Favorite Words: Expurgate
Last month a started a new series about my favorite words. I've decided to make it a monthly series. January's word . . . .
expurgate
To remove erroneous, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material from (a book, for example) before publication; from Latin expurgāre to clean out, from purgāre to purify; see purge.
The word pertains to shortening or abbreviating a piece of writing. More specifically, though, it means removing indelicate parts by reducing the scope of a writing while keeping the essential elements. For me, expurgation is to some degree a censorship of a writing.
I will need to expurgate this sexually explicit story before submitting it to Christianity Today Magazine.
But I have used the word to mean removing purely objectionable material, such as racist remarks, such as the "N" word. I just expurgated that last sentence by using the first letter of one of the most incendiary words in the English language.
My friend Bob gave me his novel for me to expurgate. Okay, well that sounds like he wants me to eat and vomit the pages, but, to me, it means to remove inaccuracies, vulgarisms, obscenitites--to clean it up--not just edit it.
While editing my short story, I expurgated dialogue that might offend Muslims and misdirect their attention from the point of the story.
Your assignment this week is to use this word in your own writing or in speaking to someone. Just don't use it in reference to your pastor's sermon. He might tell you to . . . bleeeeeeep.
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