"That's not the word I want" might be the most common expression of speakers and writers; it is mine. I usually follow it with "it's on the tip of my tongue." And if I can't pick it off my tongue, I go fishing in my pool of words to hook the one I want, but sometimes the words aren't biting. That's when I lay down my fishing pole and pick up my thesaurus.
It's clear why "thesaurus" comes from the word "treasury," because that's what it is: a treasury of synonyms, and sometimes antonyms. Perhaps its inventor, Peter Mark Roget (1779), got frustrated always having to fish for the right word, and started collecting similar words and expressions, and published them in 1852. The treasury he left us has been kept up-to-date by different publishers and has received plaudits by teachers for generations. "If you are going to college," I was told, "you'll need a good dictionary and Roget's Thesaurus."Roget's book of synonyms, however, is no longer the only game in town. The market is full of them: some thesauri are massive; some are pocket editions; some are specialized; some are combined with dictionaries. With dictionaries – that's not only a good idea, it's a necessity.
Let me explain. The Oxford Thesaurus of English explains that using a thesaurus is "easy." Just look up the word; "it's as easy/straightforward/uncomplicated/undemanding/effortless as that. In fact, it's plain sailing/a piece of cake/easy-peasy/kid's stuff/a cinch!" And it is. It could also be facile, compliant, unrestrained, easy as ABC, easy as falling off a log, easy as one-two-three, easy as pie, or like taking candy from a baby. You see, there's nothing to it. But that's part of the problem – I can find a synonym easily, but each synonym has its own nuance, and not every synonym is appropriate to my context or audience. If I think a synonym has an identical, rather than a similar meaning, then I am credulous, dupable, exploitable, gullible, naēve, susceptible – to list a few. A treasure-trove of synonyms can surely benefit a writer, but like a lengthy restaurant menu, it can also confuse, addle, befuddle, confound, mystify, perplex, puzzle, or discombobulate. That's why a dictionary is a necessary companion.
The Random House Thesaurus says it well: "The most important word of caution… is to remember that there is no true synonym for any word in English. Each word has its own set of meanings, but its use must always be appropriate to the context in which it appears." It is clearly a warning. Consider the student who consults a thesaurus, finds a new word for "beach," and then writes "We spent the day at the littoral" instead of "We spent the day at the beach." No one, says Random House, would do that.
Oh yes, Random House, they would, and they do. Sometimes a new word is discovered and used because the writers hope it will add sparkle to their style, inject pizzazz. Sometimes a fancy word is used because it elevates the idea, provides dignity. And sometimes new words are used just because they are there to be used. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as these new words contribute to the communication. The English language is abundantly rich in words; it has been adding words to its storehouse from different languages for centuries: Latin, Greek, Danish, French, Spanish, Indian, Choctaw, Swahili, Hebrew, Turkish, German, Chinese, and more, including Czech. A serious student of English needs a thesaurus if only to enjoy the synonyms.
A comedian in the States asked: Is there a synonym for synonym? Look it up.
RICHARD HAAS,
Oddělení studia jazyků ÚJČ AV ČR
English
