New Words, New Inspiration

"The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for." - Ludwig Wittgenstein


I’d like to expand my mind so logic would say I need to learn more words, at least according to this quote by Mr. Wittgenstein. Thanks to my Author 101 Newsletter from Rick Frishman I’ve added two new words to my vocabulary this week.

Did you know that the space between your eyebrows is called the glabella? Or, that the flab on your elbow is called the wenis? I didn’t either.

I have to admit I could find verification for glabella in my Random House Unabridged Dictionary. But the only place I could find a definition of wenis other than the Newsletter was at onelook.com . And they refer to wenis as the skin around the elbow instead of flab. Maybe that depends on the elbow.

The new words had me wondering how I could work them into my next novel or short story. Possibly I could begin a tale with – “She furrowed her brows so intensely that her glabella looked like a legless caterpillar resting between her eyes.”

Or maybe – “The young girl, hesitant to board the bus for her first day at school, trudged up the steps and settled herself by a window. Her mother waved so enthusiastically that her wenis became a blur.”

I find little things, such as learning a new word, inspiration to write. What inspires you?
Do you have any favorite little known words you’re willing to share? Or, how would you use the words glabella or wenis?

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: Wittgenstein, Frishman, glabella, wenis , Random House, onelook,