We have words that are general and words that are specific. A general word names a class of ideas or objects; a specific word names one idea or object. It is interesting, as far as it goes, to know that you have heard a bird singing, but one who cares for birds would know more definitely what you had in mind if you used the word thrush, - still more definitely if you spoke of the robin or of the wood thrush.

On many occasions it serves our purpose to use the words man, woman, child, book, paper, but we oftener wish to know the particular name that distinguishes an individual from the rest of his class. If I say, "I met an animal this morning," the word animal names something, - although with considerable vagueness. The substitution of dog would give my hearers information more definite. If I say, "I met a collie," I share with them much more of my experience. And if I say, "I met Jack," provided they know Jack, they appreciate to some extent the feelings of delight with which I saw my pet bounding toward me. Now dog names the idea I have to communicate; but I have an announcement less tame and prosaic than the meeting of a dog. I wish them to share with me the emotions that were mine as I met my dog. Therefore I use a word that arouses in them some such feelings. This word Jack not only points out the idea, but in addition it gives the suggestions I wish to put into the picture.

In calling a piece of writing good, we may cover a multitude of excellent qualities. If we choose to be more definite, we may use some such words as the following: clear, suggestive, vigorous, careful, earnest, humorous, to the point, specific, smooth, comprehensive, easy, compact, coherent, straightforward, simple, direct, timely. Instead of the general terms bad or poor or uninteresting, we can use such words as these: abrupt, dry, general, careless, confusing, vague, incoherent, wordy, tame, weak, bookish.

Exercises

430. Study the choice of words in the following extracts. Are the most suggestive words general or specific? Comment on the following: picturesque, morning, strolled, venders, trinkets, tackeys ("bony nags"), steeds.

1. The old city of St. Augustine had never been more picturesque and full of color than it was that morning. Its narrow thoroughfares, with the wide, overhanging upper balconies that shaded them, were busy and gay. Strangers strolled along, stopping in groups before the open fronts of the fruit shops, or were detained by eager venders of flowers and orange-wood walking sticks. There were shining shop windows full of photographs and trinkets of pink shell work and palmetto. There were pink feather fans, and birds in cages, and strange shapes and colors of flowers and fruits, and stuffed alligators. The narrow street was full of laughter and the sound of voices. Lumbering carriages clattered along the palmetto pavement, and boys and men rode by on quick, wild little horses as if for dear life, and to the frequent peril of persons on foot. Sometimes these small dun cream-colored marsh tackeys needed only a cropped mane to prove their suspected descent from the little steeds of the Northmen, or their cousinship to those of the Greek friezes; they were, indeed, a part of the picturesqueness of the city.

2. The ship was talking, as the sailors say, loudly, treading the innumerable ripples with an incessant weltering splash.

3. Down I sat to wait for darkness, and made a hearty meal of biscuit. It was a night out of ten thousand for my purpose. The fog had now buried all heaven. As the last rays of daylight dwindled and disappeared, absolute blackness settled down on Treasure Island. And when, at last, I shouldered the coracle and groped my way stumblingly out of the hollow where I had supped, there were but two points visible on the whole anchorage.

431. Be prepared to substitute less specific words for these: buried, dwindled, blackness, shouldered, coracle, groped, stumblingly, hollow, anchorage.

432. In the first extract, substitute general words for specific and rewrite the paragraph.

Your study of these few passages leads you to conclude, does it not, that the specific word has great power of suggestion ? Since it is often your purpose to suggest more than you say, you will frequently feel the need of specific words. General words will come to you; for specific words you should always be on the hunt.