by Naomi L. | June 12, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: paterfamilias
Pronunciation: pay-tər-fə-MI-lee-əs / pah-tər-fə-MI-lee-əs
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the male head of a family or household
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Father’s Day is this Sunday, so it’s a good week to share an uncommon synonym for “father”! Following the vocabulary word I shared for Mother’s Day, today’s Word of the Week is its equally exotic-sounding male counterpart. While the former holiday is dedicated to female heads of families everywhere, this upcoming holiday is a chance to celebrate every “paterfamilias” in your life!
A “paterfamilias” is the male head of a household or family. The word comes from the Latin phrase pater familias, meaning “father of the household”. This phrase comprises the noun pater “father” and the noun familia “family”.
Historically, a “paterfamilias” was the patriarch of a Roman family, established as the oldest living male in the household. His duties included managing his estate, exercising authority over every other member of his extended family, and actively participating in Roman political and social life. Similar to “materfamilias”, the plural form of “paterfamilias” is “patresfamilias”. If you write characters who are fathers and/or male heads of their households (especially for historical fiction about Ancient Rome), “paterfamilias” is a good word to include in your vocabulary!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | June 5, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: palimpsest
Pronunciation: PA-ləm(p)-sest
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Fun fact about me: I’m currently working from home as a freelance editor and proofreader. Recently, while researching the different types of editing, I came across an interesting word sometimes used for manuscripts that have been rewritten and revised a few times. Many authors can surely relate: when your writing has been so heavily edited that only traces of the original draft remain, you now have a “palimpsest” on your hands!
A “palimpsest” is a manuscript or other piece of writing material from which original writing has been erased to make way for new writing, but on which traces of the original work remain. The word arose in the mid 17th century and comes from the Greek adjective palímpsēstos, meaning “scraped again”. This adjective comprises two roots: the adverb pálin “again” and the verb psáō “to rub smooth”.
Note that while the word “palimpsest” usually refers to reused manuscript paper, it can also be used to mean “something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form”. In the editing world, this can double as a definition for a written work that’s gone through enough revisions to change most of the rough draft. If you really want to get creative, you can try to find a use for the adjective form “palimpsestic”, which means “relating to palimpsests”. If you spend much of your time writing and rewriting manuscripts (or have your characters do the same), “palimpsest” is a good word to know!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | May 29, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: venerable
Pronunciation: VE-n(ə)r-ə-b(ə)l
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
It’s Memorial Day in the US, a time to remember and revere the brave men and women who have died while serving in the military, so for today’s Word of the Week, I felt it appropriate to feature a vocabulary word related to respect. I’ve used this word several times before to describe people and characters worthy of high esteem, which is why I consider it especially fitting for today. After all, there are few people more “venerable” than those willing to risk their lives for the love of their country!
A “venerable” person is someone who deserves great respect, particularly due to character, age, or wisdom. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin adjective venerabilis, meaning “respectable”. This adjective stems from the verb venerari, which means “to adore”.
In a more historical context, “venerable” is also used by the Catholic Church as “a title given to a deceased person who has attained a certain degree of sanctity but has not been fully beatified or canonized”, as well as by the Anglican Church as “a title given to an archdeacon”. Also worth noting is this adjective’s relation to the verb “venerate”, which means to “regard with great respect”. If you look up to certain people whose words and actions warrant reverence, you already have great inspiration for some “venerable” characters in your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | May 22, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: prelude
Pronunciation: PRE-l(y)ood / PRAY-l(y)ood
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Here’s a relatively common word that every writer should know. Sometimes when writing fiction, you may want to set up the world of your story before diving into the plot. In this case, a short introduction might be a good option to help you set the tone for the rest of your work. For writers and musicians especially, the “prelude” is a handy tool to keep in your arsenal!
A “prelude” is an event or action that serves as an introduction to something more important. The word arose in the mid 16th century and traces back through the French noun prélude to the Latin verb praeludere, meaning “to play beforehand”. This verb consists of the preposition prae “before” and the verb ludere “to play”.
In the context of art, a “prelude” is an introduction to a piece of music or literary work, such as an orchestral opening to an opera act or an introductory part of a poem. The word can also be used as a verb to mean “serve as a prelude or introduction to”. If you need to introduce important events or you like to include opening pieces in your stories or poetry (or have your characters do the same), “prelude” is a good word to know!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | May 15, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: materfamilias
Pronunciation: may-tər-fə-MI-lee-əs / mah-tər-fə-MI-lee-əs
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the female head of a family or household
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Happy belated Mother’s Day to those of you who celebrated this weekend! Here’s an interesting new word for mothers who run a household. I learned today’s vocabulary word after looking up synonyms for “mother”, and since I’d never seen or heard it before, I knew I had to write about it for my Word of the Week segment. If you celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday, chances are you either are or know a “materfamilias”!
A “materfamilias” is the female head of a household or family. The word comes from the Latin phrase mater familias, meaning “mother of the household”. This phrase comprises the noun mater “mother” and the noun familia “family”.
Fun fact: the plural form of this word is “matresfamilias”. Though I find it highly interesting for its Latin origin, I doubt I’d be able to find a place for the word “materfamilias” in any of my writing outside of poetry. Given how advanced and archaic it sounds, writers of historical nonfiction would likely find the most use for it, but it may also prove useful to fiction writers who tend to overuse the word “matriarch” in their stories. If you write main characters who are mothers and/or female heads of their households, “materfamilias” may be a good word to add to your vocabulary!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | May 8, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: eucatastrophe
Pronunciation: yoo-kə-TA-strə-fee
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a sudden and favorable resolution of events in a story; a happy ending
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Here’s another word I picked up from Oxford Dictionaries‘ Word of the Day entries. Every author should be familiar with terms related to the craft of writing, even the more obscure examples. Today’s featured word is one such literary term, specifically a type of conflict resolution to bring a story to a favorable conclusion. When you need a happy ending for the direst situations, sometimes the only solution is a “eucatastrophe”!
A “eucatastrophe” is a favorable and sudden resolution of events in a story, resulting in a happy ending. The word is said to have been coined by fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was known to use this device frequently in his fiction. Tolkien created this word by combining the Greek prefix eu- “good” with the noun “catastrophe” (in the sense “the denouement of a drama”), which comes from the Greek noun katastrophḗ “overturning”. This noun comprises the preposition katá “against” and the noun strophḗ “turning”.
As a literary device, the “eucatastrophe” has been subcategorized as a form of deus ex machina due to its common manifestation as a sudden resolution of an impossible problem, though Tolkien argued that this needn’t always be the case. A notable difference between these two devices is that the former stems entirely from an optimistic view of history and the world, that is, the idea that any course of events will naturally lean toward a positive outcome. Given its implausible nature, the “eucatastrophe” is probably most useful to fantasy and science fiction writers who favor happy endings. If your plots often call for a strong twist to save your characters from almost certain doom, you can definitely find good use for a “eucatastrophe” in your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
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