1. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    23,826
    Likes Received:
    20,815
    Location:
    El Tembloroso Caribe

    Nictate or peel

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Wreybies, Oct 21, 2014.

    In the context, they mean the same thing. I like the image of nictate, but naggingly over-question higher register words in my writing all the time.

    In the scene, a male of an alien species who is tiny compared to the female (think hedgehog size compared to a human, but still looking like the female), walks across the expanse of a control dashboard on the deck of a female commander's ship. The male has a membrane across the top of his head instead of a complete skull that pulls back to expose his brain, which he then sticks into a correspondingly shaped depression in the dash, delivers the data he holds in his brain, and then dies, brushed aside by the female down an adjacent slope into a disposal chute. It's a way to deliver private secure messages.

    So, back to the question: the brain flap. I like the quick action, the speed, implied by nictate, but I worry that it's overly "look at my big word!" compared to just peel or pull back.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. stevesh

    stevesh Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2008
    Messages:
    966
    Likes Received:
    651
    Location:
    Mid-Michigan USA
    While the word nictate seems to exist, its usage is rare enough that you may as well have made it up, and i'm generally against creating new words in fiction unless there meanings are obvious. I'd go with peel.
     
    Wreybies likes this.
  3. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    10,742
    Likes Received:
    9,991
    Location:
    Near Sedro Woolley, Washington
    I doubt I'd use nictate. It does carry that stigma of an author just showing off for the heck of it.
     
    Wreybies likes this.
  4. Shadowfax

    Shadowfax Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2014
    Messages:
    3,420
    Likes Received:
    1,991
    I came across "nictitating membrane" in a sci-fi story a long time ago (to nictitate means to wink, as does to nictate) but there was a point...which was to prefigure - subtly - that this was a species of humanoid that had a "third eyelid" indicating that it had been genetically engineered from a lizard. Sadly, dogs have nictitating membranes, so the lizard connection is not cast-iron.

    Incidentally, the meaning of "wink" strongly implies a connection to the eye, and a movement which, whilst under control, is fairly rapid...unlike being held open whilst a data transfer takes place.

    My point is, if you want to make a point such as the above, use nictate...otherwise stick to peel back.
     
    Wreybies likes this.
  5. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    23,826
    Likes Received:
    20,815
    Location:
    El Tembloroso Caribe
    Thanks for the input. :) I guess I was after something that sounded as alien as it is, but if the word isn't in as general play as I had thought, then no image will be conveyed in the mind of the reader, which is not the goal. ;)
     
  6. A.M.P.

    A.M.P. People Buy My Books for the Bio Photo Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2013
    Messages:
    2,163
    Likes Received:
    1,374
    Location:
    A Place with no History
    Yeah, i'd stick with peel just because I know most readers would probably have no idea what image to summon along the word nictate.
     
    Wreybies likes this.
  7. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 19, 2007
    Messages:
    36,161
    Likes Received:
    2,827
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    I guess I'm in the minority. Nictate is an uncommon word, but not all that obscure. An occasional uncommon word is not a bad thing, if it is apt to the context. You aren't inundating the reader with "fancy lingo", you're seasoning the soup with a subtle savor.

    Assume the reader has a brain, and may also not be averse to consulting a dictionary.

    Any day you learn something new is a good day.
     
  8. Swiveltaffy

    Swiveltaffy Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2014
    Messages:
    555
    Likes Received:
    201
    Location:
    Roanoke, TX
    This isn't much, but, possibly because of my idiocy, I immediately thought of nicotine, due to vague sound and appearance based connections. I only bring this up to consider the possible associations that may come up in a reader's head.
     
  9. A.M.P.

    A.M.P. People Buy My Books for the Bio Photo Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2013
    Messages:
    2,163
    Likes Received:
    1,374
    Location:
    A Place with no History
    @Swiveltaffy
    yeah I did the same a few times.
     
  10. Shadowfax

    Shadowfax Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2014
    Messages:
    3,420
    Likes Received:
    1,991
    And that's how malapropism comes about
     
  11. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2012
    Messages:
    4,255
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    I quite like when I learn new words as I'm reading. It's easier on Kindle because I can just look it up. If the flow of the sentence and rhythm supports 'nictate' use it. If it sounds like it's trying too hard, it doesn't fit.

    I don't know how often your characters are 'nictating' but you can couple that word with that action only, so it would add to the mystery if the sci fi concept. If you know what I mean. :)
     
    Wreybies likes this.
  12. Swiveltaffy

    Swiveltaffy Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2014
    Messages:
    555
    Likes Received:
    201
    Location:
    Roanoke, TX
    If one follows through, yes.
     
  13. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    23,826
    Likes Received:
    20,815
    Location:
    El Tembloroso Caribe
    Yes, and that was my initial impetus. It's a one-time use and I like the alien, biological sound of it. I don't have little male aliens nictating their brain flaps here, there and everywhere. Just the once in the scene that introduces the character of the ship commander, Akhmaha. I have the same communication (data transfer) happening in a different scene where I wrote the exchange in a much more normal, "our human technology", kind of way. When I flipped to the next chapter that picks up the tail end of the last chapter, but tells it from Akhmaha's side and then continues on into the subsequent events, I pictured Akhmaha having appendages that she slips into correspondingly shaped inlets in the dash of her ship, that this was their direction of technology, that she's quasi-connected to the ship on a biotechnological level, but not trapped as a permanent part of the ship. That's when the idea of the little (sadly disposable) male (following the angler fish trope) came to mind. Also, frankly, nictate was away around peel, which is common enough, but is so often used to describe the action of a foreskin, which could easily be how someone sees it, and that's not how I see the brain flap at all. It's more like a thin translucence single eyelid.
     
    jazzabel likes this.
  14. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2012
    Messages:
    4,255
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    Lol, you know, glans and foreskin was exactly what it reminded me once I tried to picture it using the word 'peel'. I really like the 'nictate' but it's difficult to say not seeing the sentence. I'm also always fascinated by what the aliens look like, and sometimes it's so vividly explained, but I still want to see how the author sees it. It's one thing that drives me nuts about Peter F Hamilton, I wish his books came with illustrations because I'm not very imaginative :D

    ps. The membrane could 'recede' as well, just occurred to me.
     
  15. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    I can't find any definition for nictate except: to blink. That doesn't translate to peel?
     
  16. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    23,826
    Likes Received:
    20,815
    Location:
    El Tembloroso Caribe
    Well, since it directly invokes the idea (at least in my mind) of a nictating (or nictitating) membrane, the picture in my mind of the structure was akin to this:

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    I was after the implied translucency as well.
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  17. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 19, 2007
    Messages:
    36,161
    Likes Received:
    2,827
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    "Keep your eyes peeled" means keep your eyes open, i.e. the lids peeled back. But with a nictitating membrane, you can blink and still not miss a thing.
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  18. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    Thank you both for that enlightening information.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice