Mark Twain on wordplay and lightning strikes

One of the best quotes about writing was given to us by the great Mark Twain, who said: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

It’s true but too often goes unobserved. That’s a shame because they can make all the difference to our writing and the images and emotions we’re trying to deliver.

Let’s put a few examples under the magnifying glass. Consider this quote and the difference a word makes.

• At the company holiday party the comptroller walked up to the HR director and kissed her on the lips.
• At the company holiday party the comptroller walked up to the HR director and kissed her on the mouth.

This situation is obviously rife with potential for tomfoolery. Still, the key word choice in the first sentence sounds too innocent, friendly, platonic. It also sounds somewhat incongruous in comparison to what the rest of the sentence has to say. But in the second case the kiss on the “mouth” connotes intimacy, sexuality, even lascivious intent.

Let’s double-up on this comparison of word choices.

• The chairman chastised his executive team for turning in a poor 4th quarter performance.
• The chairman lambasted his executive team for turning in a flaccid fourth-quarter performance.

No real comparison. To chastise is to tell someone you’re not happy with them. To lambaste is to berate or excoriate someone harshly. The difference is very stark.

In the second comparison, turning in a “poor” performance isn’t good, but a “flaccid” performance is limp. It’s lame. Our self-image can tolerate doing a poor job on occasion, it cannot tolerate doing work that is lame.

Let’s take a final example from a current news item.

• The pressure on BP increased after the U.S. government started talking about placing the oil conglomerate into receivership.
• The pressure on BP intensified after the U.S. government started talking about placing the oil conglomerate into receivership.

Lot of things “increase.” It’s certainly not a loaded word, one that implies the severity of this situation. “Intensified,” by contrast, is freighted with high-voltage implications, particularly in this context. “Intense” is the root word, so how far behind can tension and anxiety be?

Next time you write take some extra time and consideration to choose the right words. Let your words strike like lightning. Mark Twain would be proud.

 

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