Write It Right

Write It Right

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Title: Write It Right A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults
Author: Ambrose Bierce
Release Date: May 29, 2004 [EBook #12474]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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WRITE IT RIGHT
A LITTLE BLACKLIST OF LITERARY FAULTS BY AMBROSE BIERCE
1909

AIMS AND THE PLAN
The author's main purpose in this book is to teach precision in writing; and of good
writing (which, essentially, is clear thinking made visible) precision is the point of capital
concern. It is attained by choice of the word that accurately and adequately expresses
what the writer has in mind, and by exclusion of that which either denotes or connotes
something else. As Quintilian puts it, the writer should so write that his reader not only
may, but must, understand.
Few words have more than one literal and serviceable meaning, however many
metaphorical, derivative, related, or even unrelated, meanings lexicographers may think it
worth while to gather from all sorts and conditions of men, with which to bloat their

absurd and misleading dictionaries. This actual and serviceable meaning--not always
determined by derivation, and seldom by popular usage--is the one affirmed, according to
his light, by the author of this little manual of solecisms. Narrow etymons of the mere
scholar and loose locutions of the ignorant are alike denied a standing.
The plan of the book is more illustrative than expository, the aim being to use the terms
of etymology and syntax as little as is compatible with clarity, familiar example being
more easily apprehended than technical precept. When both are employed the precept is
commonly given after the example has prepared the student to apply it, not only to the
matter in mind, but to similar matters not mentioned. Everything in quotation marks is to
be understood as disapproved.
Not all locutions blacklisted herein are always to be reprobated as universal outlaws.
Excepting in the case of capital offenders--expressions ancestrally vulgar or irreclaimably
degenerate--absolute proscription is possible as to serious composition only; in other
forms the writer must rely on his sense of values and the fitness of things. While it is true
that some colloquialisms and, with less of license, even some slang, may be sparingly
employed in light literature, for point, piquancy or any of the purposes of the skilled
writer sensible to the necessity and charm of keeping at least one foot on the ground, to
others the virtue of restraint may be commended as distinctly superior to the joy of
indulgence.
Precision is much, but not all; some words and phrases are disallowed on the ground of
taste. As there are neither standards nor arbiters of taste, the book can do little more than
reflect that of its author, who is far indeed from professing impeccability. In neither taste
nor precision is any man's practice a court of last appeal, for writers all, both great and
small, are habitual sinners against the light; and their accuser is cheerfully aware that his
own work will supply (as in making this book it has supplied) many "awful
examples"--his later work less abundantly, he hopes, than his earlier. He nevertheless
believes that this does not disqualify him for showing by other instances than his own
how not to write. The infallible teacher is still in the forest primeval, throwing seeds to
the white blackbirds.
A.B.

THE BLACKLIST
A for An. "A hotel." "A heroic man." Before an unaccented aspirate use an. The contrary
usage in this country comes of too strongly stressing our aspirates.
Action for Act. "In wrestling, a blow is a reprehensible action." A blow is not an action
but an act. An action may consist of many acts.
Admission for Admittance. "The price of admission is one dollar."
Admit for Confess. To admit is to concede something affirmed. An unaccused offender

cannot admit his guilt.
Adopt. "He adopted a disguise." One may adopt a child, or an opinion, but a disguise is
assumed.
Advisedly for Advertently, Intentionally. "It was done advisedly" should mean that it was
done after advice.
Afford. It is not well to say "the fact affords a reasonable presumption"; "the house
afforded ample accommodation." The fact supplies a reasonable presumption. The house
offered, or gave, ample accommodation.
Afraid. Do not say, "I am afraid it will rain." Say, I fear that it will rain.
Afterwards for Afterward.
Aggravate