Words you want to use someday

[BronzeOracle]

Haha I used eldritch in the second chapter of my story because it was describing something weird, eerie, otherworldly - but I guess it does have its baggage. As its in writing I'm not sure if I get punched or a handshake? I feel cheated somehow.

I tried to use conflagrant in a sentence but it jarred my beta reader. But I also used crepuscular and it slid under their radar - hah! Got that one reading the wonderful Anne McCaffrey.

 

[Incanus]

I see 'conflagration' all the time, but I don't recall 'conflagrant'. Very cool. And 'crepuscular'! I'd forgotten about that one. Oh yeah, there's a place for that one in my novella somewhere...

I'd shake your hand, BronzeOracle, but you're like 200 feet taller than me--

 

[Shreddies]

Susurrous

I've loved that word ever since I read Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.

There are so many great words I want to use! Like:

Recidivism
Borborygmus (rumbling of the stomach)
Antecubital Space (front of the elbow)
Salubrious
Machismo
Acme (It's a real word!)
Flibbertigibbet
Pandiculation
Pulchritudinous
Effluvium
Confabulation (the psychiatric term, not chatting)
Perfidious
Caliginous

And finally Kerfuffle, Confusticate and Discombobulate!

 

[KC Trae Becker]

I like the sound of the word gloaming, an old Scottish word for twilight, but I haven't used it yet. It's one of those words that you'd think would sound harsh and ugly when you say it aloud, but it comes out surprisingly soft and full. (At least, in my accent it does.)

The title of the first book of five in the series I'm working on is: Into the Gloaming. I've had a few critique partners balk at it, but they were roundly rebuffed by the others present.

Should I take that as a warning sign or laugh it off? Where does one draw the line on wonderful words? Oh the delightful quandaries of writing!

 

[CupofJoe]

Pulchritudinous

One of my all time favourite words...
And for my tastes...
Cyclopean
Rusticate

 

[Incanus]

Nice lists by Velka and Shreddies.

Of these, I've already used:

penumbra
susurrus (spelled differently in england, I guess)
salubrious
pulchritude (this word is just too much!)

Haven't busted out these ones yet:

mellifluous
insouciance
effluvium (but I did use effulgence)

Haven't seen borborygmus before, but I was thinking of using peristalsis (probably 'reverse peristalsis', for describing someone vomiting). And while I love 'confusticate', I think this is strictly a 'Bilbo-ism'.

This is great! My ridiculous character thanks Tom for starting this thread and providing him with yet even more odd words that might not have occured to him otherwise. (!?!)

 

[Gryphos]

Probably the fanciest word I've ever used in my writing (and incidentally my favourite word) is skulduggery. I just love the way it sounds. If someone says that to me in real life I definitely won't punch them in the face.

 

[Shreddies]

Rusticate

Wow, I haven't heard that one in a long time.

Haven't seen borborygmus before, but I was thinking of using peristalsis (probably 'reverse peristalsis', for describing someone vomiting).

Have you used Eruct yet? (Or eructation, eructative) I know it's mostly used for belching just gas (and sometimes a little stomach acid), but it also means to issue out violently, like debris from a volcano. And I have heard it used for vomiting violently.

And while I love 'confusticate', I think this is strictly a 'Bilbo-ism'.

True. You could try confubuscate or conflabberate instead.

 

[Tom]

I use words of Old English origin more often than those of French and Latin origin, so some of these words you guys are listing would take a great leap of faith for me to use.

I'd like to use susurrus. It's one of those words that perfectly describes its meaning through sound--that's called onomatopoeia, right? Susurrus always reminds me of the sound of snow falling on a quiet night--sort of a hissing, whispering sound.

 

[Penpilot]

Just came across this amusing article on cracked.com, containing a bunch of words that would be funny to use. Be warned most of the words are a bit colorful, so read at your own peril.

9 Foreign Terms More Awful Than Any English Profanity | Cracked.com

 

[fshamas]

I would like to start a similar thread. Quotes you would like to us. They are all original and my count is already past 500 and I have deleted many unneccesary ones. I would like to share but I am a bit selfish. Somehow I still feel there might be a good novel in me. I have been only one year into writing and I have written like one complete novel

 

[Surad]

I want to create an entire library of quasi-military terms and slang based on real military terms. I just don't know where to start.

 

[Incanus]

Well, I can cross 'lugubrious' off the list.

And also, I summoned up my simulacrum last night. It was about the last thing I did, so he's standing there ready to take action.

One good thing about stopping your writing session right in the middle of things: I positively can't wait to get back to it tonight. Nothing short of a nuclear bomb being dropped where I live could prevent me from engaging in my next session.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I hate to tell you guys this but one of the characters I use in Neverwinter Nights 2 is an Eldritch Knight. Quite frankly if you play the game don't use them. They're a weak build.

One of the words I do use and love is "arse". I just can't stand the American "ass". Each time I see it I imagine a mutant donkey, and then I think about the writer - what a piker! Too afraid to use the right word.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Tom]

Hi,

I hate to tell you guys this but one of the characters I use in Neverwinter Nights 2 is an Eldritch Knight. Quite frankly if you play the game don't use them. They're a weak build.

One of the words I do use and love is "arse". I just can't stand the American "ass". Each time I see it I imagine a mutant donkey, and then I think about the writer - what a piker! Too afraid to use the right word.

Cheers, Greg.

Oh dear. I use "ass" quite a bit. But here in America, it's the norm, and the only people who say "arse" are either transplants from across the pond, writers who think it sounds better, Doctor Who fans (and even then, only with other Whovians), or everyday idiots who think they're being YooNeek with their profanity.

 

[Incanus]

I hate to tell you guys this but one of the characters I use in Neverwinter Nights 2 is an Eldritch Knight. Quite frankly if you play the game don't use them. They're a weak build.

Interesing, but I'm unclear as to what a RPG character build has to do with using an old word in a fantasy story. The word is around 500 years old, the game is less than a decade old.

Arse is pretty cool, though. My writing tends to be English-y, so this would fit.

 

[Shreddies]

Well, I'm Canadian and I agree with arses over asses. *shrug*

Mind you, I never use arse, but I find ass to be too soft sounding to sting much, while arse has a nice . . . er, shape? A nice shape to the sound.

And I had always assumed eldritch was a common word in fantasy settings. Is it really that uncommon?

 

[Devor]

Some of you aren't going to like this, but I've always taken "arse" to be one of those words said by little old New England ladies too shy and polite to say "ass."

 

[Tom]

Well, I'm Canadian and I agree with arses over asses. *shrug*

Mind you, I never use arse, but I find ass to be too soft sounding to sting much, while arse has a nice . . . er, shape? A nice shape to the sound.

To me, "ass" sounds harsher than "arse". The R+S combination sounds soft in my Great Lakes Cities accent; it hardly has the strength of a serious insult. It probably sounds harder to British speakers, since their accent is non-rhotic. However, in a heavily rhotic accent like mine, it loses its shock value. "Ass" has a bite to it.

 

[Laurence]

I live in London; most people I've met would only usually say 'arse' coupled with the word 'hole'.