Abstract Concrete
General Religion Church
Specifically Dutch Reformed Western Church in Amsterdam
You can classify words in a scheme of concrete – abstract – general – specific. An example of a specific and concrete word or concept is the Westerkerk. This church in Amsterdam is concrete. It is located in Amsterdam, near the Anne Frank House. This church is more specific than the more general word 'church'. Both words are concrete, however. The effect of general and abstract words, such as 'religion', is different from the effect of a word like 'Westerkerk'. Concrete and specific words automatically imply the more general and abstract terms. So if a writer uses a term like Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, it automatically evokes all kinds of other words and associations. It is a hospital, it is about health care, it is about children. The only proviso is that the reader must be somewhat familiar with the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital.
Abstract Concrete
General Health care Hopital
Specifically Pediatrics Wilhelmina Children's Hospital
The route does not work the other way around. If a writer starts with a general and abstract concept such as 'humor', then that can evoke all kinds of associations. But then it does not necessarily have to be about associations that the writer of the text also has in mind. What do you think of when you think of humor? Cliniclowns? Funny cartoons? Max Tailleur's Geinlijn (yes, that one really existed once)? Herman Finkers? I myself thought of comedian Bert Visscher.
Abstract Concrete
General Humor Cabaret show
Specifically Cabaret Presentation by Bert Visscher
This knowledge of specific and general words brings possibilities. It explains why texts that readers generally find easy to read contain so many examples and concrete details. Writing in a newspaper article about a man who was rescued from a roof after the house, including the roof, was swept out to sea by a tsunami in Japan, is clear. This detail implies a lot. It implies that the tsunami had enormous cameroon phone number list power. It implies that rescue efforts have now started. It implies that there are victims. It implies hope. It allows readers to look for and find patterns.
The power of specific and concrete words
Another test to illustrate this phenomenon. Look at the following sequence and then write down what happened:
paper on the ground
fluttering curtains
an open outside door
glass shards
a barking dog on a chain on the grass
And? Now write on a piece of paper in one or a few words what you think happened. You can recognize the pattern because specific and concrete words have been used. If an author wants to play tricks on the reader, he can use pattern recognition. He can then suggest a pattern with words that later turns out not to be there. This sometimes happens in thrillers and detective stories.
Novel in 60 words
First read the word groups below. These keywords are enough to follow the story. You don't have to read the sentences that these words come from. And even a single typo won't harm the comprehension.