Finding ‘Le Mot Juste’

Mark Twain once said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Utah State University Writing Center Director Charlene Hirschi says we often use the wrong word because we’re trying to use vocabulary we don’t understand. Use words you’re familiar with, she says. Elevating vocabulary is a worthy goal, but learn the meaning of words before trying them out.