Synonymitis
11.10.09 by CypyI might be thinking about this too hard for what it’s worth, but I believe that expanding one’s vocabulary solely for the purpose of learning more words is overrated. I enjoy reading material that is well-written, and it is often the case that well-written material happens to have a more varied vocabulary than a poorly-written material. On the other hand some material can contain a slew unusual words and ALSO be poorly-written. One reason for this is the overuse of complex synonyms for simple words, or what I will term synonymitis. I can understand that there are many words that may mean the same thing, and that some of them sound fun and extra-fancy, but I believe that using wordy, flowery, elaborate, pompous, grandiloquent, flashy, showy (etc.) language, can sometimes get in the way of meaning. I don’t oppose flowery language—I think it is nice to learn different words—but, as I said, it is overrated.
I like to think of learning words this way: if the new word in question adds more meaning, and is not simply a synonym, then it is worth learning. Some words are worth more than others. The words I enjoy learning the most, are the ones with the most specific meanings. For example, let’s pretend I want to say “this hardy and delicious early-morning breakfast is very satisfying.” There are multiple meanings that I conveyed in the sentence. One meaning is the time “early morning.” Another meaning is the type of meal “breakfast.” Breakfast implies “morning” but it doesn’t imply “early;” it is a non-specific time. Let’s say there is a hypothetical word that means “early breakfast.” If there was, I would use it because I could then eliminate “early morning” and shorten the sentence. Let’s say there is a hypothetical word for “hardy, delicious, early breakfast.” I could further shorten the sentence, without taking away meaning by using that word. We can be even more concise! Now let’s think about a hypothetical verb that encapsulates the entire meaning of that sentence. The verb is ONLY used to express satisfaction for a hardy, delicious, early-morning breakfast. This word might feel neglected because it doesn’t come up very often, but when it does, it is the BEST word for the situation, hands down. The most specific wins.
Now I’ll switch from hypotheticals to realism. Imagine I am explaining an area in the forrest that was bulldozed. I might say “they bulldozed an area of the forrest.” The word “area” works fine, but it is generic. In the case that I brought up, it would be more fitting to use “swath.” Saying “swath” implies that I am talking about a patch of land, plus, it refers to not just any old shape, but usually a long stretch of land (bonus!), and it usually refers to a stretch of land that has been mown or cut (double-bonus!). The replacement of “area” with “swath,” in this case, actually adds meaning to the idea I am trying to convey.
Hooray for specific words!
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Okay, now what word could we use to mean “to be satisfied by a hardy, delicious, early breakfast”? Suggestions?
It feels lame to comment first on my own post.
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