Unusable Synonyms

Posted by Luke Neima on Wed, 16 Oct 2013

I just came across a great article about unusable synonyms and the dark, damp and forgotten portions of the English language. Ever wonder why no one uses 'pulchritude,' 'niggardly,' 'incarnadine,' or 'puissant' anymore? This article has a go at explaining why.

Thought it might bring a smile to the face of anyone who's ever grappled with a thesaurus (I can't be the only one of us) : http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2013/10/unusable-words.html

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

thanks Luke that was interesting and yes I did have to look up a few words.

 

Submitted by Terrence Oblong on

I would, frankly, be most annoyed if they're not all used in the forthcoming Morrissey autobiography. 

 

Submitted by Luke Neima on

Glad you both enjoyed.

Terrence - my favourite quote from the new Morrissey autobiography has got to be this one, on taking the train: "No matter how high-speed the train, the frozen reflection in the window is the collapsed countenance of your own face staring back at you, unchanged with the fast-track passing of miles, questioning, questioning, questioning, like a second you, an inner you, representing the superiority of reason, reminding you that there is nowhere to run."

There's still a little melodrama left in the old boy.

Submitted by Terrence Oblong on

Excellent excert,  all it needs is a catchy tune and repeat to fade on the 'nowhere to run' bit. 

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Good old words. I recently did an ABC acrostic for the IP and my thoughts turned to the Bard of Avon -

'thou whoreson zed, thou unecessary letter!'     Elsie

Submitted by andrea on

Excellent! I, for one, would have no qualms about using 'niggardly'.

(Not sure about the others, though :))

http://www.ukauthors.com

http://www.ukapress.com

Submitted by celticman on

egregacious; could be outstandingly bad or so bad it's good. 

 

Submitted by pepsoid on

He felt a niggardly reluctance to comment upon the puissant pulchritude of her incarnadine complexion.

The All New Pepsoid the Second!