The Bluffer's Literature Guide to being taken seriously
To express your ideas and thoughts about a literary piece, you need the right words. This seems such an obvious thing to say but I will try to show you what appropriate vocabulary can do for you.
For starters, there are words that we think we are very unlikely to use, like "juxtapose" or "tangential" which even if we encounter them, we are likely to switch off, not bother and move on to read the rest of the text.
Again what we choose to do next will separate us from the rest. These two words are what I call "adjectives of relative position". They help you describe the position of something in relation to another. They allow you to point out the effects of having certain words and phrases positioned in relation to each other. Some possible effects are slowing down of the reading, hastening of the reading, throwing up images in your mind, or forcing you to make an uncommon connection of images or ideas
My mini glossary here:
Juxtapose(d with) - the comparative positioning of words or phrases, usually next to each other.
Tangential (to) - this term in geometry refers to a line skimming the circumference of a circle. To use this to describe a word, you are probably saying that it is touching on, not really focussing your attention, on an idea.
Contrasted with - used when there is a decided, even jarring difference between the two words, images or phrases.
Compared with - to use this instead of "contrasted with" means you are suggesting there is some aspect of similarity or with some deviation presented.
Highlights - brings out to the fore, throws into focus.
Delineating - forming the lines or shape of something.
Fused - referring to a melding and blending of elements; here referring to an overall effect created by an amalgamation.
Sequence (of) - unbroken line or pattern of words that are similar in some way.
If you are into ART, all the better because the term you see here are relevant to aesthetic discourse, that, is artsy discussion. Everyone can suddenly sound like they know what they are talking about. After a spout of what you suspect is just bluffing disguised as analysis, you might suddenly realise you are quite insightful. Hey, they might even take you seriously! Fake it till you make it!
For starters, there are words that we think we are very unlikely to use, like "juxtapose" or "tangential" which even if we encounter them, we are likely to switch off, not bother and move on to read the rest of the text.
Again what we choose to do next will separate us from the rest. These two words are what I call "adjectives of relative position". They help you describe the position of something in relation to another. They allow you to point out the effects of having certain words and phrases positioned in relation to each other. Some possible effects are slowing down of the reading, hastening of the reading, throwing up images in your mind, or forcing you to make an uncommon connection of images or ideas
My mini glossary here:
Juxtapose(d with) - the comparative positioning of words or phrases, usually next to each other.
Tangential (to) - this term in geometry refers to a line skimming the circumference of a circle. To use this to describe a word, you are probably saying that it is touching on, not really focussing your attention, on an idea.
Contrasted with - used when there is a decided, even jarring difference between the two words, images or phrases.
Compared with - to use this instead of "contrasted with" means you are suggesting there is some aspect of similarity or with some deviation presented.
Highlights - brings out to the fore, throws into focus.
Delineating - forming the lines or shape of something.
Fused - referring to a melding and blending of elements; here referring to an overall effect created by an amalgamation.
Sequence (of) - unbroken line or pattern of words that are similar in some way.
If you are into ART, all the better because the term you see here are relevant to aesthetic discourse, that, is artsy discussion. Everyone can suddenly sound like they know what they are talking about. After a spout of what you suspect is just bluffing disguised as analysis, you might suddenly realise you are quite insightful. Hey, they might even take you seriously! Fake it till you make it!
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