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Epithets and writing
Feb. 9th, 2012 11:34 pmNo, this isn’t a post about cursing.
As noted in the the highly recommended post below: “An epithet, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing”.”
Epithets: Fandom’s Designated Hitters
The post linked above gives good examples of common epithets, and why it’s okay to use names, and when it’s okay to use epithets. Fiction is an odd duck, you know? There are rules that stick, and rules that you can play with. It’s not like forgetting the nuclear codes. We can play around a little at times. You can’t write all the time in a prescribed way, after all! Writing is an art. But some things make it easier for a reader to get deeper into the story.
Just a few epithets:
Wait, wait. If you have used them, don’t go crawl under a rock. I have used some of them, and still use others. It’s not always something we’re aware of, until it’s pointed out - and that’s when learning can come in.
I find using epithets is something that is seen a lot, and thus harder to kick, in slash fiction. Writing about two men or women, there is the added challenge of having the same pronouns. Thus instead of getting to trade off using names with he/she, and it being clear, we have to use their names to distinguish between whose hand that is, and why “he” was across the room and is not suddenly on the couch. Using more names can be great, but the tendency is to use epithets instead of names - which can take away from the writing.
I can’t find the original post, but I once read one long ago that was very funny and informative. They said something along the lines of: “We’re reading this fiction because we like these people. We like their names. It’s okay to use their names, because it’s not something that gets old.” (paraphrased badly, but you get the point) Here’s a paragraph from a story of mine, where I’ve changed names and pronouns to epithets:
Using their names is not like saying “cheeseball” 15 times in the same paragraph. We like these people and their names, and it’s okay to use their names when we can! I highly recommend the link, which is more lucid than I am, and gives great examples, too~
Food for writing thought~
As noted in the the highly recommended post below: “An epithet, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing”.”
Epithets: Fandom’s Designated Hitters
The post linked above gives good examples of common epithets, and why it’s okay to use names, and when it’s okay to use epithets. Fiction is an odd duck, you know? There are rules that stick, and rules that you can play with. It’s not like forgetting the nuclear codes. We can play around a little at times. You can’t write all the time in a prescribed way, after all! Writing is an art. But some things make it easier for a reader to get deeper into the story.
Just a few epithets:
- Korean/Canadian man
- Chinese man/the Chinese
- Chinaman (Particularly troublesome - slur. See here and here.)
- taller/shorter man
- older/younger/elder man
- dark-haired/eyed man
- brunette/redhead/blond
- thinner/slender man
Wait, wait. If you have used them, don’t go crawl under a rock. I have used some of them, and still use others. It’s not always something we’re aware of, until it’s pointed out - and that’s when learning can come in.
I find using epithets is something that is seen a lot, and thus harder to kick, in slash fiction. Writing about two men or women, there is the added challenge of having the same pronouns. Thus instead of getting to trade off using names with he/she, and it being clear, we have to use their names to distinguish between whose hand that is, and why “he” was across the room and is not suddenly on the couch. Using more names can be great, but the tendency is to use epithets instead of names - which can take away from the writing.
I can’t find the original post, but I once read one long ago that was very funny and informative. They said something along the lines of: “We’re reading this fiction because we like these people. We like their names. It’s okay to use their names, because it’s not something that gets old.” (paraphrased badly, but you get the point) Here’s a paragraph from a story of mine, where I’ve changed names and pronouns to epithets:
The younger man woke the next morning to the older man against him, whispering incomprehensible things, holding him close, tenderly. It was an amazing feeling, being held. … Some of that had faded since the red-haired man. … And the thinner man probably didn’t even really know what he had done.Who are we talking about again? It has muddled what is otherwise an emotional scene. Using their names instead would be far less distracting, and clearer, than using epithets. If you’re wanting to get across that character A is taller, there are other ways, more evocative ways, than calling him “the taller man.”
Using their names is not like saying “cheeseball” 15 times in the same paragraph. We like these people and their names, and it’s okay to use their names when we can! I highly recommend the link, which is more lucid than I am, and gives great examples, too~
Food for writing thought~
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