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[ERROR] No.2176541 [Reply] [Original]

Hey, /lit/, I need a word that means "the state of being vermin." I'm putting it in the novel I'm working on. Is it acceptable to make up words? Can I write "vermitude" or something? Or is there a real word that suits my needs?

>> No.2176547

I'd go with verminness

>> No.2176553

Can "vermin" work as an adjective as well? Could you make it work as one?

>> No.2176579

verminous

>> No.2177010

OP here. It needs to be a noun. Do you think anyone would care if I used "vermitude?" I don't want the agent to throw my paper into an incinerator when he realizes I'm making up words.

>> No.2177015

verisimilitude

remember me in the acknowledgements!

>> No.2177027

>>2177015
That's the quality of realism, it has nothing to do with vermin.

>> No.2177036

>>2177010
Vermitude sounds stupid. Unbelievably so. Use it in a sentence and we'll tell if vermin wouldn't fit better.

>> No.2177040

>>2177036
The sentence is, "He wasn't entirely sure when his transition into absolute vermitude had begun, but it was on that morning when he became fully aware of it." The word "vermin" or something related is important because it's a Kafka reference.

>> No.2177063

He wasn't entirely sure when this rodential transformation had begun, but that morning he became fully aware of it.

The word rodential is brought to you by DFW.

>> No.2177072

>>2177063
Doesn't work. I need to focus more on the fact that he is a complete "vermin" upon awakening.

>> No.2177079

Restructure your writing to incorporate existing vernacular. The thing about writing is that people expect you to make up the story, not the words.

>> No.2177080

verminating , his body verminous. vermacious. vermisquious. boom.

>> No.2177081

wretchedness is a vague adjective but it works

>> No.2177087

>>2176541
I'd probably say verminous, but I'm a talentless hack.

>> No.2177089

>>2177040
>He wasn't entirely sure when his transition into absolute vermitude had begun, but it was on that morning when he became fully aware of it
>He wasn't entirely sure when his transition into absolute vermin had begun, but it was on that morning when he became fully aware of it

The second one sounds better

>> No.2177090

I know that xanthodont means having yellow, rodent like teeth, but verminous seems sound.

>> No.2177092

The state of being vermin is also vermin. Verminous implies the vermin are living inside him, and other words are obscure enough to pull the reader out of the story.

>> No.2177093
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[ERROR]

>vermitude