I have a problem – a problem of writing with words.
I use words that I have read and are wandering in my head finding a place to be practiced and be told. Certainly, I find no harm for them to tag along my writing. Isn’t it the purpose of words – be said?
I am a neologist. I invent words as well. My daughter’s name is an example of my first neologism. The words that I make with existing words are usually with hyphen as I intend people to know that they do not exist in dictionary or Google search. Isn’t this the way that we have now more than hundred thousand words in dictionary, which contained around only sixty six thousand words 25 years ago?
I am a euphemist. I don’t like profanity or vocabulary that is hurtful. I am polite.
Recently, on December 22, 2013 to be precise, after activating my blog, I made my Google+ profile in order to join communities of English writers and publishers only. The sole reason was to privilege myself been read by professional writers, which can ultimately help me improve or alter my style with their comments. Therefore, I shared my blog posts in communities to allow evolution. I want people to understand that I don’t intend to send any message through my writing at this point. I am just experimenting.
Unfortunately, there are non-writers sitting in those communities too. Today, a businessman from USA after reading my blog, commented that I write ‘crap’ (pardon me mentioning an indecent word). According to him, (I hope I understood well by his vague style of script) I am unnecessarily using words to impress people. Adding further he stated that there is no use of bringing word addition to writing when message can be given with simple English. And that I should stop complaining about people not understanding me and go out and meet people and LEARN something new!
Some professional writers, though, commended my English saying that I have an ‘exceptional grasp on English despite the fact that it is my second language’. One comment said that it is good that I express this way but better if I be artful and creative with minimum words. There are plenty of similar comments, which I keep getting form writers.
Well, I learn from people. I learn from criticism too. Criticism is always good for me as it helps me get better. Besides, I have kept this whole year my trial period for writing, and I will expel everything out of my brain putting it on paper to improve and find the focal point. I have resumed writing after 20 years. Once I have slapped my brain in every direction, I will decide which direction I should write – motivational or self improvement book writing, novel, story, journalism, blogging, content writing, creative writing, script etc. Or maybe I should just stop writing.
First criticism on my writing by a non writer raised questions in my head.
- Am I expecting ordinary genus to be my audience? Definitely not. I only need 10 percent of people to read me who have ability to understand me.
- Do I expect everyone to comment? No, I only need people with distinctive perspective towards things to encircle me.
- Am I committing a crime by using bold words that were included in English language to be used and by twining my point with vast variety of nouns and adjectives instead of verbs? If yes, then why do we still have this big dictionary in the world and why do we still keep classics from hundreds of years old writer and authors? Why don’t we just delete 90 % of dictionary content and keep only basic and commonly used vocabulary and then ultimately collapsing them to just a few countable words commonly used for various expressions at the same time?
To be honest, English language is the first love of my life. When we love someone or something then we try all sorts to keep it alive for ever. This is what I am doing. I am saying words that I know and no one understands when I speak. Thus, I am writing them so people can use a dictionary and learn more perhaps. I am trying not to forget. If anyone has problem with that then there are many options for reading material available online that all are truncated with usage of slang words invented to match their level of challenged intellect that can be rivaled by garden tools. For me 90 % is just a few clowns short of circus.
You know what, I like words…lots of them. There is a time and a place for succinct monologues, but your personal blog apparently isn't one of them, and neither is mine. Congratulations and keep rising above. I've often wondered why the vast coverage between the hard front and back covers of dictionaries if people only want the black and white of a situation. Superfluous postings are right up my street, extravagance is what language is about, keep on thinking aloud, I enjoy it! If you have time or interest, here is a link to my blog as well http://mommyofmyne.blogspot.com
~a fellow etymologist
Many ESL-folk find reading fiction from accomplished English authors helps them.
May I recommend the books of C. J. Cherryh? 🙂
To be honest, I didn't realize you were E.S.L. [English as Second Language] when I first read your work. I knew you lived in Pakistan, but it didn't occur to me that you'd be ESL. And though your language difficulties are more obvious to me now, I don't much care. I can see what you're saying, always. What matters more is that you are understood, right? And you are understood.
Even more so, I find the way you write profound. Not in a "she's a prophet!" kind of way, but with that same profundity as when you first tell a child that the world will end. They will stress and strain about it, and most importantly will struggle to find the words to express how deeply wrong this feels to them.
They can't quite say it, but you can see them trying to. And their attempts to do so, and eventually come to terms with this knowledge, are more enlightening than anything a University professor could say on the Apocalypse.
And though you are not a child, you are a child of this language. And the way you say things has that same emotion to it that, when not said perfectly, I feel is better understood for its imperfection.
Your language is, well, lucid?