#linguistic creativity

[obsidianandblacksatin]

The African Roots of Black Slang 🌍

📚✨ Black slang has deep roots in African languages and cultures. Many popular slang terms today, like "lit," "bae," and "periodt," originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE), which has connections to West African languages.

🔹 Fun Fact: AAVE developed during slavery as a way for African Americans to communicate covertly and preserve their cultural identity.

🔹 Intriguing Insight: The vibrant expressions in Black slang reflect the resilience, creativity, and community spirit of African Americans throughout history.

Let’s celebrate and honor the linguistic creativity and cultural significance behind Black slang! 🌟

[askcarlislecullen]

did emmett say anything to rosalie or you while he was dying, before you turned him?

Emmett said a great many things to all of us while in the excruciating throes of death and The Change.

Absolutely none of them are suitable for print.

[limetarte]

We’re really creative with language. We can create new words and expressions that make total sense, but it’s frowned upon by schools, people (mainly adults) around us. Creativity in language is not really allowed, at least in the vast region I grew up in.

As kids we create new words and expressions, but we’re told “it’s not grammatically correct”, “it’s not correct”. Schools teaches people to only think about grammar in languages, when speaking and especially when writing. It’s to a point I always think, “it’s not grammatically correct” and “it’s not correct”, every single day when thinking, talking, writing, reading and listening. It is very disturbing and a very hard habit to get rid of after you’ve been forced into it for a decade or more. Even when rereading what wrote to make sure it makes sense, I tend to correct the “grammar mistakes” even if it doesn’t change the comprehension of the text.

Wish schools weren’t a thing. Btw, people can get education in so many ways, school is unnecessary and damaging.

[theenglishnook]

Unusual Words and Phrases of 2024: A Linguistic Treasure Hunt

Words like "goblin mode" and "sobremesa" define 2024's cultural essence, blending digital creativity with tradition. Language mirrors emotions, evolving with us to connect and tell the stories of who we are.

Exploring the Vibrant World of Words Language is a living, breathing entity that evolves with its speakers, and 2024 has been no exception. Words are more than just a means of communication—they capture the essence of who we are, how we think, and what we value. This year, we’ve witnessed the emergence of intriguing words and phrases in both English and Spanish. From the rediscovery of rare…

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Words to describe blood without saying crimson or blood?

Blood—the fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins of a vertebrate animal carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from all parts of the body

Arterial - relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills

Body fluid - a fluid or fluid secretion (such as blood, lymph, saliva, semen, or urine) of the body

Carmine - a vivid red

Cerise - a moderate red

Claret - a dark purplish red

Clot - a coagulated mass produced by clotting of blood

Cruor - obsolete: the clotted portion of coagulated blood

Ensanguine - to make bloody; crimson

Geranium - a vivid or strong red

Gore - blood, especially: clotted blood

Hematic - of, relating to, or containing blood

Hematoid - resembling blood

Hemoglobin - an iron-containing respiratory pigment of vertebrate red blood cells that consists of a globin composed of four subunits each of which is linked to a heme molecule, that functions in oxygen transport to the tissues after conversion to oxygenated form in the gills or lungs, and that assists in carbon dioxide transport back to the gills or lungs after surrender of its oxygen

Hemoid - resembling blood

Ichor - a thin watery or blood-tinged discharge

Incarnadine - bloodred

Juices - the natural fluids of an animal body

Maroon - a dark red

Plasma - the fluid part of blood, lymph, or milk as distinguished from suspended material

Puce - a dark red

Ruddle - red ocher (i.e., a red earthy hematite used as a pigment)

Russet - a reddish brown

Sanguine - bloodred; consisting of or relating to blood

Scarlet - any of various bright reds

Vermilion - any of various red pigments

Word Lists ⚜ Blood ⚜ Exsanguination ⚜ On Blood ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[luvelydelilah]

Struggling with descriptors? Here are some synonyms to make your scene more interesting!

=========

Afraid

=========

Apprehensive

Dread

Foreboding

Frightened

Mistrustful

Panicked

Petrified

Scared

Suspicious

Terrified

Wary

Worried

=========

Annoyed

=========

Aggravated

Dismayed

Disgruntled

Displeased

Exasperated

Frustrated

Impatient

Irritated

Irked

=========

Angry

=========

Enraged

Furious

Incensed

Indignant

Irate

Livid

Outraged

Resentful

=========

Aversion

=========

Animosity

Appalled

Contempt

Disgusted

Dislike

Hate

Horrified

Hostile

Repulsed

=========

Confused

=========

Ambivalent

Baffled

Bewildered

Dazed

Hesitant

Lost

Mystified

Perplexed

Puzzled

Torn

=========

Disconnected

=========

Alienated

Aloof

Apathetic

Bored

Cold

Detached

Distant

Distracted

Indifferent

Numb

Removed

Uninterested

Withdrawn

=========

Disquiet

=========

Agitated

Alarmed

Discombobulated

Disconcerted

Disturbed

Perturbed

Rattled

Restless

Shocked

Startled

Surprised

Troubled

Turbulent

Turmoil

Uncomfortable

Uneasy

Unnerved

Unsettled

Upset

=========

Embarrassed

=========

Ashamed

Chagrined

Flustered

Guilty

Mortified

Self-conscious

=========

Fatigue

=========

Beat

Burnt out

Depleted

Exhausted

Lethargic

Listless

Sleepy

Tired

Weary

Worn out

=========

Pain

=========

Agony

Anguished

Bereaved

Devastated

Grief

Heartbroken

Hurt

Lonely

Miserable

Regretful

Remorseful

=========

Sad

=========

Depressed

Dejected

Despair

Despondent

Disappointed

Discouraged

Disheartened

Forlorn

Gloomy

Heavy hearted

Hopeless

Melancholy

Unhappy

Wretched

=========

Tense

=========

Anxious

Cranky

Distressed

Distraught

Edgy

Fidgety

Frazzled

Irritable

Jittery

Nervous

Overwhelmed

Restless

Stressed out

=========

Vulnerable

=========

Fragile

Helpless

Insecure

Leery

Reserved

Sensitive

Shaky

=========

Yearning

=========

Envious

Jealous

Longing

Nostalgic

Pining

Wistful

=========

[polyglotabc]

"Raining Cats and Dogs"

Explore the whimsical world of idioms with our latest article on 'Raining Cats and Dogs'! Delve into its mysterious origins, cultural impact, and how this quirky expression became a staple in the English language. #LanguageLore #IdiomsUnveiled

Unraveling the Mystery: The History and Meaning of “Raining Cats and Dogs” Introduction In the fascinating tapestry of the English language, idioms play a colorful role, painting vivid images with words. Among these, “raining cats and dogs” is particularly intriguing. This phrase, often used to describe a heavy downpour, has piqued the curiosity of linguists and language enthusiasts alike.…

[glueeater]

a24 should just say “hey amazingphil. make a movie about anything. go wild.” and i think we would get an absolute masterpiece

[singerorpheus]

i have no explanation for this

[id: a video of clips of hadestown, mainly of the 2024 west end production, set to hozier singing an old irish ballad with the lyrics overlayed.]

[wannawrite999]

[bl-mitchum]

Sometimes I’ll remember a word exists and then I get a little obsessed with it in my writing— which is helpful when it’s a descriptive one, but the most recent one is “arbitrary”… which is nondescript by design.

[writersbloxx]

Poetry/Prose Spelling Bee Pt. 3

Part 1 and Part 2

Pessimum: The least favorable environmental condition under which an organism can survive

Recogitate: To think over again

Apatheia: Freedom or release from emotion or excitement

Aubade: A song or poem of lovers parting at dawn

Mediocrist: A person of no outstanding distinction

[louhilohi]

I'm currently writing a paper on signed communication systems in the South Pacific for one of my Uni classes, and there's this one source that's just hitting me different. It's about a man named Kagobai who was the only deaf person in the islanders' living memory, so in order to communicate he just straight up developed his very own sign language from scratch. His signs were only ever documented once, back in the early 1970's, at which point Kagobai was already in his 60s, so he's likely not around anymore, and his sign language probably died along with him.

And like, I'm so happy that there is any record at all of this wonderful man who invented a whole language out of necessity, but it's so bittersweet that the documentation isn't complete and can no longer be fleshed out. And it just made me think about how many individual sign languages and sign systems have probably existed throughout time and went extinct without anyone ever recording them, so now they're gone forever. And that made me sad.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word Alternatives: Colours

BLACK atramentous, charcoal, coal, crow, darksomeness, denigration, duskiness, ebony, funereal, jet, inkiness, melanism, melanotic, midnight, niello, obsidian, pitch, raven, sable, singe, sloe, smirch, smoke, sombrous, soot, swarthiness, swartness, tar

BLUE aquamarine, azure, berylline, cerulean, cerulescent, cyan, cyanosis, cyanotic, electric blue, ice-blue, indigo, lividity, midnight, navy, Oxford blue, pavonian, pavonine, peacock blue, robin's egg blue, royal blue, sapphire, turquoise, ultramarine

BROWN adust, auburn, beige, biscuit, braise, bay, bronze, brune, brunette, buff, burnt umber, burnt sienna, caramel, castaneous, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, drab, dun, embrown, fawn, grege, hazel, henna, infuscation, khaki, mushroom, ochre, paper bag, pumpernickel, raw sienna, raw umber, roan, rubiginous, rufous, russet, rust, scorch, seal, sepia, sorrel, suntan, sunburn, tan, taupe, toast, umber, walnut

GRAY ashiness, canescence, cinereous, cineritious, dullness, ecru, fuscous, glaucescence, greige, grisaille, gunmetal, hoar, iron, lead, mousiness, oyster, pewter, slatiness, smokiness, steel, taupe

GREEN aerugo, aestival, avocado, beryl, chartreuse, chloremia, chlorophyll, chlorosis, chlorotic, emerald, foliaged, glaucescence, grass, greensickness, ivy, jade, loden green, holly, olivaceous, olive, patina, patinate, pea-green, smaragdine, springlike, verdancy, verdantness, verdigris, verdure, vernal, virescence, viridescence, viridity

ORANGE apricot, cantaloupe, carotene, carroty, ochreous, ochroid, pumpkin, saffron, tangerine, terracotta, Titian

PINK carnation, coral, coralline, flesh-pink, incarnadine, peach, primrose, roseate, rosy, salmon

PURPLE amethystine, aubergine, bruise, empurple, fuchsia, lavender, lilac, lividity, magenta, mauve, mulberry, orchid, pansy, plum, puce, purpure, purpureous, raisin, violaceous, violet

RED beet, blowzy, cardinal, carmine, carnation, carnelian, cerise, cherry, copper, crimson, damask, encrimson, erubescence, erythema, erythematous, erythrism, erythroderma, ferruginous, fire, floridity, floridness, flushing, gules, hectic, henna, incarnadine, infrared, laky, lateritious, lobster, lurid, magenta, mantling, maroon, miniate, port, puce, raddle, rose, rosiness, rouge, rubefaction, rubicundity, rubor, rubricity, ruby, ruddiness, rufescence, rufosity, russet, rust, sanguine, scarlet, stammel, vermeil, vermilion, vinaceous

YELLOW aureateness, auric, aurify, banana, begild, bilious, biliousness, cadmium, canary, chartreuse, citreous, citrine, citron, engild, fallowness, flavescent, flaxen, fulvous, gildedness, gilt, goldenness, honey, icteric, icterus, jaundice, lemon, lutescent, luteous, luteolous, mustard, ochroid, old gold, primrose yellow, saffron, sallowness, sandy, straw, sulfur, topaz, xanthism, xanthochroism, xanthoderma

WHITE achromatic, alabaster, albescent, albinic, besnow, blanch, bleach, bone, calcimine, chalk, cream, cretaceous, eggshell, etiolate, ghastly, ivory, lactescent, lily, lime, milk, pearl, sheet, swan, sheep, fleece, flour, foam, marmoreal, niveous, paper, pearl, phantom, silver, snow, driven snow, tallow, teeth, wax, wool

VARIEGATION (diversity of colors) spectrum, rainbow, iris, chameleon, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, ocelot, zebra, barber pole, candy cane, Dalmatian, firedog, peacock, butterfly, mother-of-pearl, nacre, tortoise shell, opal, kaleidoscope, stained glass, serpentine, calico cat, marble, mackerel sky, confetti, crazy quilt, patchwork quilt, shot silk, moire, watered silk, marbled paper, Joseph's coat, harlequin, tapestry; bar code, checkerboard

variegation, multicolor; parti-color; medley or mixture of colors, spectrum, rainbow of colors, riot of color; polychrome, polychromatism; dichromatism, trichromatism; dichroism, trichroism

iridescence, iridization, irisation, opalescence, nacreousness, pearliness, chatoyancy, play of colors or light; light show; moire pattern, tabby; burelé or burelage

spottiness, maculation, freckliness, speckliness, mottledness, mottlement, dappleness, dappledness, stippledness, spottedness, dottedness; fleck, speck, speckle; freckle; spot, dot, polka dot, macula, macule, blotch, splotch, patch, splash; mottle, dapple; brindle; stipple, stippling, pointillism, pointillage

check, checker, checks, checking, checkerboard, chessboard; plaid, tartan; checker-work, variegated pattern, harlequin, colors in patches, crazy-work, patchwork; parquet, parquetry, marquetry, mosaic, tesserae, tessellation; crazy-paving; hound's tooth; inlay, damascene

stripe, striping, candy-stripe, pinstripe; barber pole; streak, streaking; striation, striature, stria; striola, striga; crack, craze, crackle, reticulation; bar, band, belt, list

mottled, motley; pied, piebald, skewbald, pinto; dappled, dapple; calico; marbled; clouded; salt-and-pepper

Source: The Concise Roget's International Thesaurus, Revised & Updated (6th Edition) More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[luvelydelilah]

Struggling with emotional scenes? Here are some tips for writing emotion!

=========

1. While you’re writing, try to build an explanation for their feelings. What triggered their emotion? Is their reaction rational or are they overreacting? Do they fight, flight, fawn or freeze when provoked? Do they feel threatened? 

=========

2. Show, don’t tell. Describe what is happening instead of plainly stating the situation. Try not to use words like sad, happy, devastated, in pain, angry, nervous, scared, or worried. They cut back on the emotional integrity of the scene and make it hard for readers to connect with your characters. Here are some different behaviors for different emotions.

-Eager-

Bouncing up and down

Unable to sit still

Breathing deeply

Fidgeting

Pretending to do something

Trying to stay busy

Constantly looking at the clock

-Nervous-

Red and hot face

Sweaty palms

Voice cracks

Shaky hands

Biting nails

Biting lips/inside of cheek

Wide eyes

Shallow breathing

Heart racing

-Excited-

Wide smile

Squeal/scream

Bouncing up and down

Fidgeting

Playing with hands

Tapping foot

Talking fast

Tapping pencil

Pacing back and forth

-Scared-

Curling up/bringing knees to head

Closing eyes

Covering ears

Stop breathing or breathing quickly

Biting nails

Shaking

Gritting teeth

Hugging/squeezing something tight

-Frustrated-

Stomping

Grunting/mumbling/yelling

Deep breaths

Red and hot face

Hitting/kicking something

Pointing

Straining/veins become more visible

-Sobbing-

Eyes filling up with tears

Eyes burn/turn red

Red cheeks

Face becomes puffy

Pursed lips

Holding head down

Hyperventilating

Fast blinking

Trying not to blink/holding back tears

-Happy-

Smiling wide

Laughing loudly

Cheeks hurting

Talking loudly

Higher pitched voice

Animated/expressive

-Upset-

Walking slowly/shuffling feet

Head down/avoiding eye contact

Biting inside of cheek

Dissociation

Keeping quiet

Fidgeting

-Bored-

Pacing back and forth

Sighing loudly

Complaining

Fidgeting

Blank face

Looking for something to do

Making up stories

Talking about random topics

=========

3. Try and bring some trauma into your character’s emotions. For example, something might happen that reminds them of a suppressed/traumatic memory. This is an easy way to hook your reader and have them really feel like your character is a real person with real emotions. They might have some internal conflict they need to work through and a certain situation reminds them of that. They might become irritable at the thought of their traumatic experience and they might snap at whoever is nearby. 

=========

4. Most characters won’t dump their entire backstory or feelings in a conversation. Try and reserve your character’s emotions to make more interesting scenes later on. For example, your character may be triggered and someone may ask them what’s wrong. Will they give in, soften up and share? Or will they cut themself off and say they’re fine? Also take into account that your character might not know the other character very well and won’t be comfortable sharing personal information with them, like details regarding their trauma.

=========

5. Last but not least, you don’t need to have a major event happen to connect emotionally with your audience. You don’t have to kill off a character every time you need to spice up your story, even simple interactions can just help your readers understand your character better. Show how they react to certain topics or situations. Describe their feelings, their surroundings, their body language. Their defense mechanisms will help the audience to better understand what kind of person they are.

=========

[azus-reyan]

Simple language; a rich story.

Last night, I noticed something special as I was analyzing Cat in the Rain, a short story by Ernest Hemingway. I noticed the simple and depthless nature of the English language. 

Growing up with Arabic has given me a perspective on linguistics. The richness found in Arabic is rare in English and in most other languages. One word can have more than a dozen meanings, depending on the context and intention with which it is used. 

The only way to clone this effect in English is through ornate prose, through long sentences and uncommon vocabulary. 

But though I felt disappointed by this realization, it gave me a fantastic idea: to accept the simplicity of English and use it to my advantage. 

If you read Hemingway, you’re likely aware of the depth within his stories. You might also know of the bareness of his language: his short sentences and common word choice. His language is so plain, a kid in primary school can comprehend him as well as anyone else. 

But this didn’t hold Hemingway back. He used the limitations inherent in his language to focus on something at the other side of his writing: storytelling.

Cat in the Rain is written with plain, unflowery language, yet the story is rich with layered meaning. The depth that is otherwise absent from the language is braced by hinting attention and subtle imagery. The reader’s attention is taken from what is mentioned and, most importantly, what isn’t, which creates depth. 

In the story, the American wife looks out of the hotel window. There’s a war memorial outside frequented by Italians and other people of concern. But the American wife sees a cat shivering under a bench. Her attention is held not by the memorial but by the cat. This is written with such subtle language and with no emphasis on the layered meaning that I didn't blame myself for missing out. 

I understood then why Hemingway is so celebrated. The American wife didn’t care much for the memorial because she was detached from the war. She cared more about the shivering cat. She was indifferent to the war, unlike her Italian counterparts who experienced it first hand, because she didn't suffer through it. Such richness in such bare language was a shocking but pleasant surprise. 

You can achieve this effect by focusing on storytelling and stripping the language to its bare elements. This gives you the space to develop the story while making it available for a wider readership. 

I don’t plan on copying Hemingway’s style since I love ornate prose to a fault. However, I will strive to add that spice of simplicity to my style.

I don’t want to worry about making a long sentence flow; if all I have against me is a naked language without fluff, I can focus on what truly matters in the end, which is my story.

I can give it depth and layer, allow my character to see and feel; I can direct attention this way and that, all the while using a language any toddler can understand. 

Until next time.