Vocabulary

BDR159 · Mar 12, 2019

Hello,
Does anyone know how to reword "the strongest villain possible" in a descriptive and better way? I'm using it in an anecdote for an assessment piece.

TellMeAStory · Mar 13, 2019

How about comparing this villain to another? Something like "...more terrible than xxxx"

g_eke · Mar 14, 2019

Can I hijack this thread with a more general question about vocab, which is this: How good is yours?

I would say I have a reasonable grasp of a broad range of words, but my problem is recall. I think, talk and write very plainly (I believe academia drummed in the importance of clarity over style, which led to this). So overall, I would say my vocab is poor, and during revision can see myself leaning heavily on a thesaurus.

AW Admin · Mar 14, 2019

I'd avoid using a thesaurus unless you're prompting your memory for a word that's on the tip of your tongue.

There's nothing wrong, at all, with a book whose language is in the middle range. Concentrate on saying what you mean, rather than writing to impress (not that that's what the OP is doing).

English has the largest vocabulary of any known language. There's nothing that says you have to use or know all of it.

Lakey · Mar 14, 2019

Most of the time, vivid imagery and surprising turns of phrase are much more effective than ten-dollar words (and I say that as a person who uses ten-dollar words altogether too much). I've been reading Mary Renault this week, whom no one would accuse of poor erudition, and I love her writing to tiny little bits. But it's not any unusual vocabulary that makes me weak in the knees about her prose -- rather it's arresting expressions composed of familiar concepts arranged in surprising ways. For instance, "...this sharp sense of life's cruelty trembling in him like an arrow that has just struck." Few readers would need to run to a dictionary to understand that turn of phrase, but it is masterful and gorgeous.

Apologies for continuing the hijack. For the OP, though I'm not sure what an anecdote for an assessment piece is, I wonder if you could look for some more vivid way of showing the person's villainy rather than just looking for fancier words to describe it. "So villanous as to make Pol Pot look like a playground bully." "The type of guy whose daily workout routine includes practice in puppy-kicking and taking candy from babies." You get the idea, I hope.

:e2coffee:

Harlequin · Mar 14, 2019

By defining what strength means.

Has conquered the most countries? Killed the most pregnant women? Cried the least tears? Specifics will be helpful here.

BDR159 · Mar 15, 2019

I’ll give you more context about the assignment. We have to write a speech about literary heroes, and you must have an engaging beginning. To do that, I’ve used a rhetorical question that encourages the audience to think. However, the phrase, “strongest villain possible”, sounds a bit weak in this context. See below:

“I’m going to say one word: heroism. What mental image does that word conjure up in your mind? Was it a superhero like Thor or a man who is out to defeat the strongest villain possible?”

Any suggestions on how to improve this are much appreciated.

Cluebird · Mar 15, 2019

It sounds like you're looking for a synonym for "the strongest villain possible." I don't think there is one.

You might say "the most villainous" or "the evillest, most heinous" or "the most loathsome" instead, but I don't think there's a way to get rid of "most" other than with a synonym of its own, such as "the epitome of evil."

Edit: I don't know how I missed your post -- right above mine -- giving the context. I'll leave my original answer, though I like David Odle's, below.

David Odle · Mar 15, 2019

Sounds like the ultimate villain.

Regarding how complex a vocabulary must be - for an excellent, well-written book with basic language, check out Paul Tremblay's A Head Full Of Ghosts. It's a great example of saying what you mean versus trying to think of fancy words.

Keithy · Mar 16, 2019

Not only did he eat babies, he didn't wash his hands first.

Azdaphel · Mar 16, 2019

BDR159 said:
Hello,
Does anyone know how to reword "the strongest villain possible" in a descriptive and better way? I'm using it in an anecdote for an assessment piece.

Perhaps something like: "Compare to him, no one was evil".

mrsmig · Mar 16, 2019

BDR159 said:
I’ll give you more context about the assignment. We have to write a speech about literary heroes, and you must have an engaging beginning. To do that, I’ve used a rhetorical question that encourages the audience to think. However, the phrase, “strongest villain possible”, sounds a bit weak in this context. See below:

“I’m going to say one word: heroism. What mental image does that word conjure up in your mind? Was it a superhero like Thor or a man who is out to defeat the strongest villain possible?”

Any suggestions on how to improve this are much appreciated.

First thing I'd do is make sure your tenses match, i.e. what image does that word/Is it a superhero etc.

Second thing is: aren't superheroes like Thor constantly pitting themselves against "the strongest villain possible?" There's no real contrast in your either/or comparison, and that may be the root of your problem. Are you trying to say something like "is it a superhero like Thor, or an ordinary person who becomes a hero in extraordinary circumstances?"

DeeDub · Mar 16, 2019

One thought is going entirely the other direction-- stark, simple.

Instead of: "She was a ruthless, cold killer who sprinkled the tears of babies on her corn flakes and when making balloon animals... she used real animals."

Just something very simple. "It wasn't just that she didn't have a heart. She was hollow."

Let the powerful imagery of a word like "hollow" do your work.

Find that simple word that carries real weight. Not "empty" or "bereft". For me, all on its own, "hollow" conjures up a history, almost a storyline.

Like there used to be something there, but someone else carved it out. Has a sort of brutality.

Often a thesaurus won't get you that word. Maybe seek out the descriptors of animal predators, bacteria, etc. If nothing else, it'll get your mind "river jumping" and may help you get there.

litdawg · Mar 16, 2019

Nemesis? Uber-villain?

On the issue of vocabulary, I'm reading Charles Johnson's The Way of the Writer, and he passes on an anecdote from John Gardner (which is also assigned in Art of the Novel) about reading through dictionaries cover to cover. This is a far, far different way to get words in us than using a search window or thesaurus. Just a thought from a kid who also liked to read the dictionary.

Vocabulary

BDR159

TellMeAStory

g_eke

AW Admin

Lakey

professional dilettante

Harlequin

Eat books, not brains!

BDR159

Cluebird

David Odle

Chasing the dream

Keithy

Just keep swimming

Azdaphel

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

DeeDub

litdawg

Helping those who help themselves