practice as an evasive maneuver to avoid an unpleasant topic. The way they see it, when verbal confrontation is inevitable, a good escape route is “circumlocution”!
“Circumlocution” is the use of many words where fewer would suffice, typically in an attempt to be evasive or vague. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin noun circumlocutio, meaning “indirect speech”. This noun comprises the adverb circum “around” and the verb loqui “to speak”.
Fun fact: I learned this word while reading about the same video game character who inspired my post on the word “nihilism“, as he tends to be vague about the reason behind his laziness for fear of upsetting his loved ones with his discovery. Interestingly, the Latin word for “circumlocution” is probably a translation of the Greek noun periphrazein “periphrasis”, defined as “the use of indirect and circumlocutory speech or writing”. Because of this, these two words are possibly interchangeable, though notably the latter’s definition makes no reference to a deliberate use of indirect speech to be evasive. If your characters try to avoid unpleasant topics of discussion with long and vague speeches, you may enjoy pointing out the “circumlocution” in your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | September 19, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: putative
Pronunciation: PYOO-tə-tiv
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: generally considered or reputed to be
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Okay, so this is a little embarrassing to admit, but I learned today’s Word of the Week from a minor mistake I made in an early draft of my thesis. While citing references for cases of transatlantic larval dispersal in reef fish, I included a species that had only been speculated – but not confirmed – to display this trait. I didn’t notice the mistake until my professor told me to double-check the reference, at which point I realized that I had missed the single word that changed the entire meaning of the sentence. Lesson learned: there’s a world of difference between a confirmed quality and a “putative” quality!
A “putative” person, place, thing, or idea is reputed or generally considered to be said person, place, thing, or idea. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Old French adjective putatif, which in turn derives from the Latin adjective putativus, meaning “thought” or “supposed”. This adjective stems from the verb putare, which means “to think”.
As the above example demonstrates, the word “putative” is useful for defining what is generally thought to be something without any hard proof to support the claim. I assume it works best in the context of an idea that at least can easily be accepted as truth based on evidence, though this might not always be the case. If your stories include details that aren’t confirmed to be true (at least by your characters), “putative” may be a good word to keep on your list!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | September 12, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: clandestine
Pronunciation: klan-DES-tən / KLAN-des-tyn
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
While I’m on the subject of words I keep forgetting to add to my vocabulary list, here’s another Word of the Week that somehow kept getting pushed back in my memory before I finally dug it up last month. If I really tried, I could probably recall at least half a dozen instances when I heard or read this word somewhere and thought, “Oh yeah, I should make a note to blog about it,” only to forget again within the hour. Funny how words sometimes grow into their own definitions; it’s almost as if this secretive term is being purposely “clandestine” in my memory!
A “clandestine” act is one that’s done in secret, usually due to being illicit. The word arose in the mid 16th century and comes from the French adjective clandestin, which in turn derives from the Latin adjective clandestinus, meaning “secret” or “concealed”. This adjective stems from the adverb clam, which means “secretly”.
Sure enough, as its definition suggests, most instances in which I’ve read or heard the word “clandestine” were in the context of an illicit action (such as a meeting between parties who shouldn’t be seen together in public), though I’m fairly certain that needn’t always be the case. For those interested in a more obscure meaning, the word is also a freemasonry term for someone who isn’t recognized as a regular member. If your characters tend to engage in secretive and even illegitimate acts, you may have fun writing about the “clandestine” events in your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | September 5, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: obfuscate
Pronunciation: AHB-fə-skayt
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Today’s Word of the Week is one that I’ve actually been familiar with for a long time, but that for some reason keeps slipping in and out of my memory. I read it most recently in a blog post about pen names, and it suddenly occurred to me that even though I had already read this word several times before in articles and flashcards, I always kept forgetting to add it to my vocabulary list. Given this word’s definition, I suppose you could consider this a humorous coincidence. Isn’t it funny how a word that means “to make obscure” has been repeatedly “obfuscated” in my memory?
To “obfuscate” something is to render it unclear, unintelligible, or obscure. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin verb obfuscare, meaning “to darken”. This verb stems from the adjective fuscus, which means “dark”.
Perhaps it’s silly that I need to keep looking up the word “obfuscate”, since I realize that a good way to remember what it means is noticing that it contains almost all the letters of the word “obscure”. Note that aside from its main definition, which applies to objects and ideas, “obfuscate” can also be used in relation to people to mean “bewilder”. If you write mystery fiction or characters who tend to hide things, you may have fun trying to “obfuscate” some of the details in your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | August 29, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: bucolic
Pronunciation: byoo-KAH-lik
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
If you find much of your creative inspiration in nature, then today’s Word of the Week is for you. I’ve most often come across this word while reading poetic descriptions of the countryside or stories that take place in rustic settings, and I admit that while I didn’t really care for it at first, it’s been growing on me the more I’ve read and heard it. You could say it’s one of those adjectives that says it all; whenever a writer mentions the “bucolic” scenery in their work, you know to envision lovely images of country life!
Anything described as “bucolic” refers to the pleasant aspects of country life and the countryside. The word arose in the early 16th century and traces back through the Latin adjective bucolicus to the Greek adjective boukolikós, both of which mean “pastoral”. The latter adjective stems from the noun boukólos “herdsman”, which in turn derives from the noun bous, meaning “ox” or “cow”.
Interestingly, the original use of “bucolic” was as a poetic term to refer to a pastoral poem, and can still be used as a noun today in the same sense. “Bucolic” as a type of poetry is also another word for “eclogue”; the Eclogues of the Latin poet Virgil, for example, are also known as the Bucolics. Note that the adjective’s definition specifically mentions pleasant aspects of the countryside, so I would recommend using this word exclusively with a positive connotation. For those of you who write stories or scenes set in more rural areas, “bucolic” is a perfect word to describe the beauty found in the country!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
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