Write Right Primer #1: omniveillant

Welcome to Wright Writes Rites Right’s Write Right Primer, the number one source for nonsurgical lexicon augmentation.  Get that voluptuous vocabulary you always wanted—show those boys at your twentieth high-school reunion exactly what they were missing.  And where better to start your training than with the cerebrally well-endowed Michael Chabon?

Source:  http://paperbackleatherbound.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/the_amazing_adventures_of_kavalier_and_clay.jpg?w=316&h=475

Lately, I’ve been harboring a growing intellectual crush on Chabon and his prodigious vocabulary—I’ve yet to get through any of his work without hoisting up my good ole Merriam-Webster—or at the very least the M-W app—and it’s been a fantastic experience for my mental and physical health—have you curled a dictionary lately?   The ever-quotable Mark Twain once mused, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”  In Chabon, lightning strikes twice…or infinitely many times.  He writes so intricately that the end result is truly a thing of beauty—there’s never an instance of faltering diction.  Each word means precisely what it should.  I suggest starting with “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” and working your way on from there.  It is quite the multiple-course endeavor—if you’re looking for bonbons or a nice snack, sample from “Manhood for Amateurs,” his collection of personal essays.  He’ll have your inner lexis bolstered within the first five pages—which is what makes him such a treat.

So, to play the Wal-Mart free sample lady, let me give you a little taste from “Kavalier & Clay” in a miniscule plastic cup with a brief disclaimer—no, you don’t have to be over 18 to partake in this learning experience—did you realize you have to be over 18 or have a parent with you to grab a complimentary Ritz with fancy cheese whiz?  A rant for another time.  Anyway, disclaimer:  this is not a normal word.  This neologism stems from Chabon’s genius and what seems (at least based on his penchant for using other French phrases) to be a strong handle on the French language.  In other words, you won’t find this in the M-W app or the unabridged dictionary you’ve been using as a massive free weight, strengthening your bicep as you developed your vocabulary.  Here’s your dictionary-free Write Right Primer:

omniveillant:  adj.  watching over/looking after all.  “a flaw in the omniveillant maternal loupe.”

Thanks to THEDISCOMF, we know to turn to French when breaking this word down and performing a morpheme postmortem.  Based on prior exposure (omniscient, omnipotent, omnipurpose, omni-etc.), most of us can probably deduce the omni- portion of the show—all.  Veillant is where things get harder.  According to THEDISCOMF, “veiller is a french verb meaning to watch over, to take care. veillant is the present participle, watching over, or taking care.”  On my own foray into Google Translate Land, I found a second definition suggesting an undertone of looking after/caring for, which given the maternal context makes sense.  Bonus word of the day:  loupe:  n.  the tiny magnifying glass generally used by jewelers and watchmakers.

Check back in soon for another installment of the Primer, designed to help you write right and have that lightning strike!