Fiction_L Archives language Dates: 4/12/02,11:28 AM  through  4/30/02,11:01 AM  (7 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2008-current     2006-2007     1996-2005    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to April 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Trish Klein" <pklein@rdpl.org>
REC'D: 4/12/02, 11:28 AM

Our Readers' Services department has just recently started doing what we call "appeal sheets" where we check off various boxes that relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we find that we are missing descriptors for some appeal factors and one that we are having trouble with is language. The two choices we have been using are "straightforward' and "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in between - any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks.

Trish Klein
pklein@rdpl.org
Readers' Services Coordinator
Red Deer Public Library
4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110

FROM: "Helene Golden" <hgolden@sols.org>
REC'D: 4/12/02, 12:42 PM

I really like language that denotes a sense of place (another current thread), by reflecting cadence and styles of local speech. I call it "vernacular", but I'm pretty sure there's a better term for it.

I've also had requests for novels written in dialogue.

Helene Golden
Consultant
Southern Ontario Library Service

>>> pklein@rdpl.org 04/12/02 12:24PM >>>
Our Readers' Services department has just recently started doing what we call "appeal sheets" where we check off various boxes that relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we find that we are missing descriptors for some appeal factors and one that we are having trouble with is language. The two choices we have been using are "straightforward' and "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in between - any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks.

Trish Klein
pklein@rdpl.org
Readers' Services Coordinator
Red Deer Public Library
4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110

FROM: "M. Wms." <mmwm@adelphia.net>
REC'D: 4/12/02, 4:20 PM

Interesting!

Something like "descriptive"?

I like someone's idea of "vernacular." I would also suggest "witty,"
"stylised," "erotic," "symbolic," "metaphorical," "imaginative,"
"conversational" .... ?

~ Molly
--
Molly Williams, Volunteer, Waterboro Public Library (Maine)
daily library weblog: http://www.waterboro.lib.me.us/blog.htm

Trish Klein wrote:

> Our Readers' Services department has just recently started doing
what we call "appeal sheets" where we check off various boxes that
relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we find that we are missing
descriptors for some appeal factors and one that we are having
trouble with is language. The two choices we have been using are
"straightforward' and "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in
between - any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks.
>
> Trish Klein
> pklein@rdpl.org
> Readers' Services Coordinator
> Red Deer Public Library
> 4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
> 403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110
>

FROM: jessica emily jones <jejones4@students.uiuc.edu>
REC'D: 4/12/02, 7:19 PM

Kate Chopin's books and short stories, I have found to be most evocative
of time and place, though of a time and place that no longer really exists
in the US. However, I have also found that I can take a while to get into
reading her works, because the language can be difficult, at first to
udnerstand. Also knowing French has greatly helped with her books, for
me.

Jessica Moyer
Gradaute School of Library and Information Science
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

On Fri, 12 Apr 2002, Helene Golden wrote:

> I really like language that denotes a sense of place (another current thread), by reflecting cadence and styles of local speech. I call it "vernacular", but I'm pretty sure there's a better term for it.
>
> I've also had requests for novels written in dialogue.
>
> Helene Golden
> Consultant
> Southern Ontario Library Service
>
> >>> pklein@rdpl.org 04/12/02 12:24PM >>>
> Our Readers' Services department has just recently started doing what we call "appeal sheets" where we check off various boxes that relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we find that we are missing descriptors for some appeal factors and one that we are having trouble with is language. The two choices we have been using are "straightforward' and "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in between - any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks.
>
> Trish Klein
> pklein@rdpl.org
> Readers' Services Coordinator
> Red Deer Public Library
> 4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
> 403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

FROM: Patience Beer <beerpati@metronet.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 4/13/02, 9:38 AM

I don't know what else you have on your checklist, but would strong language or profanity fit in here? Many patrons choose books by this criterion.

Helene Golden wrote:

> I really like language that denotes a sense of place (another current thread), by reflecting cadence and styles of local speech. I call it "vernacular", but I'm pretty sure there's a better term for it.
>
> I've also had requests for novels written in dialogue.
>
> Helene Golden
> Consultant
> Southern Ontario Library Service
>
> >>> pklein@rdpl.org 04/12/02 12:24PM >>>
> Our Readers' Services department has just recently started doing what we call "appeal sheets" where we check off various boxes that relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we find that we are missing descriptors for some appeal factors and one that we are having trouble with is language. The two choices we have been using are "straightforward' and "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in between - any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks.
>
> Trish Klein
> pklein@rdpl.org
> Readers' Services Coordinator
> Red Deer Public Library
> 4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
> 403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: David Wright <dwright333@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/13/02, 7:04 PM

In practice, I often find myself characterizing
an author's language as 'spare' - which among
other things can be a tip-off for lower reading
levels, or 'gritty', which is common code for
profane, dialogue & action driven prose of many
urban crime writers, or 'elegant' for writers
with a well-spoken, poised style reminiscent of
the writing of a bygone age - the 'they don't
write 'em like they used to' patrons, or 'racy' -
as code for sex, of course (and don't I just LOVE
talking with women my mother's age about the
sexual explicitness of fiction!), or I will even
use the not-very-friendly terms 'literary' or
'complex' or 'strange' to warn readers of
especially obscure or difficult prose stylists.
Beyond that, I think I tend to discuss an
author's TONE more than his prose style.
David Wright
Seattle Public Library


--- Trish Klein <pklein@rdpl.org> wrote:
> Our Readers' Services department has just
> recently started doing what we call "appeal
> sheets" where we check off various boxes that
> relate to a book's appeal. As we do them we
> find that we are missing descriptors for some
> appeal factors and one that we are having
> trouble with is language. The two choices we
> have been using are "straightforward' and
> "lyrical.' We seem to be needing something in
> between - any and all suggestions are welcome!
> Thanks.
>
> Trish Klein
> pklein@rdpl.org
> Readers' Services Coordinator
> Red Deer Public Library
> 4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
> 403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110
>
>
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html


=====
David Wright Seattle Public Library

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FROM: "Trish Klein" <pklein@rdpl.org>
REC'D: 4/30/02, 11:01 AM

Thanks to everyone who helped with my language question a couple of weeks back. I got some great suggestions and we are using quite a few of them on our appeal sheets. Trish

Trish Klein
pklein@rdpl.org
Readers' Services Coordinator
Red Deer Public Library
4818-49 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1T9
403-342-9110 Fax: 403-341-3110

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