Use the most specific word
Mainly because they are really fun.
Reader,
On Monday, the Austin American Statesman had a picture of one of the oaks that were split by our winter storm that are now blooming through the cracks. Newspapers are supposed to be written at an 11th grade reading level, but I love when there are really esoteric words in regular print.
“Epicormic”-growing from a previously dormant bud on the trunk or a limb of a tree - was a new term for me. It was a reminder of the terrible storm, but it was still nice to learn a new word! I love words with extremely specific meanings. Here are some others from the first part of the vocabulary section in my commonplace book:
auto-da-fe n. - the public declaration of judgment passed on persons tried in the courts of the Spanish Inquisition or the execution of the sentence thereof.
bastinado n. - punishment or torture by beating the soles of the feet.
cachinnate v. - laugh loudly or immoderately.
cacography n. - bad handwriting or incorrect spelling.
callipygian adj. - having shapely buttocks.
cicerone n. - a guide, especially for sightseers.
cicisbeo n. - a male escort of lover of a married woman.
colporteur n. - a door-to-door Bible salesman.
commination n. - a threat of divine vengeance
corrigendum n. - a mistake to be corrected, especially an error in a printed book.
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word
is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning” by Mark Twain.
Best,
Kingman
Another fun, fascinating post!