I thought it was cute. Now I am not so sure. Any alternate suggestions?
Flustered is meh. Confused is blah.
???
Thanks all!
Flustered is meh. Confused is blah.
???
Thanks all!
Is the word "perplexed" too advanced of a word for 4-8 yr olds?
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I love it. I think you should never speak on their level, you bring them up to yours. I have kids, this is what I appreciate when reading books or when others talk to them.
Often I read to my 7 year old and a word she doesn't know comes up. Mostly, she guesses what it 'must mean' given the sentance it's used in. Sometimes, later or at the time she will ask the meaning. Kids are incredible sponges, soaking up information like beetroot juice on a white shirt (sorry, had to be purple for a while!) Once, I think she was 4, she said 'indeed!' We don't even say that, but she did and she used it correctly. Perplexed is fine in my opinion.
I think it depends on the context. There's a difference between a word children 4+ would understand and one they would use. Is your character saying "perplexed" and does it fit them?
How about 'puzzled'? Puzzle is an interesting word--it's a noun and a verb. Puzzle is an object that you puzzle over to solve. I think it's a better choice for that age group.
I agree. If an adult character or narrator uses it, then the reader can always ask someone what it means. And it's a good word for that age in a way--a big word that will stretch their vocabulary, yet phonetically regular and so one they can sound out for themselves.
But I'm not sure most kids that age would think to use the word themselves, so it would sound oddly grown-up if a child character used it.
Yes, use 'perplexed'. Especially if your character is the type who would use words like that. Don't worry too much about your readers. Look at Seuss, he used all sorts of words, some not even found in a dictionary, but the reader still understood because of HOW it is used in a sentence. It is all about context.
When my son was almost four, he used the phrase, "actually..." correctly. sounded like a little professor. His aunt commented that anybody with that kind of vocabulary really ought to be ready to give up the diapers....
A good editor knows the importance of having such words in an early reader. I would use perplexed. It opens the dialogue for reading. I wouldn't slather an early reader with huge words...but if you're using a light sprinkling...you're doing it right. IMHO
"Perplexed" is listed as a fifth grade word in the EDL Core Vocabularies, so I think it would be fine for your age group. It is a little advanced, but not outrageously so. I'd think twice about using a 12th grade word, but as long as there are enough context clues to help the reader, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
It's all about who's saying it, as others have pointed out. My POV character's narrative and dialogue are only words he'd know and use, but sometimes he encounters adults who use bigger words and fancier sentence constructions, like in real life.
Perplexed is a great word; I'm also partial to flummoxed.
Perplexed is a great word; I'm also partial to flummoxed.
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I asked my ten year old and he didn't know. So, if you use it, use it in a context that the reader can understand what you mean by the word even if they aren't familiar with it.