Strange Words

So, you're creating a new culture, but you're not quite ready to create a new language. I don't blame you; I don't particularly want to, either. But there are good ways and bad ways to use strange words. Here are some things you should definitely think about first.

1. Are the words really expressing a concept that can't be expressed in English? Or, if your new word is English-like, is there another word in English that means the same thing?
2. Are the words really expressing something your readers need to remember?
3. Are the words something your characters would think important?

Basically, whenever you use another language or a special word, your readers will assume that it's something important. Overusing new words can dilute the importance of all of them. In addition, it's really distracting. When you use too many strange words or strange languages, you want to make sure it's worth the risk of losing readers.

1. Are the words really expressing a concept that can't be expressed in English? Or, if your new word is English-like, is there another word in English that means the same thing?

One legitimate reason to use a different word is to express a concept that doesn't have an English equivalent. If you have to use a fifteen-word description every time the concept comes up, it's easier on you, your readers, and your word count to create a one-word shorthand. Your readers will remember, assuming you don't do this too often.

If you're creating a new word that sounds like an English word, you have slightly different things to think about. Again, you should be using it for a concept that can't be described by a word we already have. This idea might be confusing some of you--near-English? --so I'll give you an example. Perhaps you want to describe people who can use their brains to speak without their larynxes, and you want to call it teleory. Okay; why not use plain telepathy? It's more inclusive, but people will know what you mean. Unless they're creating a literal, physical sound. That's when you want to create a new word: when we don't have one already.

The thing to remember with new words is that you're increasing your reader's vocabulary. As with all new words, people might not remember them the first time; the more words you give them, the more likely they are to forget all of them.

	In his book Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein introduced a new concept with the name of grok. I'm not sure how to adequately describe this--which is clue number 1 that a new word for it might be needed. In this case, Heinlein had to use pages of description to adequately get across the meaning of grok; even during those descriptions, though, the readers could grab onto grok to help their memories.

2. Are the words really expressing something your readers need to remember?

As I just said, when you create a new word, you're effectively increasing your readers' vocabulary. They're going to think this is something important, right? You made them learn a whole new word! So don't waste your reader's trust.

	Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy (...saga?...) introduced a concept called "psychohistory"--essentially, the statistical approach to human behavior. Knowing the meaning of psychohistory is essential to most of the last book, if not more of the trilogy. Without this concept, and the word to express it, the conclusion to the trilogy would have been nearly impossible.

3. Are the words something your characters would think important?

You may think that your new word and/or new concept is pretty cool, but would your characters agree? If the characters (especially the narrator, if you have one) don't care about whatever your idea is, you may as well not express it. You may think it's the most interesting thing ever that the Murfles have a vestigial tail called a Groop that helps them balance when kayaking, but if your Murfle characters aren't kayaking, well, why tell your reader about the Groops? And even if your Murfles are kayaking, will they be thinking about their Groops? If the answer is yes, if your Murfles are intensely focused on every aspect of their physical state while kayaking, then tell us about Groops and make us remember the word. Otherwise, don't. You may mention that they have a vestigial tail if you absolutely must, but for heaven's sake don't give us a word for it unless your characters care.

Oh, and I must say: I made an error in my example above. You want to be very careful with how you capitalize in your story. Anything you capitalize is immediately given supreme importance, so don't capitalize things that are weird to us but normal to the inhabitants.

	In Ursula K. Le Guin's book The Left Hand of Darkness, the alien race is genderless most of the month. When they're not genderless, they are in kemmer. Completely new word for a completely new concept--and certainly something her aliens care about. Kemmer helps structure the patterns of the whole society. The aliens obviously would have a word for this; it's appropriate that Le Guin tells it to us. Also, note that kemmer is not capitalized. It's something ordinary for the aliens; would humans capitalize reproduction or menstruation? No. By the same token, kemmer is an everyday concept: weird to us, but completely normal to them.

In summary: if you can't answer "yes" to the three questions posed above, you're probably better off not creating new words. As with all rules, these can be broken successfully, but you should have a good reason before trying. When it comes to strange words, readability is the key--if you don't have a good reason, don't risk it.