Is character want and desire the same thing?

[pmmg]

Always insightful, Fifth.

I think the words do carry the same meaning, but tonally, they are different. Its really a matter of which carries the tonal message better as to which I would use. But....the thread is a bit old, and I dont think Dark Fantasy has been on in a long while, so....


Anyway...two examples...


A man sits at the counter, waiting for the pretty barista to take notice. The store is empty, and she is too pretty to ignore. She takes notice. She comes towards him and leans over counter smiling. "Would you desire some coffee," she says coyly.

"I would desire some coffee," he says. "But I want you."


A man sits at the counter, waiting for the pretty barista to take notice. The store is empty, and she is too pretty to ignore. She takes notice. She comes towards him and leans over counter smiling. "Do you want some coffee," she says coyly.

"I do want some coffee," he says. "But I desire you."


To me, the meaning of each is understood, he wants coffee, and he wants the barista, the message is conveyed, but I like the first example better. The words are used to deliver the message in a stronger way. I could rewrite this so the reverse is true, but that's just a matter of preference...I dont think the words carry extra meaning without additional context.

 

[Finchbearer]

This is an interesting thread albeit it an old one…

I’ve used both in my writing, and as per what some others have said, desire seems to pertain to a more secretive or more deep seated want, whereas want is more open and direct.

I might have used desire where someone is thinking:

I desire complete control

I might have used want where someone is speaking

“I want you to go away!”

 

[FifthView]

A man sits at the counter, waiting for the pretty barista to take notice. The store is empty, and she is too pretty to ignore. She takes notice. She comes towards him and leans over counter smiling. "Would you desire some coffee," she says coyly.

"I would desire some coffee," he says. "But I want you."

Isn't his speech ironic there? A play on those two words?

The author (or narrator at least) would also be playing by adding that word coyly.

I think this shows the magic of writing, heh, and hints at that ever-present reality of language: its plasticity.

I mean, if we couldn't do such things, would we still write? Hmm.