Legal Writing

Trouble with ?Vigorously? and ?Vicariously?

By Maeve Maddox

So far I haven’t found it in an article by a professional journalist (thank goodness), but in the course of my web browsing I have discovered the created word “vigariously.” It is enjoying wide use among bloggers and readers who post comments.

“Vigariously” occurs in contexts that call for either vigorously or vicariously.

vigorously - with intense energy and force
vicariously - at second hand; in place of

A word “vagariously” exists in the dictionary:

vagariously - marked by vagaries

However, I don’t think that anyone can be confusing this rarely used word with vigorously or vicariously.

I understand how “vigariously” could be a misspelling of vicariously, but its substitution for vigorously puzzles me.

Here are a few of the many examples of “vigariously” I have come across.

I watched the whole Rehab marathon on The Reality Network to live vigariously through the people on TV.

[I plan] to work up to only taking practice tests vigariously about a month to two months before the September test. (student preparing for LSAT)

I have tried vigariously plunging (hand plunger) many times with no results.

With these shows, the viewers are able to forget their problems and live vigariously thru those on the shows!

I blamed you for sending mixed messages about wanting him in and then arguing so vigariously that he shouldn’t be in!

I’m a Daddy, and I’ve been very careful about not living vigariously through my children.

Trouble with “Vigorously” and “Vicariously”

Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on June 15, 2009 (boomark / email).