Tip on Writing and Editing: When in Doubt, Check the Dictionary

When in doubt, delete.

That has been the mantra of writer friends of mine. I think it is a very good tip to follow whenever you are editing a copy or an article and you come across a word you are not sure of the meaning.

But that should not always be the case. I made a modification of that line which I believe is a better version and it goes like this:

When in doubt, check the dictionary.

Isn’t it much better to first check the meaning of the word before you delete it? Especially if the reason you’re deleting it is because you don’t know what it means?

Humility is a virtue every writer should possess. But there are those who think checking the dictionary is a declaration of their ineptitude with words. But that is completely wrong. If anything else, checking the dictionary is a sign of the writer’s dedication to his craft, of his continuous education with words and of his desire to perfect his writing skills.

Let’s take the case about the word ‘troublous’.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel once mentioned that word in an interview. The word ‘troublous’ is a very seldom used word and people are more familiar with related words such as ‘troubling’, ‘troubled’ and ‘troublesome’.

A friend of mine remarked he was not sure if there’s a word like ‘troublous’ and that if he were Pimentel and a ghostwriter wrote that word in his speech, my friend would delete it.

I asked him why and he said, “I’m not sure if ‘troublous’ is a word.”

Do you see the wrong logic there? The right way of thinking whenever you’re in doubt with the meaning of the word is to consult a dictionary.

It makes better sense, right? Do not immediately dismiss a word just because you don’t know what it means. That’s what dictionaries are for.

Another argument that can be made here is whether Pimentel should have used a simpler word.

While I agree that simple is better, however it is not always the case. The goal of writing or of any form of communication is to choose the word that would best convey your thoughts. Again, that’s what dictionaries are for.

By the way, the dictionary states that ‘troublous’ means:

1. characterized by trouble; unsettled: troublous times

2. turbulent; stormy: a troublous sea

Tagged as: editing, use of dictionary, words