Describing nervous laughter

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Time Stamp!: 2:04-2:11

Which synonyms of "nervous" encapsulate and most specific to the emotion here?

Spoiler: Synonyms for nervous

synonyms for nervous - Google Search

What other words do you think are really apt for describing this moment? What words would use to describe certain tones of voice at various times?

Essentially, what I am looking for, is what word in the laundry list of synonyms cut right to the heart of the strain of nervousness he shows? Nervousness, confusion, surprise, they are all too broad. They are too general and not what I am wanting. Confusion includes befuddlement, disbelief, numb shock, innocent misunderstanding, etc. Too broad. Nervousness contains [see Google search in spoiler].

I don’t want a catch-all term.

 

[SainS]

That scene there? Maybe confused laughter or surprised laughter.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

That scene there? Maybe confused laughter or surprised laughter.

I don't think the readers would be able to get any sort of the same feeling you get from watching that though. They seem too distant from the true emotion, not evoking much.

 

[SainS]

The emotion reader gets does not come from the line that describes his laughter. It comes from the context surrounding it. If the reader knows the characters and has followed the story and follows the conversation, they can get that same emotion with a simple description of the laughter, even if you do not pick the most accurate on point adjective for it.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

The emotion reader gets does not come from the line that describes his laughter. It comes from the context surrounding it. If the reader knows the characters and has followed the story and follows the conversation, they can get that same emotion with a simple description of the laughter, even if you do not pick the most accurate on point adjective for it.

I would qualify that readers may or may not get an emotion from the line that describes his laughter.

And, if taking your statement at face value, then I would posit that if the context only comes from a non-specific selection of descriptions, then the reader may not know the characters how you hope they might.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

The good thing about books is that readers can fill in the details with their imaginations. Many readers will imagine a scene differently, and that's the beauty of writing. The context and delivery matter more than the actual words used to describe the laughter.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

The good thing about books is that readers can fill in the details with their imaginations. Many readers will imagine a scene differently, and that's the beauty of writing. The context and delivery matter more than the actual words used to describe the laughter.

I disagree. I think too much weight is put on context.

Not only does context depend on how specific or broad your descriptions are everywhere (which makes the emotions they get vary from a simple description of laughter), but by investing more in the immediate actions of the characters, you can create more immersion.

Personally, I think that is a better way of going about it than relying solely on context, when you can put better actions.

To give a slightly removed example, one of the stories I read has a sociopathic character as the MC.
There is a HUGE amount of context for his personality, which is very emotionless much of the time, spiteful at other times, etc.
And yet, when he laughs in-story, the writer uses onomatopoeia.
"Huhu."
When I read it, I hear a very high-pitched, false-sounding giggle that is extremely at odds with his character. There is a huge amount of dissonance and it was freaky as hell. It is not until much later, after getting confirmation from the author over DM, that I learned it was actually intended as a soft, subdued laugh, almost as a breath.

Edit: well, I suppose it’s not disagreeing per se. I agree there is beauty in reading that way, but I am at odds with your underlying premise.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

I disagree. I think too much weight is put on context.

Not only does context depend on how specific or broad your descriptions are everywhere (which makes the emotions they get vary from a simple description of laughter), but by investing more in the immediate actions of the characters, you can create more immersion.

Personally, I think that is a better way of going about it than relying solely on context, when you can put better actions.

To give a slightly removed example, one of the stories I read has a sociopathic character as the MC.
There is a HUGE amount of context for his personality, which is very emotionless much of the time, spiteful at other times, etc.
And yet, when he laughs in-story, the writer uses onomatopoeia.
"Huhu."
When I read it, I hear a very high-pitched, false-sounding giggle that is extremely at odds with his character. There is a huge amount of dissonance and it was freaky as hell. It is not until much later, after getting confirmation from the author over DM, that I learned it was actually intended as a soft, subdued laugh, almost as a breath.

Edit: well, I suppose it’s not disagreeing per se. I agree there is beauty in reading that way, but I am at odds with your underlying premise.

That's fine. We don't have to agree. But I don't think I will be able to give you what you are looking for.

 

[SailusGebel]

I think nervous fits perfectly.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

I think nervous fits perfectly.

Wow. Y’all are so helpful.
Perhaps it is a problem with my phrasing. Instead of “apt”, I will replace it with something pertaining to specificity to get intended answer. What word, synonym to nervous, encapsulates and is most specific to the emotion here?

 

[SailusGebel]

Wow. Y’all are so helpful.
Perhaps it is a problem with my phrasing. Instead of “apt”, I will replace it with something pertaining to specificity to get intended answer. What word, synonym to nervous, encapsulates and is most specific to the emotion here?

I understood the question, and think nervous fits the best. The character is nervous. The character laughs. Thus, the nervous laughter.

I don't think this character is agitated, so it's not an agitated laugher. I don't think this character is skittish, so it's not a skittish laugher. I don't think this character is jittery, so it's not a jittery laugh. Do I have to I continue?

I think the problem is on your side, and it is something similar to semantic satiation.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

Wow. Y’all are so helpful.
Perhaps it is a problem with my phrasing. Instead of “apt”, I will replace it with something pertaining to specificity to get intended answer. What word, synonym to nervous, encapsulates and is most specific to the emotion here?

Alternatively, you can describe what nervous looks like and have the character laugh. What do people do when they are nervous? That would be replacing nervous with description

 

[Stealthy_Enigma]

Either startled or flummoxed would fit, or taken aback-

probably...

˝/\___/\˝
(❀;>ᆺ<)˝
/˙˙˙˙˙˙🫰\

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Alternatively, you can describe what nervous looks like and have the character laugh. What do people do when they are nervous? That would be replacing nervous with description

I’m at an impasse on how to describe the actions concisely. Tearing my hair out on what descriptors, adverbs, and verbs would be most appropriate. Especially since most of these actions are verbal…

How would you go about doing it?

Either startled or flummoxed would fit, or taken aback-

probably..

˝/\___/\˝
(❀;>ᆺ<)˝
/˙˙˙˙˙˙🫰\

That trio fits really well!

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

I’m at an impasse on how to describe the actions concisely. Tearing my hair out on what descriptors, adverbs, and verbs would be most appropriate. Especially since most of these actions are verbal…

How would you go about doing it?

That trio fits really well!

You can put the descriptors in between pieces of dialogue. It's hard for me to do it without focusing on context. You can describe nervous sweating, though. His palms are sweaty. Knees weak. Arms are heavy.

Okay, joking aside, something like that. Though I tried to think about it, and everything I add will build on the scene and context.

 

[Sola-sama]

Me: *bites lips due to anxiety* This is really awkward, d- do I get a goodbye kiss or something?

My skydiving instructor: DONT TOUCH ME.

 

[TsumiHokiro]

You don't have to have the perfect word for the situation, sometimes having a longer explanation works better than a single precise word. Words require on a reader's experience with the situation, and therefore, that might be why you are not satisfied with "nervous" to describe the situation. A single word describing the feeling you want to describe might be out there, but you could also achieve the same feeling you are trying by describing in details the situation which led to the "nervous" laugh (without changing to a more specific word).

Using single words to describe a situation, regardless of which one you decide to use, is always open to someone reading your scene in a different way from how you decided, whereas if you are descriptive with words and keep a concise feeling in mind, even if the words you use might not portray exactly what you are trying to say, you build up the feeling and avoid people from understanding something far too detached from that which you had in mind.

So don't worry, even though this bird might sometimes look for the perfect word for a situation, it still believes it's more important to write a build-up to the situation, so your words make meaning instead than being curt and short trying to get things done. A lonely word, as shown in the dictionary, can be read many ways, but when it's joined with others, its context is limited and it achieves its full purpose.

 

[GoodPerson]

Me: *bites lips due to anxiety* This is really awkward, d- do I get a goodbye kiss or something?

My skydiving instructor: DONT TOUCH ME.