Thursday, February 21, 2008

A Poignant Little Post

It's been a busy month, in part because I've been trying to write more reviews for Epinions than usual. They're having another "promotional" month where they guarantee a certain payment per review on top of the usual income share our writing garners from the site. It's hard to resist when I'm trying to stash away dollars in the Epi-account that will help pay for books and curriculum (Lord willing) for the sweet girl's first grade year here at home.

I do enjoy writing reviews, however, especially of books and movies. I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it (the money is not that good, even with the promotional, believe me!). One thing I've discovered, however, during this month of trying to write and post at a much faster than usual pace, is that I have certain "fall back" words. When something really moves me, I tend to run toward a certain handful of adjectives and use them over and over, if not in one review, then at least consistently throughout several reviews.

I think my major clutch-hitting adjective is "poignant." I just love this little word. It's a good one. For one thing, it sounds so lovely, so much smoother than it looks like it would sound with that middle 'g.' It's got Anglo-French roots, which is probably why the 'g' doesn't get a typical English pronunciation. Its "pointed" look as a word, yet its somehow more beautiful and smooth sound than you expected, all relate to its meaning. Here's a look at its etymology and definition from www.merriam-webster.com

Etymology:
Middle English poynaunt, from Anglo-French poinant, poignant, present participle of poindre to prick, sting, from Latin pungere — more at pungent
Date:
14th century

1: pungently pervasive (a poignant perfume) 2 a (1): painfully affecting the feelings : piercing (2): deeply affecting : touching b: designed to make an impression : cutting 3 a: pleasurably stimulating b: being to the point : apt


As wonderful a word as it is, I think I need some new ones. A quick look around thesaurus.com provided a handful of synonyms. Synonyms of poignant's cousin "eloquent" provided this verbal bouquet:

witty, affecting, ardent, articulate, expressive, facund, fervent, fervid, fluent, forceful, glib, grandiloquent, graphic, impassioned, impressive, indicative, magniloquent, meaningful, moving, outspoken, passionate, persuasive, poignant, potent, powerful, revealing, rhetorical, sententious, significant, silver-tongued*, smooth-spoken*, stirring, suggestive, telling, touching, vivid, vocal, voluble, well-expressed
Antonyms: inarticulate, tongue-tied

Source: Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.3.1)
Copyright © 2008 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
* = informal or slang

I'm hoping all this research will inspire me to dig a little deeper in my grab-bag of words the next time I decide that a book has really moved me profoundly. Although I still plan to use "poignant" in my next review...

What are some of your favorite fall back adjectives?

3 comments:

Erin said...

I love the word "poignant" too, and "eloquent." Others that I tend to use a lot... tender, exquisite, gut-wrenching, hilarious... well, there are quite a few. But I'm particularly mindful of my word usage when I'm reviewing books in the same series; I try to avoid saying the same thing again and again, but I do wind up falling back on the same adjective a many times.

So, how about them making March a 10-4-20 month too? Do they want our heads to explode, or are they just looking for all their reviewers to develop carpal tunnel?

Beth said...

Um...I think they want our heads to explode.

I may have to eat my hat, as I firmly told D. the other day that I wasn't going to write a ton of reviews in March no matter what promotional they threw at us. I figured it was a safe thing to say, since I was almost positive they'd move back into "firsties" sweepstakes mode. I was very surprised that they continued the guaranteed money promotion. And now I don't know what to do, as we're really in need of the money, but I am also trying to stay sane and balanced and spend more time on my class as well as some other things that I really need to focus on in March.

How many did you end up doing in February? Did you post 100? I managed 20, and thought I would keel over before it was all over.

I like "exquisite" a lot. :-) And "eloquent." Wonder how many of these I can sneak into my March reviews....!

Erin said...

I can't believe they're doing this for the fourth month running! It's hard to imagine it's worth it for them, but I guess it must be. I posted my hundredth review late Friday afternoon; I'd love to do it again this month but I have a feeling I'm going to conk out!