Adding tergiversation to the conversation (Supplemental)

The word “tergiversate” popped up here yesterday.  by the way, tergiversate means "to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; equivocate."

For anyone curious, tergiversate was “dither” on first draft, but that’d already been used several grafs back.

Other options included ruminating, cogitating, brooding, mulling, musing, anguishing over and chafing.

The final choice hinged on two factors: First and foremost, the accurate use of the word; second, its ability to demonstrate an option that no one – I repeat, no one – would ever produce on first draft, but discover only in the tedious process of revision.

In the end, the word did quadruple duty:

          •  It accurately communicated an action.

          •  It illustrated the process of revision.

          •  It taught a new word to you, cherished readers of my blog.

          •  And it provided a rhythmically poetic title for this 
             supplemental entry.

Not bad for 25 seconds on Thesaurus.com, wot?

Oh ... and for another word doing double-duty, visit the post coming up Friday for a second reading on the word “reading” (which, after all, can be pronounced with a long “e,” now can’t it?) ...