Is "unputdownable" really a word?

teija · 07-25-2019, 01:13 AM

Am I the only one who finds the use of the word "unputdownable" in book descriptions (sooooo many of them) a little irritating? I mean, I suppose it *could* be considered a word - but tell that to my computer's spell-check...

Not only is it an awkward word in itself, it feels lazy. I am almost guaranteed to turn away from a potential purchase when they use that word in the Kindle store. If they can't come up with a better description than that, it seems to be the indicator of a throwaway book...

Or am I wrong? Maybe others have had differing experiences. I look forward to hearing some discussion on this.

Barbara1955 · 07-25-2019, 01:16 AM

YES!

unputdownable.
.

[ˌənˌpo͝otˈdounəbəl]

ADJECTIVE

informal
.

(of a book) so engrossing that one cannot stop reading it.

"“this book is unputdownable!” screech the publicists"

https://www.bing.com/search?q=unputd...5e048106c55f3b

teija · 07-25-2019, 01:23 AM

Yes... I should re-phrase to simply say I find it to be one of the more annoying words on book descriptions. According to a large percentage of Kindle books, they are all unputdownable! The use of some different descriptive words now and then would be useful.

Pulpmeister · 07-25-2019, 01:23 AM

Been in use a long time, so it's a word all right. Spellcheck is no authority. There's a vast number of words that spellcheck has never heard of. I find this all the time preparing WP files of old books.

It's usually the wrong word; I can't remember the last touted "unputdownable" book that I couldn't put down. It's essentially hyperbole word with little meaning.

DNSB · 07-25-2019, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teija

Am I the only one who finds the use of the word "unputdownable" in book descriptions (sooooo many of them) a little irritating? I mean, I suppose it *could* be considered a word - but tell that to my computer's spell-check...

Not only is it an awkward word in itself, it feels lazy. I am almost guaranteed to turn away from a potential purchase when they use that word in the Kindle store. If they can't come up with a better description than that, it seems to be the indicator of a throwaway book...

Or am I wrong? Maybe others have had differing experiences. I look forward to hearing some discussion on this.

According to Merriam-Webster and Oxford, it's a word and it's been around since 1935. As for spellcheck? Get a spellchecker with a larger dictionary? And perhaps one that is aware of the many spelling variants in various English speaking country. Doh!

Apache · 07-25-2019, 08:41 AM

Or add it to your spellchecker.
Apache

ElspethB · 07-25-2019, 11:10 AM

The OED has 1839 as the first appearance in print although that use was not in respect to books. The first use of unputdownable as a description of an engrossing read was in 1935, as DNSB mentions above. It was used in an advertisement in the New York Times for a book titled Memory of Love, which the ad described as "unusually ‘un-put-down-able’." The hyphens come and go in various usages.

My opinion is that it's a clunky word, but useful in that it conveys a sense of how riveting a book might be to a reader in one word instead of a bunch. If I were writing a review, I would probably find another way of describing my enjoyment, but it doesn't put me off to encounter it.

ZodWallop · 07-25-2019, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teija

Am I the only one who finds the use of the word "unputdownable" in book descriptions (sooooo many of them) a little irritating? I mean, I suppose it *could* be considered a word - but tell that to my computer's spell-check...

Words like unputdownable embiggen the English language. I find it a perfectly cromulent word.

rcentros · 07-25-2019, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teija

Am I the only one who finds the use of the word "unputdownable" in book descriptions (sooooo many of them) a little irritating? I mean, I suppose it *could* be considered a word - but tell that to my computer's spell-check...

I (fortunately) have never seen the word before. I guess I don't read a lot of reviews. One time is enough for me though. It does sound lazy and it is irritating. Of course I still don't like "read" used as noun. As in, "it was a good read." Why don't they take the next step and use "it was a good watch" for movies?

I'm feeling grumpy today.

lumpynose · 07-25-2019, 04:13 PM

We're so lucky that we're being gifted with all these new words and derivations.

skb · 07-25-2019, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Words like unputdownable embiggen the English language. I find it a perfectly cromulent word.

I see what you did there.

Raphi'Elohim · 07-25-2019, 05:08 PM

If I was a Brit I would probably say Americans are butchering the English language but then again I am American. One thing that annoys me is that Americans say math instead of maths. It is supposed to be maths because within the last 2 centuries or at least the last century maths has expanded to cover like at least 70-90 different sub-disciplines.

ZodWallop · 07-25-2019, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skb

I see what you did there.

I'm glad somebody did!

j.p.s · 07-25-2019, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'm glad somebody did!

I assumed everybody did.

Apache · 07-25-2019, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raphi'Elohim

If I was a Brit I would probably say Americans are butchering the English language but then again I am American. One thing that annoys me is that Americans say math instead of maths. It is supposed to be maths because within the last 2 centuries or at least the last century maths has expanded to cover like at least 70-90 different sub-disciplines.

Based on your interpretation we could not use the word disease. We would have to use the word diseases because there are more than one.

Apache

07-25-2019, 01:13 AM	#1
teija Gadget fiend Posts: 354 Karma: 2111100 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Vancouver, Canada Device: Kobo Clara HD, Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Sony PRS-350	Is "unputdownable" really a word? Am I the only one who finds the use of the word "unputdownable" in book descriptions (sooooo many of them) a little irritating? I mean, I suppose it could be considered a word - but tell that to my computer's spell-check... Not only is it an awkward word in itself, it feels lazy. I am almost guaranteed to turn away from a potential purchase when they use that word in the Kindle store. If they can't come up with a better description than that, it seems to be the indicator of a throwaway book... Or am I wrong? Maybe others have had differing experiences. I look forward to hearing some discussion on this.

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07-25-2019, 01:16 AM	#2
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,454 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	YES! unputdownable. . [ˌənˌpo͝otˈdounəbəl] ADJECTIVE informal . (of a book) so engrossing that one cannot stop reading it. "“this book is unputdownable!” screech the publicists" https://www.bing.com/search?q=unputd...5e048106c55f3b

07-25-2019, 01:23 AM	#3
teija Gadget fiend Posts: 354 Karma: 2111100 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Vancouver, Canada Device: Kobo Clara HD, Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Sony PRS-350	Yes... I should re-phrase to simply say I find it to be one of the more annoying words on book descriptions. According to a large percentage of Kindle books, they are all unputdownable! The use of some different descriptive words now and then would be useful.

07-25-2019, 01:23 AM	#4
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	Been in use a long time, so it's a word all right. Spellcheck is no authority. There's a vast number of words that spellcheck has never heard of. I find this all the time preparing WP files of old books. It's usually the wrong word; I can't remember the last touted "unputdownable" book that I couldn't put down. It's essentially hyperbole word with little meaning.

07-25-2019, 08:41 AM	#6
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Or add it to your spellchecker. Apache

07-25-2019, 11:10 AM	#7
ElspethB Passionate Reader Posts: 274 Karma: 1829152 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Central Jersey, USA Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, Kobo Clara HD, Fire HD 8, Voyage, Oasis 3, PW5	The OED has 1839 as the first appearance in print although that use was not in respect to books. The first use of unputdownable as a description of an engrossing read was in 1935, as DNSB mentions above. It was used in an advertisement in the New York Times for a book titled Memory of Love, which the ad described as "unusually ‘un-put-down-able’." The hyphens come and go in various usages. My opinion is that it's a clunky word, but useful in that it conveys a sense of how riveting a book might be to a reader in one word instead of a bunch. If I were writing a review, I would probably find another way of describing my enjoyment, but it doesn't put me off to encounter it.

07-25-2019, 04:13 PM	#10
lumpynose Wizard Posts: 1,086 Karma: 6719822 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Palm Pilot M105	We're so lucky that we're being *gifted* with all these new words and derivations.

07-25-2019, 05:08 PM	#12
Raphi'Elohim Banned Posts: 125 Karma: 124174 Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Hilbert Space Device: NOOK Glowlight plus 2	If I was a Brit I would probably say Americans are butchering the English language but then again I am American. One thing that annoys me is that Americans say math instead of maths. It is supposed to be maths because within the last 2 centuries or at least the last century maths has expanded to cover like at least 70-90 different sub-disciplines.

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