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Are archaic or obsolete words okay in creative writing?
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allahwallah
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#1
It's probably best if it isn't directed to an audience of youth, to use archaic or obsolete words in creative writing. For example, perdifoil, absume or admarginate, etc. What about archaic/obsolete respellings (with ligature — or any diacritical — counterparts) of words. Would it be alright or even better? E. g. færy, æsteem, aquæous, etc.P. S. It doesn't matter about what examples I've shown, just the question whether archaic or obsolete words/spellings are okay (or even better) in GCSE English creative writing. Thanks! 
and Happy Pride! 🌈🌈
and Happy Pride! 🌈🌈
Last edited by allahwallah; 1 year ago
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caramelon
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where did you get those words from?
I don't know the answer, but say you had a character who was very eccentric and loved old words then it would make sense for them to speak in those words. If the omniscient narrator used old language it might make less sense unless like they claimed to be from the past or something...
I don't know the answer, but say you had a character who was very eccentric and loved old words then it would make sense for them to speak in those words. If the omniscient narrator used old language it might make less sense unless like they claimed to be from the past or something...
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Trinculo
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redmeercat
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You can use archaic words as long as they are in the dictionary and as long as you understand them fully - when I'm marking, it can be very hard to understand what students want to say when they've used strings of long, complicated words that they're not entirely clear on. Better to use appropriate modern vocab that you are sure you know how to use.
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allahwallah
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#5
(Original post by caramelon)
where did you get those words from?
I don't know the answer, but say you had a character who was very eccentric and loved old words then it would make sense for them to speak in those words. If the omniscient narrator used old language it might make less sense unless like they claimed to be from the past or something...
where did you get those words from?
I don't know the answer, but say you had a character who was very eccentric and loved old words then it would make sense for them to speak in those words. If the omniscient narrator used old language it might make less sense unless like they claimed to be from the past or something...
Here're my go-to places for words:
Wiktionary: includes everything.
Words and Phrases from the Past: only really very rare, archaic and obsolete words.
Phronistery's Compendium of Lost Words: in OED since 1650 — there are more rare, unusual words in the site.
Wordsmith's A.Word.A.Day: lots of interesting words that may as well be archaic or dated.
Logophilia's Subreddit: a community of & for those suffering with logophilia.
and more... probably.
Last edited by allahwallah; 1 year ago
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