Earlier today I unfortunately deleted a posting from Colin Burrow that, as
an aside, questioned the use of the word "pungency" in discussing the
effectiveness of poets' word choices. Mr. Burrow's squib had something to
do with the olfactory associations of pungency. Though a minor point, it
has stuck in my mind, and I thought it might be worth pointing out that
the resonances that Latin loanwords in English have is an issue here too.
For I had in mind the full range of meaning of the Latin verb _pungere_,
"to prick or pierce" (remember that "puncture" comes from the same verb).
In Latin, acrid odors are by no means the only things to which the verb
_pungere_ would apply. And, sure enough, even my English dictionary
gives, as definition 3 of pungent, "sharply penetrating; expressive;
biting [_pungent_ language]." In that sense, I say "refulgent" is not a
very pungent adjective in English; it has never been thoroughly
assimilated in the way that "pungent" has. "Refulgent," I'm afraid, will
always be dead on the page, bookish, pedantic.
I am far from saying that Dryden's translation of the Aeneid is
worthless, though. All I will say is that in 1998 there are better
options available to the English-speaking reader. Case closed (as far as
I'm concerned).
Randi Eldevik
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