Albeit - Conjunction; Although, Even if

When I was ten years old I saw Star Wars for the first time. It was just released, May of 1977. I was the perfect demographic, a ten year old boy. And, as most creative people my age, I can point to that experience as the moment of my creative awakening.

I read the novelization and I was stunned by the new worlds, cultures, languages…And researching the story more, I discovered where George Lucas’ inspiration came from. Of course! Other writers before him. J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, Alex Raymond…Edgar Rice Burroughs.

I scoured these books. Partly for clues to where Star Wars originated, but also to escape my suburban boredom. As a kid bussing it across town in middle school, I carried a paperback with me every day. When I discovered John Carter of Mars, I became obsessed. I read all eleven books and then read them again.

And to this day, one word still stands out from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ work. Albeit. The word ALBEIT. I read that and thought it was such an odd word. I had to look it up in the dictionary and learned that it simply meant, although. I kept thinking, why the hell didn’t he just right Although. Or Even if. Why Albeit. But I liked it. I loved how it sounded different, foreign, alien.

I swore that someday, I would use that word when I wrote my fantasy novel. My hero would someday hold his sword in a rage and charge forward, albeit steady and firm. I loved the idea that someday, a young reader would see that word and have to look it up. And a simple word would be passed down from a Edgar Rice Burroughs, to me, to another.

When my editor came across that word, she suggested I change it, since it seemed out of place. I agree with her, that it did. She was right. But I couldn’t. That word symbolized a lineage of language from late nineteenth century England, to early 21st century Seattle.

I love that word. Albeit.