Words favored by Stephen King

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fushingfeef

Finally Uber!
Aug 14, 2009
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I read a review of a new book called "Nabokov's Favorite Word is Mauve" by Ben Blatt. It's a computer analysis of the words in the works of various authors (including the adverb usage of Stephen King, among others). Some interesting findings, such as the word "he" appearing over 1,900 times in "The Hobbit", but "she" is only used once. Elmore Leonard stopped using the word "suddenly" after 2001.

This got me thinking about some of the oddball words that Stephen King seems to favor. I know we've discussed his use of the term "arc sodiums" to describe street lights. I've also noticed he has a fondness for "apotheosis", a term that I really only hear King using any more. He also tends to describe creatures/monsters as "mewling". I wonder where he first read some of these words.

Oh, and it seems a fairly large number of his characters evacuate their bladders when frightened. Often they are "vaguely aware" of this happening--a phrase I've seen King using a lot in conjunction with other phrases.

I wonder if he's "vaguely aware" of these things while he's writing them?
 

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
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In almost every book, he uses "trundled." I look for it.

He also writes "that was" as in , "The bug trundled along the floor. He did, that was, until he was squashed by a boot." I had always seen "that is, " and so that phrasing stood out to me when he would use it.
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
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In almost every book, he uses "trundled." I look for it.

He also writes "that was" as in , "The bug trundled along the floor. He did, that was, until he was squashed by a boot." I had always seen "that is, " and so that phrasing stood out to me when he would use it.
I never noticed this. Did you mention this before or am I experiencing deja vu? I'll be more vigilant next time I read one of his books.
 

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
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Kentucky