What's your opinion on making up new words?

[ThisAdamGuy]

First of all, I'm not talking about inventing words for things that don't exist on earth. I'm talking about inventing new words just to use in narration or casual conversation. I heard once that as long as other people understand what a word means, then there's no reason not to use it. Just a minute ago, I wrote this sentence: "'There's more here if you need it,' she said, holding the pitcher up offeringly," and I was surprised to see that "offeringly" isn't a real word. But I feel like the word is clear enough that nobody is going to be confused as to what it means, so even if the dictionary doesn't recognize it, I may as well use it anyway.

What do you guys think? Not about my example specifically, but about making up new words in general?

 

[Hoshino]

There is a thing called free will.You do what you want.Its such a nice and beautiful thing. And more of all its free!


*You tell “ThisAdamGuy” that its okay to make your own words.

*You tell him that when words like Exumentivalication exist then why not?

 

[Tyranomaster]

I've made up a few words along the way. They need to make sense and have a purpose though. If you invent a new device, giving it a catchy name is far better than a long description every time it's used.

Basically, only use created words when not using them is very clunky, and it's obvious to the reader what that word is. Otherwise, you just overload readers with meaningless jargon. Exceptions can be made for one off jokes etc (think Death Sticks in star wars).

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

There is a thing called free will.You do what you want.Its such a nice and beautiful thing. And more of all its free!

Wow, you're so wise, and definitely not just a pretentious teenager trying to sound smarter than he is! Thank you for enlightening me, and welcome to the block list.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I do it all the time.

 

[Daydreamers]

This is just a coincidence I swear , I was reading this book and well I guess The author is saying hi

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

View attachment 35076
This is just a coincidence I swear , I was reading this book and well I guess The author is saying hi

I don't think that using "offeringly" is the same kind of issue as mixing up "incredible" and "incredulous." Both of those are words that already exist and have distinct meanings. "Offeringly" is using a suffix to create an adverb out of a word that everyone already knows as a way to describe a character's actions. She doesn't outright say "Do you want me to pour you a drink?", but everyone knows that's what she's doing because of the way she holds the pitcher out toward the MC.

 

[Hoshino]

Wow, you're so wise, and definitely not just a pretentious teenager trying to sound smarter than he is! Thank you for enlightening me, and welcome to the block ll

Thank you. I'm honored.

 

[Daydreamers]

I don't think that using "offeringly" is the same kind of issue as mixing up "incredible" and "incredulous." Both of those are words that already exist and have distinct meanings. "Offeringly" is using a suffix to create an adverb out of a word that everyone already knows as a way to describe a character's actions. She doesn't outright say "Do you want me to pour you a drink?", but everyone knows that's what she's doing because of the way she holds the pitcher out toward the MC.

I know, there is a limit to a coincidence, if it is exactly describing what you mentioned then chances are it is not one

 

[laccoff_mawning]

If I were reading it, I wouldn't bat an eyelid at "offeringly".

The problem is, if some linguist expert comes along and gives a reason why "offeringly" isn't a word, then RIP you I guess. In that thought I guess I'd try to avoid it if possible, just in case.

Oh man, If you told me offeringly was a word, I'd believe you 100%. I'm surprised its not a word.

 

[BigBadBoi]

If Shakespeare can make words up so can you

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

Do it. Language exists for people, not the other way round. If someone tells you something is a made up word, tell them that all words are made up.
Aha! Found it. Was hoping I could get this for this thread.

 

[BearlyAlive]

I'm German, so I'd rather use new words than "right" words like Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Let's see - "Offer" can be a noun or a verb.
Same for "Offering"
So if you do something in the manner of an offering, I suppose it would be "offeringly" - and that kind of clause addition is an element of the German language, as well as parts of the English language.
According to a former roommate (a linguistics minor), a word comes into existence when at least three different people use it in the same context, and that has been a core element of the English Language pretty much since at least the Norman Invasion.
My History of the English Language teacher was a bit less liberal with word origins, claiming that whenever English needed a new word, we just borrowed it from someone else, and really created nothing, being more a synthesis language.

Then again, Automata Theory, which is the root of all language and mathematics, just has all concepts building on everything that came before - so adding an "ly" to an existing word should always be valid.

So, make the meaning clear and you should be fine, unless my History of the English Language professor is reading and decides to read it umberagely.

As an aside, "ain't" IS a word, technically speaking, but it is not used correctly - it is officially a contraction of "I am not" - so "Ain't gonna do that" is technically valid - but "I ain't going there" is redundant, and "you ain't just whistling Dixie" is technically completely incorrect.

 

[Arkus86]

I'm German, so I'd rather use new words than "right" words like Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz.

You're German, you make new words by stringing together the full description.

 

[RepresentingThree]

All words are made up. Except s̶̡̧̱͓͈̹̓̉̎̀͂͆̀h̷̘͔͇̹̥͚̭͕̹̖̘̱̲͈͑̎̋͠ṁ̶͍͖͍́ͅe̴̢̛̫̣̳̰̮̤̝̣̳̼̍̀̈́̈̓̀̔̏̊̕͜͝b̶̛̛̗͚̫̥̝̳͍͍͚̥̟̀̀̑̎̿͋͌͝ͅͅű̷̧͚̫͇̤̗͉̖̖̐̀̈̊̿͑̃͗̔͜͝l̷̜̭̤͙̭̟͐͜ô̷̢̲̲̙̦͕͇̙̞͒̆̽̓c̵̡̢̳͚͇̺̮͎̼͚͊́k̶̢̡̡̤̠̭͙̦͈͉̺̭̀̓͐͋͊̾͊̽͌̚͜͝͝. It was planted.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

a word comes into existence when at least three different people use it in the same context

So what you're saying is, if all of us use "offeringly" in our next chapter, we can deem it an actual word?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

So what you're saying is, if all of us use "offeringly" in our next chapter, we can deem it an actual word?

According to my former roommate, yes. He said offeringly.

 

[istryj]

A dictionary only contains words that are in current use, not every possible variation. Creating understandable words is based on the rules of the language; whether or not to use such words, in my opinion, is a personal choice. I might be mistaken about the original text, but the Russian translation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice included these kinds of words. That’s if you need a precedent.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

What do you guys think? Not about my example specifically, but about making up new words in general?

Ha ha!
You think you have language!
That's so cute.