words and phrases that should be avoided

[Tim Kinder]

I've seen it used as ' I could care less' in books published in America, and thought it must be a difference in American English, but I see you're from Ohio. In the UK we would say 'I couldn't care less' as you say.

It may well be an Americanism to say "I could care less" I just call it laziness of speech. I hate the degradation of speech and words into acceptable slang regardless of proper meaning and form. Words mean something; they are meant to convey a point with a meaning.

Not going to say I don't use some slang occasionally. We all do. But when you hear someone slurring together improper words into nearly incoherent sentences, it irritates me something awful. It's especially hard to watch most TV interviews with people off the streets and listen to them attempt to speak.

It's a sad, sad state of affairs.

 

[tinkerdan]

My first wife; bless her heart::

I actively avoid writing that a person "stood up", because when someone stands, it's rarely downwards...

Was so short it was often difficult to tell when she stood and in some instances with normal seating she in fact stood-down and when I brought this to her attention she said she could care less.

I suggested she couldn't care less and she gave me that look and said "Try me."

 

[Tim Kinder]

My first wife; bless her heart::

Was so short it was often difficult to tell when she stood and in some instances with normal seating she in fact stood-down and when I brought this to her attention she said she could care less.

I suggested she couldn't care less and she gave me that look and said "Try me."

YIKES!!! When looks could kill...I suppose we should live with the slang.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I suggested she couldn't care less and she gave me that look and said "Try me."

All downhill after that.

 

[chrispenycate]

We used to call them 'trafficators (an

Anyone remember the pop-out illuminated orange arms on centre door posts? (Was it older Morris Minors?). They used to jam. I can't remember if they augmented conventional flashers or were the only turn signal.

We used to call them 'trafficators', and they were on Austin sevens and tens, too. Quite possibly general on British made cars, though somehow a Roller sticking its arm out seems lacking in 'style'.

 

[tinkerdan]

The side mirror indicators would seem to be a surreptitious resurgence of the trafficators.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

surreptitious resurgence of the trafficators

Some can electrically move and even fold when parked. Hmm... can they be hacked via Mobile (the tracking and management) or via broadcasts on DAB radio (both hacks have been done remotely killing engine or applying brakes)?

Why is that BMW waving me past?

 

[prizzley]

Anyone remember the pop-out illuminated orange arms on centre door posts? (Was it older Morris Minors?). They used to jam. I can't remember if they augmented conventional flashers or were the only turn signal.

Old family legends have it that on a Morris Oxford they were the only built-in turn signal. Sometimes a good thump from the nearest child would free it. Failing that it was down to hand signals.

If only a good thump would free my stalled writing progress!

 

[pambaddeley]

Ah, that one we discussed back last year, as I, too, knew it as an Americanism -- "Word Crimes" -- new Weird Al song -- starting at my post #2 (and don't miss HB's thought as to how it originated).

Thanks, The Judge, for linking to that explanation.

 

[pambaddeley]

It may well be an Americanism to say "I could care less" I just call it laziness of speech. I hate the degradation of speech and words into acceptable slang regardless of proper meaning and form. Words mean something; they are meant to convey a point with a meaning.

Not going to say I don't use some slang occasionally. We all do. But when you hear someone slurring together improper words into nearly incoherent sentences, it irritates me something awful. It's especially hard to watch most TV interviews with people off the streets and listen to them attempt to speak.

It's a sad, sad state of affairs.

Yes, it sets my teeth on edge to hear some of the 'could of' etc in ordinary people's speech. And also to see it written in posts on forums ostensibly for writers (not this one, I hasten to add!)

 

[tinkerdan]

I could've written it as could have instead of could of; but it takes more letters and with the present state of economy I have to watch where I spend things so I've decided to change them all to could'a.

 

[Ursa major]

so I've decided to change them all to could'a

I despair! People can't even do a proper job of writing things wrongly these days: the apostrophe isn't needed, as the "traditional" wrong spelling is coulda (as in "coulda, woulda, shoulda")....

​

​

 

[tinkerdan]

okay

 

[Ray McCarthy]

the apostrophe isn't needed, as the "traditional" wrong spelling is coulda

Unless you are a Greengrocer

 

[Lafayette]

As someone writing his first novel I find the task of not being redundant a real challenge. How many ways can you say 'he answered', 'he replied', 'he responded', and 'but' without driving your readers up the wall?

One of the ways I avoid using one word too often is a thesaurus. I understand that Stephen King doesn't approve of this tactic, however I may not be as talented as he is so I'm forced into employing it.

When I examine the list of words I will use the one in my speaking vocabulary and if fits the context. Occasionally, if an unknown word catches my attention I will check it out and if it fits the context I will use it.

If any one of you have any suggestions on how I can avoid redundancy I would appreciate reading them.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Once you've established who has said what the first time, dialogue tags can often be avoided altogether. Also you can replace the comma with a full stop and attribute a relevant physical response instead.

Eg

'Where are we going?' he said/asked.
'Just shut up and follow me.' Paul's constant questions irritated Sarah; they had to do this quietly!

Not the best example, granted, but it gives more than just dialogue and tells the reader Sarah's fed up with Paul, and the need for stealth.

I'd strongly advise against striving to find new words to attribute dialogue. Once you've established the flow I'd recommend only using them if there's a need to clarify who spoke.

Admittedly when there's more than 2 people speaking it's more challenging but once you get the hang of it you'll be fine.

Also, don't forget your characters will often have their own idiosyncratic voice which will help make it clear.

Imagine a three-way conversation between C-3PO, Joffrey and Simon Cowell... You'd barely need dialogue attributions!!

pH

 

[pambaddeley]

'Said' is the best one as it's thought to be almost invisible to the reader. Any other alternatives should be used very sparing and as Phyrebrat says, you can use action tags.

e.g. Bill shut the gate. "Hope the cat didn't get out."

 

[Bloom]

In spoken or written English 'quite unique' is one of the few phrases still able to rouse my inner Grammar Nazi.

Something can't be 'quite' unique any more than a woman can be 'somewhat' pregnant. It's unique, a one-off, or it isn't.

Oh God, yes... 'very unique'. AAARRRRGGGHHH!

But back to the original question - I find myself using 'asked' a lot (as in I asked, she asked, etc etc ad nauseum) and have to go back and change some of them.

In other people's work, I get annoyed seeing 'she' at the beginning of every sentence, for example 'she looked... she glanced... she noticed." It gets repetitive.

And, in my opinion, the most overused word in the English language is 'that' - in many cases, if not all, it can be done away with. Out with it!

 

[cgsmith]

As someone writing his first novel I find the task of not being redundant a real challenge. How many ways can you say 'he answered', 'he replied', 'he responded', and 'but' without driving your readers up the wall?

One of the ways I avoid using one word too often is a thesaurus. I understand that Stephen King doesn't approve of this tactic, however I may not be as talented as he is so I'm forced into employing it.

When I examine the list of words I will use the one in my speaking vocabulary and if fits the context. Occasionally, if an unknown word catches my attention I will check it out and if it fits the context I will use it.

If any one of you have any suggestions on how I can avoid redundancy I would appreciate reading them.

I don't mind delving into the thesaurus at times. But I am pretty careful about it because it is easy to choose a word that you think is right but really isn't.

But, lately, I have developed a new habit which has lead me to a bit of a revelation. I usually end up deleting the word I was trying to make all fancy all together, and I have found that the story telling rarely suffers for having a bit of extra simplicity. Idk, I am same as you half way through first novel. Technically second but the first was basically an exercise in writing 70k words. I wasn't paying too much attention to how good it was.