I often come cross words when I am writing that I think twice about using because I do not know/doubt how my reader is going to react. For example the verb/noun GOSSIP ''It was something the did all the time. To gossip or not to gossip was not a question.'' What is your first INSTINCT about the word/noun/verb GOSSIP Does gossip implie something good or bad? If someone was gossing that does convey a good image or a bad one?
What are you even asking? What do I think about it? I think you're talking about people gossiping. What the hell am I supposed to think? A serious question for you now: what is this thread supposed to accomplish?
there's nothing whatsoever wrong with the word 'gossip'... what makes you think it would bother any readers if you used it properly? btw, the second 'to' should not have a capital 't'...
Gossip implies deceit, betrayal, spying, invasion of privacy, rumor and heresy. Gossip never helps anyone, and is a lot like a lie. Gossip is only to fill up the bored, un-independent idiot who can't think of something better to do. It buts into people's private life, and will often give the victim a feeling of betrayal if they see one of their friends engaging in gossip. At least, that's my opinion
This is brilliant thank you. This is what I wanted to know. I thought it was just me misunderstanding the word. This one of the word I know that is both a noun and a verb that keeps it same spelling regardless. To Gossip/ A Gossip. To Lie and a Lie opposed to To Steal and Thief It is interesting that some keep the same spellings and others change. #
regardless of the negative nature of the act of 'gossiping' or of a person who is a 'gossip' i still don't see how or why that should make you hesitate to use the word in your writing, if that is what the character is/is doing... or why you'd think readers wouldn't approve of your using it... so i don't get the whole point of this thread...
Quoted for truth. I don't want to undermine your efforts, Masterforger, but you said what gossiping is, something that Cacian herself should be able to do.
I want to project the idea of jolly and light hearted talks between friends/people....something like gossiping but without the insinuations or aggro or inuslts that comes with it. Gossiping can be between people who just met,don't know each other at all who engage in talking about others they don't even know or met themselves in a bad/hateful/demeaning or nice way. I am looking for a word similar but dissimalar at the same time..
Gossiping doesn't have to have a malicious intent. Gossiping is only considered bad because you're essentially talking about someone behind their back, but really it's just another method of getting news local to your peers.
go here and type 'gossip' into the search slot: http://thesaurus.com/?__utma=1.2038362857.1324836291.1324836291.1324836291.1&__utmb=1.7.9.1324836323484&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1324836291.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=203270161
If you're worried about how a reader will react to any given word, you can't second-guess every single thing you put in your manuscript. You'll go crazy. Write what you want and let beta readers tell you how they reacted.
Do yo mean hearsay? Heresy is something very different, and not related to gossip/gossiping at all...
banter is more than chatter... it's a way of speaking [either by one or both parties to a conversation] that is humorously sarcastic... such as in trading joking insults... so it wouldn't really be a good substitute for gossip... and gossip doesn't necessarily imply 'deceit, betrayal, spying, or invasion of privacy'... but does often rely heavily on 'rumor'...
I think of gossip as often being preceded by the word 'salacious' - it involves the discussion of sordid little secrets one might have heard on the grapevine, and has heavy connotations of rumour spreading. Gossip and rumour are very close bed fellows, I think.
