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This week: All Synonyms Are Not Created Equal Edited by: Jeff  
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ALL SYNONYMS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL
Hi Everyone,
I'm filling in for Brooklyn  this week, and I'd like to focus on the importance of finding the right synonym when you're writing. A thesaurus can be a great resource and give us access to dozens and dozens of similar words that help us add variety and nuance to our writing. Why write the word "brown" over and over again when something can be maple, chocolate, espresso, caramel, or beige colored? Why would a character simply walk when he or she can march, traipse, sashay, saunter, or mosey? There are so many amazing words in our modern language, it's tempting to find exciting and unique words to describe the actions and details in our writing.
It's important to note, however, that not all synonyms are created equal. If there were only one shade of brown in the world, we wouldn't need twenty different words to describe them. But since there are different shades of browns, we have different words to describe them. Similarly, "walk" is a very broad term that describes a way to move from one place to another, but all the other words listed above have slight and differentiated meanings. For example, according to Merriam-Webster, the definition of "walk" is "to move along on foot, to advance by steps."
Fair enough. Now let's look at the definitions of each of the other words we listed:
March: "to move along steadily usually with a rhythmic stride and in step with others; to move in a direct purposeful manner."
Traipse: "to walk or travel about without apparent plan but with or without a purpose."
Sashay: "to strut or move about in an ostentatious or conspicuous manner."
Saunter: "to walk about in an idle or leisurely manner."
Mosey: "to move in a leisurely or aimless manner."
As you can see, each of these words fits the general definition of walking ("to move along on foot, to advance by steps"), but each one has subtle differences that can make a world of difference if they're used incorrectly. For example, an army platoon might march together, since marching is a rhythmic, steady stride, direct, purposeful, in step with others, etc. But can you imagine if you just went to a thesaurus, looked up some synonyms for walk, and decided that your army platoon should traipse across the battlefield? Or sashay back to the barracks after drill exercises  (I actually can imagine that and, while hilarious, may not be what a serious writer intends for his or her troops.  )
It's always important that you understand the nuance and meaning to the words you use. If you're not one hundred percent sure about the definition of a word you're using, make sure you take the time to look it up in a dictionary to be sure it's exactly the right word you mean to use. This is why a thesaurus can be a very handy tool to use for your writing... but it's best used in conjunction with a dictionary, so you can look up the exact and precise definition of the word you're thinking about using. Make sure that, if you want more detail than just the basic color "brown," you understand what shades and tones chocolate, maple, espresso, caramel, and beige all have, so that you can pick the right color that's perfect for what you're trying to describe.
When you're writing, especially when you're in a hurry, it can be very tempting to just grab a thesaurus, pick a word from the synonym list, and slot it into your story. But be careful, because if you don't know or look up the definition of the word you replace it with, you might just end up with a sashaying army platoon, a beige cup of coffee. 
Until next time,
-- Jeff |
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Noticing Newbies: May 16, 2012 Issue [#5052]
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