Susan T. Creations

As a writer, obviously you understand the crucial importance of knowing your readers. You can spend hours researching your target audience to discover what they already know and what they still need – and hopefully want – to know. Then you organize, write and polish with them in mind. But no matter how polished, are you sure you’ve put the information or story into the proper words? By this I mean words that will give your writing the feel appropriate to your readership.

While English has an amazing root diversity, most of our words come from two sources: the French and Latin used by the upper classes and nobles; and the coarser language of the Anglo-Saxon peasants. Whatever you write, either fiction or non-fiction, it’s important to keep in mind the roots of the words you choose. Those stemming from the French/Latin influence have a more sophisticated sentience; Anglo-Saxon root words own an earthy, everyday feel. A highly educated audience may feel talked down to if the piece is filled with Anglo-Saxon root words. They’ll feel it’s too juvenile and will stop reading partway through. A less educated audience may find French/Latin root words too hoity-toity for their taste, too high-brow or better-than-thou. They’ll get frustrated or even angry enough to close up the pages. And mixing the two often lends an inadvertent schizophrenic feel to the piece, causing everyone to put it down.

Try writing a short piece using French/Latin root words (see the partial list below). Then re-write it, substituting Anglo-Saxon root words. You’ll be amazed at the difference in feel of the two pieces, even though they say the same thing. And it’ll be easy to see why knowing your roots is as important as knowing your audience.

(Key: FL = French/Latin; AS = Anglo-Saxon)

AS = Woman; FL = Female                      AS = Happiness; FL = Felicity

AS = Hut; FL = Cottage                             AS = Bill; FL = Beak

AS = Friendship; FL = Amity                  AS = Dress; FL = Clothe

AS = Help; FL = Aid                                  AS = Folk; FL = People

AS = Hearty; FL = Cordial                      AS = Holy; FL = Saint

AS = Deep; FL = Profound                     AS = Lonely; FL = Solitary

AS = Love; FL = Charity                         AS = Begin; FL = Commence

AS = Hide; FL = Conceal                         AS = Feed; FL = Nourish

AS = Inner/Outer; FL = Interior/Exterior

AS = Leave ; FL = Abandon                 AS = Die; FL = Perish

AS = Mouth; FL = Oral                         AS = Nose; FL = Nasal

AS = Eye; FL = Ocular                         AS = House; FL = Domicile

AS = Book; FL = Literary                      AS = Moon; FL = Lunar

AS = Sun; FL = Solar                             As = Watery; FL = Aquatic

AS = Town; FL = Urban                        AS = Kingly; FL = Regal

AS = Youthful; FL = Juvenile              AS = Wretched; FL = Miserable

AS = Same; FL = Identical                   AS = Weighty; FL = Ponderous

AS = Share; FL = Portion                     AS = Murder/Killing; FL = Homicide

AS = Manly; FL = Virile                       AS = Up; FL = Ascend

AS = Tale; FL = Story                         AS = Come near; FL = Approach

AS = Cold; FL = Frigid                       AS = Freedom; FL = Liberty

AS = Heavenly; FL = Celestial         AS = Give/Hand; FL = Present/Deliver

AS = Darling; FL = Favorite            AS = Sleeplessness; FL = Insomnia

AS = Half; FL = Semi                         AS = Hinder; FL = Prevent

AS = Look for; FL = Search             AS = Put out; FL = Extinguish