Writing Examples

Hey writers,

Welcome back to Writing Examples. Last week, you visited Jay Gatsby's vivid blue gardens. This week, see how foreign words can elevate the meaning of your writing.

But first, a quick reminder: 

Enrollment for Write of Passage Cohort 13 Is Open

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Mommy Issues: How to Use Foreign Words Effectively

"Maman died today."

– Albert Camus, The Stranger,  translated by Matthew Ward
 

This is the first sentence of Camus’s absurdist masterpiece, The Stranger. It’s only three words long, and one of them is not English.

This was the brilliant choice of translator Matthew Ward. You see, most other translators swapped out the French “Maman” and published versions of this classic with the first line as, “Mother died today.” But mother strips away the gravitas and nuance of Ward’s version.

“Maman” means mother, but it is more intimate than that. Mother is a little too cold, too distant, and too formal. And while it is more familial than Mother, we can’t have Monsieur Meursault saying “Mommy”; it’s too childlike, which is not Camus’s intended effect. The word “Maman” strikes the perfect balance between Mother and Mommy — yet, it has no English equivalent.

English has unique linguistic gaps that you may not realize until you encounter a word borrowed from a foreign language — this is more common than you might think:

• Déjà vu (French): The feeling that one has lived through the present situation before.
• Macho (Spanish): Showing aggressive pride in one's masculinity.
• Zeitgeist (German): The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history.
• Karma (Hindi): The concept of action and its subsequent reaction (perhaps, cosmically).

Language is a vessel for culture, each word carrying with it a web of associations and emotions. By leaving in the original French, Ward reminds us that, sometimes, the only way to say what you truly mean is to borrow a word from another language.

Bridge these gaps of meaning by keeping true to a word’s roots, and let your reader savor the full flavor of its subtleties. 

How I Write Podcast

Why Modern Writing is Boring | The Cultural Tutor

Your success as a writer boils down to your style. And today, you’re going to learn how to master the two different types of style — minimalism and maximalism — from the style-king himself: The Cultural Tutor.

Minimalism is clear, concise, and direct. It distills an idea. Maximalism captures the texture, the nuance, the beauty of life. It creates an environment for your reader to inhabit. Style is a spectrum. And the sweet spot of memorable writing comes from the tension of competing forces — concision and beauty; simplicity and texture; minimalism and maximalism.

If you want to develop a distinct and unforgettable style, then this episode is for you.

Listen Now: YouTube | Spotify | Apple

Thank you for reading Writing Examples. This week, try using words of foreign origin to give your writing depth.

Happy writing,

The Write of Passage Team