Of Dubious Origin

I firmly believe to be a good writer you need to be a good reader. Reading how an author weaves his story and defines his characters and their conversations will open your mind to new ways to do the same in your own writing.

Interestingly enough, in addition to reading, listening to the way people use words when they speak can also be an excellent tool. Take for instance one of my favorite people to watch - Tim Gunn from Project Runway. His vocabulary is peppered with great word nuggets. Sometimes when I hear him speak I wonder “who really talks like that?” Well, after seven seasons of watching my favorite show I can safely say…Tim Gunn does.

His words are said with purpose and that sense of purpose compelled me to use one of his words as this week’s blog post.

Tim applauds designer Ben's use of color in episode 5, but is "dubious" about his fabric choice for the belt. See what Tim had to say http://bit.ly/aGJJSN

Dubious…it’s a fabulous word right? So why don’t we use it more? When I looked dubious up in the dictionary, seeing the definitions helped me to determine how I could use the word.

1. Marked by or causing doubt a dubious reply
2. Unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful
3. Of doubtful quality; untrustworthy a dubious reputation

4. Not certain in outcome

Dubious comes from the Latin dubius wavering. Tim Gunn was dubious about a choice Ben was making. Sure he could have said he was uncertain or doubtful, but to be dubious created so much more power. In the end, Ben ditched the purple metallic belt and he placed in the top three. Had he stuck with the purple belt? I’m dubious.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.