An e-mail newsletter to which I subscribe (Writer’s Web Watch) recently recommended “improving your vocabulary” and using resources such as a thesaurus, grammar book, style guide and dictionary. I do have all these books on a nearby shelf and refer to them often. I have another dictionary in the family room, near where I do crossword puzzles, and one in the kitchen for schoolwork. No one in my family wants to play me in Scrabble because, well, words are my business and I often win. (To be fair, I’ve offered to play the hockey trivia game any time they want because that’s sure to even the playing field, so to speak.)
My 16-year-old son will use a dictionary if forced to, but more often he’ll ask me what something means. If I don’t know and suggest looking it up, he can’t be bothered. If confronted by a word I don’t know, I immediately WANT to know the meaning and will look it up. Is this a “writer” thing, or maybe just a generation thing?
One Comment
I’m with you, Sue. I own many dictionaries, style guides, etc., and refer to them often. I also use similar online resources. Like yours, my kids will ask me what something means, rather than look it up themselves. I don’t know why this is. On the other hand, at least they’re talking to me! [Anyone who has teens can relate.]