Is it just me or does anyone else have a problem with certain words?

There are certain words that I will just not use because they don't feel right at all. Does anyone hacve this problem or is it just me?

Interested to know

Geoff

I wouldn't say I had a problem with specific individual words but there are words that, when used in certain contexts, or without their proper meaning, that get me worked up. Also the use of hackneyed or commonplace phrases, unless you're deliberately trying to make a pun or faithfully represent a particular character's dialogue, for example.

I spend a lot of time scanning the thesaurus when writing to avoid the use of too-obvious words, but that has its problems because what comes out can sound pompous. It's a subtle, and difficult, art matching the selection of words to the narrative flow.

What examples of words don't you like?

Geoff --

I don't like the use of the word 'stuff' as a generic catchall term. There are other examples, but 'stuff' comes straight to mind!

Ani

Oh dear! I really like using 'stuff'

Can't think of any words that I don't like using but there are a few that I hate typing - don't know why... 'hospital'is one, and the dreaded s-word: synopsis.

Geoff - you haven't told us yours...

Dee.

There are certain words, and combination of words that I have become wary of using. Wary because I realise I use them too much. It was after using the very handy word and phrase counters on this site that I clearly spotted the culprits. I think they are called crutch words. These are the ones that give me problems. They seem to crop again and again up in my work without me even noticing at first, which can be a bit disconcerting. I have to root them out like grey hairs.

There are also words that can instantly seem a bit naff. Words like ‘movies,’ ‘bonking,’ or perhaps ‘shabby.’

Sam

I use so/just/seemed/shrugged/flick far too often. But they just seem so easy to flick into the narrative…

I use ellipses too often as well…

Dee


ps - Sam, I like 'shabby'. It's very descriptive.

There are certain words I don't use because I struggle to say them aloud, eg innovative, sausages and anything with too many Ps, or indeed Ss, in it. I live in fear of having to read stuff out and taking so much time saying the darn things that my audience are born, live out their lives and pass on to greater things before I can finish the sentence!!!

))

Lots of love

Anne B

PS And don't even get me started on banananananananana!!!!!!

Not really. If certain words suit a character or situation, I use 'em, whether I like 'em or not. I personally dislike the 'f' word, but it wouldn't stop me from using it in my writing. What words do you dislike?

I don't like using 'got' and 'nice'. They both seem to be overused and drained of any meaning. I tell myself that there are always better alternatives - although sometimes they are hard to find.

And I don't like effect & affect - but that's because I can never quite sort out their respective meanings!

<Added>

ps I've just noticed that the time stamp on the threads is still showing GMT!

I've always hated the word 'moist'.

I dunno why, but even typing it here has made me feel the creeps.

Waxy,

I know someone else who feels genuinely faint whenever the word 'moist' crops up, bizarre but true!

There are too amny for me to list one I saw the other day on someones post was splodge. Strike this word from the dictionary immediately!

Geoff

James, that made me laugh so much, I fear I may have unwittingly moistened my underwear.
Best
Sion