Instead of Said

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Not Edward.

In a couple of threads recently, I noticed advice-to-would-be-writers concerning not using any verb other than 'said' during dialogue.

This thread defies that rule.

I want a list of the words which might be used in place of 'said' in sentences such as '"I feel ambivalent towards his tits," she said' or '"I assure you, this houmous is excretable," he said'.

Words that may be used instead of 'said' do not only include synonyms of 'said'. 'Spat' is a good example.

There ought to be hundreds of appropriate words in English, I think. I will begin with five:

Harrumphed
Drawled
Snorted
Hollered
Suggested

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Friday, 10 October 2003 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Explained
Explicated
Ejaculated
Mentioned
Elaborated
Shouted
Cried
Postulated
Pontificated

― Leee (Leee), Friday, 10 October 2003 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Growled
Purred
Mewed
Cawed
Barked

― Leee (Leee), Friday, 10 October 2003 22:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Cooed
Slurred
Snapped
Burped
Sung

― Leee (Leee), Friday, 10 October 2003 22:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Spat
Expounded
Murmured
Screeched
Hollered
Wailed

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 10 October 2003 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Concurred
Debated
Grunted
Whispered
Moaned
Yelled

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:03 (twenty-one years ago)

dribbled

― the surface noise (electricsound), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

sighed

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Declared
Affirmed
Averred
Asserted
Demurred
Objected
Verified
Countered

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:19 (twenty-one years ago)

mumbled
muttered
shrieked

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)

blathered
babbled

― the surface noise (electricsound), Saturday, 11 October 2003 02:45 (twenty-one years ago)

'replied'

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Saturday, 11 October 2003 03:41 (twenty-one years ago)

http://polarcontroversy.com/NEWSpapers/danesFOOLED350.jpg

― Dada, Saturday, 11 October 2003 04:37 (twenty-one years ago)

opined
sniffed
offered

― Leee (Leee), Saturday, 11 October 2003 06:14 (twenty-one years ago)

crack-a-lacked
crickety-crack-a-lacked
crizzicket-crack-a-lacked

― A Nairn (moretap), Saturday, 11 October 2003 06:18 (twenty-one years ago)

http://thinks.com/words/tomswift.htm

― weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Saturday, 11 October 2003 07:04 (twenty-one years ago)

imparted
yelped
bragged
boasted
qupped
related
retorted

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 11 October 2003 07:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Belched

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 11 October 2003 07:32 (twenty-one years ago)

yawped

― Annouschka Magnatech (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 11 October 2003 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

quacked
stammered

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 11 October 2003 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

burbled
bantered
bickered
bickered
bickered

― weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Saturday, 11 October 2003 08:50 (twenty-one years ago)

bickered

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 11 October 2003 08:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Gushed
Spouted

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 11 October 2003 08:57 (twenty-one years ago)

boomed
lamented

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 11 October 2003 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Intoned
Sang
Divulged
Demanded
Desented

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 11 October 2003 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Specified

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 11 October 2003 09:54 (twenty-one years ago)

howled
expostulated
raved
gibbered
enunciated
warbled
crooned
argued
screamed
blustered
whined
croaked
prattled
reasoned
disputed
groaned
spluttered
stuttered
whinged
crowed
urged
gloated
hinted
chattered
blabbered
uttered
coaxed
snarled
droned
sniveled
recited
ranted
grumbled
incant
prayed
wheedled

― Ann Onymous, Saturday, 11 October 2003 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Queried.

― ModJ, Saturday, 11 October 2003 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

yodled

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 11 October 2003 19:48 (twenty-one years ago)

assented
hummed
returned
whinnied
rasped

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Saturday, 11 October 2003 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

blurted

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 11 October 2003 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Kate to thread!

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Sunday, 12 October 2003 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

spake

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 12 October 2003 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

WHAT?!?!? WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?

What rule is that, and what thread was it mentioned on? Because I categorically and totally REFUSE to EVER use the word "said" in dialogue. "Said" is just lazy and it irritates me more than any other word in the English language.

So where are these fuxors, let me at them so I might beat them to death with sharp sticks.

She sputtered.

― kate (kate), Monday, 13 October 2003 09:15 (twenty-one years ago)

blogged...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 13 October 2003 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

QUOTH

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 13 October 2003 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

What rule is that, and what thread was it mentioned on? Because I categorically and totally REFUSE to EVER use the word "said" in dialogue.

Remind me never to read your dialogue.

The problem with anything other than 'said' is that if used too often, it carries more weight than the dialogue itself, and is distracting. It's like peppering everything with exclamation points.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, 13 October 2003 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Horace Mann posted "Elmore Leonard's Rules of Fiction Writing", one of which concerned using 'said' in In all seriousness: How can I be a better music writer?

I've seen it mentioned on other threads as well.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 13 October 2003 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Grrrr. I've probably gone off already on one of those threads, so I will refrain now.

― kate (kate), Monday, 13 October 2003 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Hollered
Sang
advised
motioned

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 13 October 2003 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Backpaddled
Lied
Signalled

UNLEASHED!

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 13 October 2003 10:46 (twenty-one years ago)

spewed
effused
clucked
remarked
asked

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 13 October 2003 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

intimated
allowed
exclaimed
opined

― lint (Jack), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Captain W.E. Johns shows how it's done.

― lint (Jack), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

"'I feel ambivalent towards his tits,' she cantillated."

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 14 October 2003 02:05 (twenty-one years ago)

ululated

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 02:28 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

"was all"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

What Kenan said. That's right. I used said.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I tits tits towards your tits he titted
Tits? she titted, yanking my tits till they titted all over her tits
Tits, tits TITS he titted wistfully, his tits gradually titting tittedly, emptying as they did so.
Tits she reassured him.
Tits he agreed.

― Garibaldi, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

laughed

― man, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

chortled

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Was like, eg. "she was like ew, but I was like meh."

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

"But Doris, You can't leave me hanging like this" Chas ejaculated feverishly.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

also: Stephen King's rant on "Dialogue attribution" to thread.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

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