Here's the line: "Her legs jammed beneath her." Is it wrong? My friend tells me that "jam" in this context should only be used with machines.
I don't believe so... 'The bouncer jammed his head against the bar.' 'He jammed the last of the body parts into his backpack.' There may be better words to use, but I wouldn't sya it's incorrect. *shrug*
Yeah, but the way you've used "jam" in your examples mean a different thing. The guy is trying to stuff his backpack - hence jam. I have no idea what a bouncer jamming his head against the bar means Is he bashing his head against the bar? But the meaning I have is that her legs were stuck - she's frozen in fright and can't move. Can I still use jam? I know a photocopier can jam because parts got stuck - but that's what I mean, that's a machine. Can I use it on a human?
Yes you can use it on a human. People can be jammed into a tight space. Google the Oxford dictionary definition of jam or jamming and you will see various uses with humans. Your friend is wrong!
Oh okay, now I understand. When you said her legs jammed beneath her I assumed some sort of car accident or awkward position. In that case no, her legs cannot get 'jammed' in the way that they're non-functional. I mean, I jammed my finger in school once, but it was bacause of a dodgeball hitting it and not fear.
Froze sounds better to me. Jammed suggests that her legs are held by something physical, while froze suggests a more emotional reason for the legs not moving.
Well I think saying 'beneath her' is redundant. I would hope her legs are beneath her, otherwise something is very wrong. I would say, 'Her legs froze in fear, unable to move'. Or something like that.
Or very right. Ok, dirty joke for the day, sorry - had to! On a serious note, I would change the word. I can see knees jamming like hinges - potentially. The froze phrase works better, though. Also, I think jamming can be used differently in the US and different countries. I try to stay away from terms like that... I will confuse myself, otherwise.
In this context "jammed" suggests, to me, a violent or very extreme level of compression, or at the very least an unintentional state. ("She tried to get her change out of the candy machine, and got her hand jammed in the coin return.") I'd have gone with "tucked beneath her" or "folded beneath her".
Instead of inquiring how to force the word to fit, perhaps look for a word that is a better fit. Words have denotation, the dictionary meaning, and connotation, the shades of meaning and context conventionally associated with the word. A keen awareness of both is essential. If a word makes you subliminally uncomfortable in the sentence, reexamine both the word and the sentence. hopefully, you can trust your instincts; if not, you may need to develop those instincts further.
as both an editor and a reader, it wouldn't make sense to me in that context... for her legs to be 'jammed beneath her' they'd have to have been forced into some position underneath her torso, by someone else, or the result of an accident that flung her into that position... i can't picture what you mean, so if you would give us more info, i could suggest a different word or wording... how is her body positioned and where is it, relevant to her surroundings?
I think the word you may be looking for is buckled. Her legs buckled beneath her. Describing how her legs gave way beneath her.
