husk...husking...husked

[mickeym]

So I'm scrolling through LJ, as you do, and my eye catches on a story posted to one of the comms I belong to. And I see THIS:

"Just shut up," he husked.

Someone *please* explain to me what the hell 'husked' is supposed to be? Aside from the act of removing the husks off an ear of corn. Seriously! Whatever happened to words like, "said" or "whispered" or "groaned" or, I dunno, ANY OTHER WORD that at least sounds like it means 'words coming out of mouth'.

Husked.

Really, plz to be telling me. And pass me the advil, because fuck if my head doesn't already hurt and that just made it worse.

Comments

[surevesta.livejournal.com]

I think someone must've meant 'he said, voice husky'. But didn't know that husked isn't a term to replace said with... and doesn't describe sec (or otherwise) roughed voices.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Probably. Possibly even a new writer, still getting the hang of things. But man...sometimes it's a good idea to read back over something (outloud if necessary) and see if it sounds okay. Because that? Just doesn't.

[drvsilla.livejournal.com]

I'd say not at all a new writer. It's a very popular romance novel choice. I've read it in more than one more ~literary~ short story too, actually.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

REALLY? Seriously? *shakes head* God, that's just. AWFUL, that's what it is. *shudders*

[drvsilla.livejournal.com]

There are much worse choices, imo. But I'm also of the opinion that "said" works rather nicely. I've read over it more than once and it worked fine, but I'm not particularly enamored. --And I'm also tired, because heh word repeats are killing me right now. ;]

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was going to say that I've seen it used a lot by some otherwise very good and competent writers. Doesn't make me stop twitching every time I see it, though.

[surevesta.livejournal.com]

Maybe english is their second (or third?) language? :/

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Or not. Dru pointed out up above that she's seen it in published works. Which, just, NO. Gah.

[tabularassa.livejournal.com]

ROFL That's a horrible word, especially for that. LMAO

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

NO KIDDING. OMG. *twitch*

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

Unfortunate Word Choice of the Day, heh.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Man, no kidding. And when I'm grumpy? It takes so little to turn me off even considering reading a story.

Why yes, I AM old and set in my ways. :P

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

LOL @ your icon. I stopped reading a fic the other day because the phrase "huge emerald orbs" was used. I normally have a relaxed fic standard, but even I draw the line at emerald orbs. :/

Another recent unfortunate word choice... or rather, lubricant choice... apricot scrub?!?!?! It wasn't a BDSM fic, either. ;)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

*snickers* My icon I made specifically because of a fic I came across...I dunno, been a couple years ago now, where "Jensen" was describing "Jared's" eyes as "caramel orbs". I just couldn't leave that alone *g* And then googled for pictures until I found one that worked just SO WELL. :D

Apricot SCRUB? For lube? *winces* Something tells me I've heard of this before -- J2, having shower sex, right? I just, seriously, do people not think these things through? OUCH.

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

IDK... sometimes I think perhaps, in the case of apricot scrub at least, the author is not of the age or experience to have actually... come into contact with ass? :P

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

...maybe. BUT STILL. Does it take much in the way of brains to think that ANYTHING containing the word 'scrub' *perhaps* shouldn't be used in conjunction with an area of the body with very thin, very delicate, VERY SENSITIVE skin? When friction is going to be applied??

Again I say: OUCH.

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

LOL! I don't even like to use apricot scrub on my FACE. :)

Though I will admit to a very traumatizing event for my husband caused by my own stupidity involving a "cooling mint body wash." And that's all I'm gonna say about it.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

*snerk* Really, you don't need to say any more *g* (Or as my kid would put it, "Mooooom! That doesn't SOUND RIGHT!")

Dude, what time zone are you in?

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

IT WASN'T RIGHT, BB. It really wasn't, lol.

I'm in the PST zone. So it's 1 am - tried to go to bed earlier and just ... CANNOT sleep. So I'm staying up reading fic trying to exhaust myself. :) What about you?

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

It is... 4:18a here in the great state of Kentucky. (Excuse me, COMMONWEALTH.) Matthew and I stayed up watching "Life After People", and one came on after the first that we hadn't seen and wanted to, and then it was midnight (eep!) and by the time I got him in bed and settled for the night I was all "....okay, not sleepy."

So, at this point it would be stupid to go to bed because I have to be up at 6:30 to get HIM up. I guess it's going to be a 'nap after he's left for school' kind of day today.

I am hungry, though *g* I'm thinking of going downstairs and toasting a bagel. Or I could answer your email *g*

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

I think your bagel now definitely qualifies as breakfast. ;)

Is Life After People based on that book The World Without Us? I was quoting that book like a mofo for about a month after I read it, lol.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but having the bagel requires that I go downstairs, which would then require coming back UPSTAIRS...and that's just too many stairs. If I get any hungrier, however, I will.

I dunno if or what it's based on, to be honest. It's on the History Channel, and each episode is how different things would weather (or not) the whole no-caretakers thing. But I can't watch it without wanting to re-read gekizetsu's end-of-the-world story I commented about earlier *g* And lo, I haven't read it yet tonight. Today. I guess I could do that, yeah? While eating my bagel ;)

[neros-violin.livejournal.com]

I love that story, too. It's pretty much the thing that sucked me into fandom. So amazing - partially because you CAN read it over and over again, and it's still awesome.

[shinycuba.livejournal.com]

This icon! Nomnomnonom.

[azephirin.livejournal.com]

Apricot SCRUB? For lube?

OMG OW.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Maybe he really *does* like silence, as he preps the corn? ...

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

LOLOL

I...don't know. I didn't read far enough into the story (and I left out the names so no one's likely to know right off what I'm talking about) but it seemed that it was right before sexin' was about to happen, so.

Right, then! Silly it is *g*

[ihearthings-ii.livejournal.com]

Well, 'husk' is the imperative of the the verb 'at huske' - 'to remember' in Danish.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Well. Um. *g* Nice try! Extra points! But somehow, I don't think that explains it *g*

[ihearthings-ii.livejournal.com]

damnit! :P

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what's going on, but in my head they're totally making out in a field of corn.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

LOLOL

I'm not sure what the story was about, but the gist I got from the itty bitty bit I read (and was scarred by) was that there would be sexin' happening soon.

GLAD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS 'CORN' WHEN SEEING THAT WORD!

[shinycuba.livejournal.com]

My vote is 'ESL', LOL. And you know, I'm ESL myself but even I am aware that to husk is not quite a verb or anything...

However, you should ask aquamia for some of the words I invented through the years :') I consistently kept using the word 'calmth' because I was convinced it was a real word... well... it would've made sense! At least when you reason in a Dutch POV towards language ;-)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

*g* Something tells me it's not ESL, but more a "not realizing how really WRONG that sounds" :)

Making up words is fine -- so long as they sorta make sense in the context they're being used in. HUSKED doesn't. *g*

[fpvs.livejournal.com]

husked - to pant out in a husky voice.

[zortified.livejournal.com]

What's worse is when they use 'husk' to describe any aspect of a handjob.

o.O

(Although actually - 'husked' does, in the English language, mean "to speak in a rough manner" according to most dictionaries. The connotations may be unfortunately related to corn, but it is a legitimate meaning of the word.)

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Although actually - 'husked' does, in the English language, mean "to speak in a rough manner" according to most dictionaries

Really? If so, I just learned something. But I can't seem to find that definition in a dictionary. (Sadly, most of my books are still packed away.)

The one I've seen a lot the last two years is "he said lowly" -- meaning, in a low voice. Which, no, it doesn't mean that. :P

[zortified.livejournal.com]

But I can't seem to find that definition in a dictionary.

It's in my Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary copyright 1994, as the fourth and fifth meaning. To speak or sing in a husky voice; to become husky.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Okay, I checked my dictionary -- It's Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary, copyright 1994, and the only definition for 'husked' in mine is to remove the husks from corn. They have 'husky', meaning low or rough, abrasive, but husked isn't mentioned as an adverb related to speech.

I couldn't find it on dictionary.com, either, as relating to speech. Interesting that it'd be in one version of a Webster's, but not another. Interesting and a little weird.

[zortified.livejournal.com]

The geek in me wants to go to the library and check each dictionary they have, to conduct a survey. :-)

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

Interesting that it'd be in one version of a Webster's, but not another. Interesting and a little weird.

"Webster's" is a generic term now; any publisher can put out a Webster's dictionary. We have Webster's by Random House, Portland House, Merriam-Webster, and Collins.

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

It is a desperate attempt for someone to avoid using an adverb because they were told that all adverbs are evil, as in: "Just shut up," he said huskily. I blame it all on the allergy to adverbs that fandom seems to have acquired about five years back. Fall out from the "JK Rowling can't write! She uses adverbs too much!" wank.

[kitanabychoice.livejournal.com]

icon is appropriate.

how about, "said huskily" if you must have the word... *facepalm*

[miafeliz.livejournal.com]

Uh. it's bad writing or at least amateurish. ;D

Seriously, I hate it when writers venture off from the normally accepted conventions for dialogue.

[alasse.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. HUSKED.

You know, I get that people want to use other words aside from 'said' to avoid being repetitive... but have they not read published fiction? Mostly EVERY PIECE OF DIALOGUE goes "....," said Bob.

Also - it's called a THESAURUS. Which is free over at dictionary.com

SIGH.

[azephirin.livejournal.com]

I HATE THAT. It makes me want to make cornhusking jokes. UGH.