Idiom: A group of words whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the constituent words. As for example, “It was raining cats and dogs”.
Creative writing is as much about playing games as anything in life is. We play games with words and meanings. If we are writing sci-fi or fantasy, we may even invent languages for our characters, whole new worlds springing up from our writing. I am delighted with inventive writing, and if I venture thus far, I will try to ensure that my worlds are internally consistent, and that I have given enough information in the back-cloth of the story to make clear the meaning of any particular idioms that I might then deploy in dialogue between the characters.
The use of idiom – throw-away phrases usually found in spoken language that are hard to translate but which carry with them whole worlds of meaning – in novels can be interesting. Because it is so hard to explain, the colour and purpose of idiom is usually demonstrated obliquely, through snatches of dialogue between characters. Words spoken between characters can show their common history and understanding, and will also allow readers to deduce the intention of phrases which, taken literally, appear meaningless.
If I write, “The lady said, was I pulling her leg, and that she would sock it to me if I didn’t mind my manners”, an editor might ask, “Pulling whose leg? Putting the sock on the leg?” “Hang on a sec,” might raise the question, “What is a sec, and why should I hang onto it?” If you write, “Betty’s going to give Bert stick when she catches up with ‘im” you are likely to find that, for an American translation, someone will have prefaced “stick” with an indefinite article.
Our local and accustomed use of idiom, which we feel so entirely comfortable with, is so enmeshed with our use of everyday language, it can be hard to notice when other people find local expressions peculiar and unfathomable. They can be hard to explain; they are never self-explanatory, and when I find myself trying to elucidate, embarrassingly, several more idiomatic phrases always seem to rush ever so helpfully to the rescue, so that conversation becomes a series of short snatches and embarrassing confusion.
But writers want to be understood, I assume; so although I use idiom all the time when I’m speaking with my family and am probably not even aware of doing so, I now try to avoid it in my writing. Written language is no less colourful for that, just different from what we might say to each other socially.
Thanks for listening.
Please share:
June 7, 2019 @ 11:37 am
Absolutely – I think you can occasionally get away with one if it fits perfectly but they must be treated with care. Trying to learn a foreign language from reading adverts and listening to the television and radio is made extra difficult because of the casual language but it is necessary if you want to move past schoolboy/girl stiffness.
June 7, 2019 @ 1:56 pm
Thanks, Diane. Idiom is quite difficult to see in written text, isn’t it? Though I’ve always been fond of them – they are so colourful – but it’s interesting that they so rarely translate to the page.
June 8, 2019 @ 4:30 pm
Speaking of “English Idioms” a reference book concludes in the Introductory – I quote- “many have so learnt English as to able to speak and write it well and fluently; yet it must be admitted that few could write an ordinary letter or essay without betraying some ignorance of English idioms.”
When you say, “Creative writing is as much about playing games as anything in life is,” adds to the difficulty, now two-sided, of writers and readers.
June 8, 2019 @ 7:13 pm
Yes, indeed, Wadjih, that is so true. Idioms add much colour, but are so difficult to explain that I try to avoid them in writing. Thankfully, the English language is subtle enough that I can usually find another way to write something. Thanks for popping in to comment.
June 10, 2019 @ 12:41 pm
I read right through to the end, but I had to read it twice because I kept thinking about one phrase you used at the start; “information in the back-cloth of the story”. I haven’t heard that before and it is so perfect i think I will have it framed and put on my wall.
One of the people who reads my blog was commenting on my story about the police investigation on Thursday Island and he said, ‘At least I am learning some geography – assuming those bits are true.’ I always try as hard as I can to make sure the ‘back-cloth’ is true. At one stage I wrote that the sun was setting behind a certain island in the Torres Strait and my brother who works there made me edit the story because at the time of the year that the story was set the sun would set further to the south and would miss the island by miles.
And if the ‘back-cloth’ is stretched on the frame properly then the story you paint on top of it can be as full of lies as you want. Thanks for your post. I needed that.
June 10, 2019 @ 3:40 pm
John, your comments are lovely! Thank you, too, for such kind consideration. If I’m honest, it brings tears to my eyes. I’m very glad your brother pointed out that small discrepancy with the facts – it’s handy to know that sort of thing, and that other people care about details too. Thankfully, it is a wonderful day here today, blue, bright and sunny, and bringing to mind many happy sunshine days spent outside. ((xxx))