Repeated Words

Book 1 of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

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Lambolt
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Repeated Words

Post by Lambolt »

Anyone else notice that SRD seems to pick on a few words which he uses again and again, often within a few pages of each other. I think the editor didn't do a great job in picking this up, it did come across as a bit amateurish at times

examples

"puissant"
"frangible"
"succour"
"cerements"

there are others too, but I'm too tired to list them all.
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CovenantJr
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Post by CovenantJr »

I definitely notice frequent recurrences of "puissant". However, no over-use matches "Don't touch me" in the Second Chrons :x
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Post by skurj »

Too much puissance, definitely.
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Post by Lauralin »

Formication. Sounds like something Adept Havelock says alot, and is repeated about a dozen times in what amounts to one scene. :? Something about the sensation of ants crawling all over one.
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CovenantJr
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Post by CovenantJr »

Oh aye, formication was abominably over-used.
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Post by W.B. »

Well, yeah...with Donaldson, repetition of some words comes with the territory. :-)

P.S.

beneficence (things, especially the Land)
opalescent (Anele)
moonstone (Anele)
indefeasible (Stave)
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Post by ur-bane »

One word that I picked up on more than any other was
"illimitable."

But that's OK, I still enjoyed the book!
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Post by Seareach »

I got tired of the use of "percipience".
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Post by Lauralin »

Yeah, I noticed that one too.

At least in this one, SRD didn't keep repeating phrases in Linden's mind in the manner of "are you not evil," "don't touch me," "you are being forged...", etc. For instance, I rather expected the "I am content" lineto become much more annoying than it actually did.
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Post by Roynish »

CovenantJr wrote:I definitely notice frequent recurrences of "puissant". However, no over-use matches "Don't touch me" in the Second Chrons :x
Yes that was grating. A better editor is required, me thinks.
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nuk
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Post by nuk »

Has anyone ever seen "formication" used before this book? I'd think that a word that I'd never seen in three decades of reading wouldn't be a word that could be used twenty times in a novel. When I read the book again I'll keep track of how many times it pops up.
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Post by MrKABC »

nuk wrote:Has anyone ever seen "formication" used before this book? I'd think that a word that I'd never seen in three decades of reading wouldn't be a word that could be used twenty times in a novel. When I read the book again I'll keep track of how many times it pops up.
I have never even heard of the word "formication" before Runes... And I read a LOT. Had to get my dictionary for THAT one...
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10k Gold Wielder
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Post by 10k Gold Wielder »

I seem to recall "innominate" cropping up many, MANY times as well...

10k
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rep's

Post by lurch »

..Its of my belief that the repitition is for effect and has cause. No, not a better editor is called for. I am sure SRD had to fite for being allowed to repeat as much as he has. As noted by all the above,,its his style in the TC Chronicles....besides,,if one is to spend the energy and time to go look a word up,,,its nice to see the word used often so the effort expended in finding out what is meant,,pays for itself more often. Whats the old saying,,use a word 5 times in a day , and its yours for the rest of your life..I know,," puissance, formication, illimitable,,plus many others,,are owned by most posters here,,because of how often they've ..made comments on them..like,,puissance,,puissance,,puissance...I would consider repitition of normal everyday words more bothersome than some obscure word no other author has been known to use. Fettered is my current favorite,,SRD used the begeezers out of its anti...Unfettered.
.....Yea,,one goes to the gym and works out. " How many reps ya doing? is the question repeated...Well,,these words are the same...builds minds stronger with each repitition........MEL
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Post by Akasri »

Not a word... but a phrase. Vulture wings. They are mentioned *a lot* through the first 6 books.

Threats crowd the air like vulture wings, etc.
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Post by Steve Hurtloam »

"eldritch"
:)
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Post by Creator »

Lauralin wrote:Yeah, I noticed that one too.

At least in this one, SRD didn't keep repeating phrases in Linden's mind in the manner of "are you not evil," "don't touch me," "you are being forged...", etc. For instance, I rather expected the "I am content" lineto become much more annoying than it actually did.
How about "good can not be accomplished by evil means" or some such expression. That was repeated WAY too much!
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Post by Alynna Lis Eachann »

I wouldn't mind the repetition if it wasn't so back-to-back. I don't mind seeing one rare word twenty times in a book, but not in ten pages' worth of reading. I have to say, "shaft" grated on me, the way it was used over and over at the end.
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Post by ur-James »

Exigency or exigencies was a word I noticed many times.

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Post by The Pumpkin King »

The one that annoys me most of all is the preposition "like a geas."

It'd be cool if it was very sparingly used, but it's kind of..overdone.
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