I am ~validated~

[dancing_moon]

I once wrote a fic and described an uniform as "handsome". Then I got a really long concrit on it, with some very good points, some points that made it obvious that they'd missed some things (Reviewer: Get a beta! Me: uh, yes, you mean like the three I thank in the header...?) and some points where I quietly agreed to disagree.

Now, English is not my first language. Technically, I suppose it's my third language, though I've forgotten almost all of number two. But. I still thought that in that particular instance, my handsome uniform made a neat image, only to be told by Reviewer that No, impossible, nevereverno only people can be that.

Then I go to Mark Reads Harry Potter (v. entertaining, do take a look) and what do I find, but following quote:
The room was spacious and must once have been handsome
- from chapter 10 of TDH.

Ah-HA! If JKR can do it, so can I ^__________^

/End revenge of the third-language-English-geek's triumph

Comments

[marshtide]

Handsome is a terribly versatile word. It really is. People forget! But yeah, almost anything can be handsome.

(Although a lot of people will try to argue if you say a woman is, just like if you say a man is beautiful. It's totally a valid application, though. In both cases. ...yes, this has been annoying me.)

[dancing_moon]

Well, I'd use "handsome" to describe a different kind of good looks than "Beautiful" but to say its wrong is quite silly

[marshtide]

Yeah, exactly; they clearly describe different kinds of attractiveness, but to say that men are always one and women are always the other (which is not that uncommon as a school of thought) is just irritating in an essentialist kind of way.

[dancing_moon]

Essentialist and stupid, it completely ignores the point of using different words for different effects.