Difference between revisions of "Said-Bookism"
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'''''Said-Bookism'',''' a term used in book reviews, derides the studious avoidance, in writing dialogue, of the word "said," substituting verbs such as "interjected", "huffed," "retorted" or "uttered" — and, especially, to the use of inappropriate words such as “ejaculated,” "snorted" or "giggled." It is a type of [[Roget's Disease]]. | '''''Said-Bookism'',''' a term used in book reviews, derides the studious avoidance, in writing dialogue, of the word "said," substituting verbs such as "interjected", "huffed," "retorted" or "uttered" — and, especially, to the use of inappropriate words such as “ejaculated,” "snorted" or "giggled." It is a type of [[Roget's Disease]]. | ||
+ | An example of this taken to ludicrous extremes, well-loved in [[fandom]], comes from Ring Lardner’s [[satirical]] 1920 [[novella]] [https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Lardner_Young_Immigrunts.pdf “The Young Immigrunts”]: | ||
+ | Are you lost daddy I arsked tenderly. | ||
+ | Shut up he explained. | ||
[[James Blish]], writing under the [[penname]] [[William Atheling, Jr.]], for [[Redd Boggs]]' [[fanzine]] [[Sky Hook]] during the mid-1950s, coined the term after ''The Said Book'', the title of a booklet for aspiring writers listing countless alternatives to the word "said." | [[James Blish]], writing under the [[penname]] [[William Atheling, Jr.]], for [[Redd Boggs]]' [[fanzine]] [[Sky Hook]] during the mid-1950s, coined the term after ''The Said Book'', the title of a booklet for aspiring writers listing countless alternatives to the word "said." | ||
It has since crept into [[mundane]] literary criticism. | It has since crept into [[mundane]] literary criticism. | ||
− | {{fanspeak}} | + | {{fanspeak|start=1950s}} |
Revision as of 12:28, 28 June 2021
Said-Bookism, a term used in book reviews, derides the studious avoidance, in writing dialogue, of the word "said," substituting verbs such as "interjected", "huffed," "retorted" or "uttered" — and, especially, to the use of inappropriate words such as “ejaculated,” "snorted" or "giggled." It is a type of Roget's Disease.
An example of this taken to ludicrous extremes, well-loved in fandom, comes from Ring Lardner’s satirical 1920 novella “The Young Immigrunts”:
Are you lost daddy I arsked tenderly. Shut up he explained.
James Blish, writing under the penname William Atheling, Jr., for Redd Boggs' fanzine Sky Hook during the mid-1950s, coined the term after The Said Book, the title of a booklet for aspiring writers listing countless alternatives to the word "said."
It has since crept into mundane literary criticism.
Fanspeak | 1950s— |
This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc. |