Category Archives: Translations

Writing with Kennings

Posted on January 20, 2026 by knlistman

Creating imagery can be confusing. Ancient literature is difficult not just because of archaic words, but also figures of speech that are strange to our ears. These ancient authors were attempting to help the reader see the action. For example, … Continue reading →

Posted in allusions, Creativity, Literary devices, Literature, Style and voice, Translations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More to a Name than I Imagined

Posted on December 21, 2023 by knlistman

The statue pictured is a highly stylized likeness of Jehanne Darc, which is displayed all over France even in areas far from her homeland of Domrémy. Those few words not in “normal” English may convince a reader that they really … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, languages, Literature, Trends in books, Writing trends | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who Knows Correct English?

Posted on December 15, 2023 by knlistman

How we speak has been determined by history, especially the history of empires. When the Anglo-Saxons came to the British Isles their germanic brand of “English” overwhelmed the Celtic language of the Britons, and the older tongue was considered the … Continue reading →

Posted in Generational differences, languages, Literature | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Life Cycle of a Cliché

Posted on June 22, 2023 by knlistman

What is the difference between a trite phrase and cliché one? The similarity we know. Both are overused. Either term is applicable to many common expressions. Trite phrases are often descriptive: busy as a bee, red as a rose, bright … Continue reading →

Posted in languages, Style and voice, Translations, Writing trends | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Superpower of Speaking Other Languages

Posted on March 30, 2023 by knlistman

I found a list helpful for writers wanting to avoid the dreaded Mary Sue/Marty Stu character.  If a protagonist had three or more of the traits that character had failed the test. One item that caught my attention was “Speaks … Continue reading →

Posted in languages, Literary devices, Novels, Translations, Writer's resource, Writing trends | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What is Not Lost in Translation

Posted on March 24, 2023 by knlistman

One of the old Star Trek episodes that intrigued me had a simple plot with a complex Idea. Captain Kirk and his landing party were forced to land on a planet only to discovered that their universal language translators didn’t work. … Continue reading →

Posted in allusions, languages, Literary devices, mythology, Translations, Writing trends | Tagged , | Leave a comment