As a writer, they are my main tools, and how well I wield my words determines how well I write. Is it any wonder then I am constantly on the prowl for more words?
Reading a couple of pre-internet-era books recently, I found myself quite impressed by the rich vocabulary the authors employed. I’ve also been happy to have an excellent “pocket dictionary” in the form of my smart phone nearby to chase down the many words I do not know. The richly textured layers of descriptive text unfold images in my mind that play out the archaic phrasings.
Contrast that with my experience hawking wares at the Texas Renaissance Festival years later. Every weekend saw a stream of customers approach the display shelves of hand-crafted jewlery, artistry, and carvings, gazing in near rapture. Finally, they would simply say, “That’s pretty,” or “That’s nice.”
“Pretty? Nice?” I would react with pronounced disdain. “Is that the best you can do?” They’d look up startled as I added, “That’s beautiful at the very least. You might even call it exquisite!”
I briefly considered creating a wandering character, an “Adjective Salesman”, offering various words and phrases to enrich the vocabulary, intrigue the ear, and delight the listener. Never did get around to trying that idea out, but I am always on the prowl for new — or better yet, old — words to work wonders with.
Here’s a few lists of some words you may never have met before, offered for your amusement and possible use.
- Slang Phrases from the 1920s
- Forgotten words
- Old Curse words
- “Faux-educated” words
- 18th Century British insults
- Victorian slang