If you read about a scar at "the turn of her jaw"...

MaeZe

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To be honest, I wouldn't know what it meant except that the scar was somewhere on the face near the jaw or mouth.

But I can't imagine a scenario where I was reading that and I gave it a second thought. In other words, I would just read past it. It sounds fine to the ear, and if the precise location of the scar mattered I would figure that it would become clear later.

Prose need not always tell us exactly where that scar was in order to read well. And I accept my lesser vocabulary skills when reading an author that surpasses my reading level.
 

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And I accept my lesser vocabulary skills when reading an author that surpasses my reading level.

I don't know that I surpass anything, under any circumstances, but I do see your point about perhaps it doesn't matter how I write it. : )
 

Jason

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My first guess was underneath the ear and second was right underneath the jaw line below the cheek, almost on to the neck...
 

Chris P

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I too would have assumed other people knew what that meant, and not worried about it. It's descriptive enough and it's not necessary for me to know it was exactly 1.378 inches below the ear and just dorsoproximal to the midline of the third cervical vertebrae.
 

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I too would have assumed other people knew what that meant, and not worried about it. It's descriptive enough and it's not necessary for me to know it was exactly 1.378 inches below the ear and just dorsoproximal to the midline of the third cervical vertebrae.

Lol! I was only concerned that "turn of the jaw" could be interpreted as the chin. I wanted to see which came to mind most and first.
 

MaeZe

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Lol! I was only concerned that "turn of the jaw" could be interpreted as the chin. I wanted to see which came to mind most and first.

Don't mind me, I'm sure I'm in the minority. :D

But I mean it when I say I'd read right past it, see it as good prose, and not worry about the exact location.
 
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Keithy

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Below the ear somewhere.

Not the chin. You'd say chin if it was, no?