Making up words

Yes, you could... but I think it would be better to say "he had the bangs of a sheepdog" (or if you prefer similes "he had bangs like a sheepdog.")

Most editors prefer you don't make up words when you don't have to. If you need to talk about a flapdoozle, and it's important that it is a flapdoozle, then by all means go for it, but in this case you can work around it grammatically - and have the added bonus of being correct.

Sometimes making up a word does help paint a picture. With the "Sheepdoggish" word, the picture is very interesting and personally i love the word.

English is not a dead language. You are allowed to create terms. You are using appropriate suffixes/affixes, so it is a totally appropriate thing. I think it would be cool to create a character who made up many words. I think it has been done before, but I like the idea.

Use Her Name said:

English is not a dead language. You are allowed to create terms. You are using appropriate suffixes/affixes, so it is a totally appropriate thing. I think it would be cool to create a character who made up many words. I think it has been done before, but I like the idea.

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That would be huge amounts of fun, but i would spend all the time creating words and leave no time for writing.

Keep "sheepdoggishly", I like it. Can you put it in dialogue where another character describes him?

I think 99% of Neuromancer is filled with made up words. If you think about it, most of the words in the English language are made-up anyway, either adapted from other languages or combined using morphemes.

Nobody complained when Chaucer created words. Go for it!

My own favorite made-up word is "smuffy" -- sort of suffocatingly stuffy. Cute is good in moderation (unless you are a kitten, then go for the gold! )

I use made up words to describe sounds all the time. No one's complained yet. As long as you don't write the entire ms in Klingon, I don't see the problem.

Jersey Chick said:

As long as you don't write the entire ms in Klingon, I don't see the problem.

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Is it slightly pathetic that I'm capable of doing that?

Mr Sci Fi said:

Is it slightly pathetic that I'm capable of doing that?

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Nope !

I make up words when I can't find one suitable or when I think a new one sounds better, every so often. I think in this case "sheepdoggishly" is a wonderful word since it instantly conveys what it means. The only caution I'd have is to not do it too often because then the new words just start to sound silly and forced, but in this case I figure that won't be a problem.

Joyce made up lots of memorable terms. My personal favorite was 'mistribute.'

I'm fairly sure "sheepdoggishly" is one of the greatest words ever put into visual. Well done.

I suppose you can make up words whenever you want. I see it done in mostly fanfiction. As for works you intend to publish, I think it works best with a first person narrative, or when you hyphenate things in an odd way, rather than pushing it all together.

Sheepdoggishly, I don't like, but that's just me. I like that suggestion with "the bangs of a sheep dog." If you start making up words when there's an equal alternative, what the heck is the point, other than to sound creative in a way that trips up your editor and your reader?

I think it sounds fine. Don't do it too often, but it's ok once in a while.

slcboston said:

Yes, you could... but I think it would be better to say "he had the bangs of a sheepdog" (or if you prefer similes "he had bangs like a sheepdog.")

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That's taking an active tense of the word and turning it into passive tense. That's generally frowned upon.

If you really can't get away with making a new word (there is also a lot of angst around here about those words that end in "ly"), go with:

"He had sheepdog bangs"

I like "sheepdoggishly". It has a very interesting rhythm to it, slides on the tongue well, is spelled such that you don't get too visually lost in it, and is very evocative because not only do you get the sheepdog reference, but for me it also blends in a bit with sheepishly giving me a potential picture of the kind of person who hides behind bangs like that. I must also say that the alternatives "like a sheepdog", etc, just don't ring with that same fun rhythm and picture for me.

That said, I am in the group of folk who occasionally makes up a word because, dangit, it's the right word! It's not my fault English hadn't "invented" the poor thing yet.




-Michelle

dianeP said:

Can I say of a guy who had long hair that he had "sheepdoggishly long bangs?"

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Wrong question. Who is "I"? The narrator or the character?

If a character says this in dialogue, then it's perfectly fine as long as the character is the type who would use made up words. In fact, using a made up word shows something about the character. For example, I'd accept the word "sheepdoggishly" a lot more readily from a teenage character than a college professor character.

If it's the narrator, then using a made up word depends on the style of the narrative. If the narrative is very formal, then using a made up word would be out of place.

I do it all the time--well, maybe not all the time, but when I'm convinced it works. I really don't think you'll have a problem as long as the word works and is proper English.

I say put it in context of description, He glanced over at her, out from under his long hair, giving him a sheepdoggishly comical look.

I like "sheepdogishly." I think it's vivid and characterizes whoever's rendering that judgment too.

dianeP said:

Can I say of a guy who had long hair that he had "sheepdoggishly long bangs?"

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Diane, to chime in with the other opinions: I do like your word (especially if your WIP is casual and chatty in tone), but I think it would work better if it weren't an adverb.

His long hair, sheepdoggish bangs falling across his face, served as a curtain behind which to hide.

Or whatever, according to your content...

Good luck!