Paradox and Ornament

Eight words for the sentence that argues with itself and the detail that will not be plain.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 paradox noun
2. 2 construction noun
3. 3 provoke verb
4. 4 suppress verb
5. 5 meticulous adjective
6. 6 ornate adjective
7. 7 meticulously adverb
8. 8 notably adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Paradox. A noun, and a difficult one to file, because it argues with itself and is right anyway. A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself yet holds truth once you look closely. Consider the line the more you give away, the more you have; on its face it makes no sense, and yet you know it is true. File paradox near contradiction, but keep them apart, because a contradiction is simply wrong and a paradox is secretly correct. State it precisely: a paradox is a truth wearing the costume of nonsense.

The old rule is a paradox: to keep the peace, the town must sometimes argue.

Nelson's word

noun

Construction. A noun, and one I file with pleasure, because it names both the doing and the done. Construction is the act of building something, and it is also the thing that gets built: the construction of the tower, or the tower itself as a fine construction. Notice the shape of the word, construct plus the ending -ion, which turns the action into a thing you can name. A sentence has a construction too, the way its parts are put together. File it near structure and building, and know that anything made by careful assembly earns the word.

The construction of the bridge took three years and eleven thousand bolts.

Vinny's word

verb

Provoke! To reach into a calm room and stir up a strong reaction, on purpose, with intent! When the debaters provoke the crowd, they are not being careless; they choose the words that will land hardest and light the fire deliberately. That is the verb, and it is mine, a bold and daring act. Watch the middle of the word, provoke; the vok part means to call, the same root that hides in voice and vocal. To provoke is to call something out of someone, a cheer, an argument, a rush of feeling. Learn where it comes from, and the word will never surprise you again.

The debaters provoke the crowd with one bold claim after another.

Vinny's word

verb

Suppress! To press down, to hold back, to keep a thing from bursting into the open! When she suppresses a laugh, the laugh is right there, straining to escape, and her will pins it down. That is the verb, and it takes real strength, the quiet kind. Look at the shape, sup plus press, literally to press under. It is the near opposite of my other word, provoke: one calls a reaction up, and the other pushes it down. A hero must know both, when to stir the room and when to keep the peace.

She suppresses a laugh so the solemn moment can pass unbroken.

Jake's word

adjective

Meticulous. Oh, I admire this one, and it is mine. As an adjective, meticulous describes a person or a piece of work that shows great care about the smallest details: the meticulous clockmaker, the meticulous list where nothing is left out. Its Frown is careless, the work done in a rush with the details skipped. Could we be more specific than saying someone was careful? We could say meticulous, which tells the reader that the care reached all the way down to the tiny things. Same picture, far sharper edges. Magnifique.

Her meticulous notes recorded every measurement to the millimeter.

Jake's word

adjective

Ornate. An adjective, and a lavish one, mine to give you. Ornate describes a thing decorated with elaborate detail, covered in ornament: the ornate ceiling, the ornate frame heavy with carved flowers. Its Frown is plain, the surface with nothing added at all. Be careful, because ornate and meticulous are cousins, not twins. Meticulous means careful about detail; ornate means covered in decoration. A plain box can be meticulous, made with great care and no frills. Could we be more specific than saying a room was fancy? We could call it ornate, and let the reader see the carving.

The ornate gate curled with iron vines and gilded leaves.

Benny's word

adverb

Meticulously. This one is mine, an adverb, and I want you to feel the difference it makes. When you say he worked, you have told me nothing about how. Say he worked meticulously, and now I can see it: every small detail checked, nothing rushed, nothing skipped. That is the job of the adverb, to tell how the action was done. You built it yourself from Jake's meticulous by adding -ly, the ending that turns a describing word into a how word. Here is your challenge: next time you write worked or wrote or planned, ask how, and reach for the adverb that answers. You can make any sentence sharper, and this is how.

He meticulously labeled each jar before he shelved it.

Benny's word

adverb

Notably. Mine, an adverb, and a useful one for pointing the reader's eye. When something happens notably, it happens in a way that stands out and deserves attention: the crowd grew notably quieter, the plan was notably bolder than the last. It also works to flag the one example worth naming, as in the whole class improved, notably the students who once struggled. Feel the note inside the word, the thing worth noting. Here is your challenge: when one detail matters more than the rest, do not let it hide in the middle of the pack. Mark it notably, and the reader will look where you point.

The team improved notably after the coach changed the drills.