Young Writers Society

When you say someone crosses their legs you picture a person that - obviously - has her legs crossed. This is not the same thing as when one is sitting in such a way so that his ankle is over his knee. His legs aren't crossed, but then... how do you describe it?

Please help. I need a response within an hour, at which point I have a deadline. :smt073

If I were you, I'd go for it direct. May as well.

"His ankle was balanced on his knee ..."

Or something.

No point beating around the bush.

Ah. That did occur to me.

But then it sounds like the poor guy's dismembered or something, what with his 'ankle balanced on his knee' and all that.

Thank you for the suggestion. That's probably my only choice, you know?

Hmm. I see your point. Maybe imply that it's a sitting position?

"He was sitting comfortably, with his right ankle balanced on his left knee."

Or something.

I don't know. I'm not feeling very creative.

I'll try that. It's worth it - can't be anything worse than what I have.

Thank you very very very very very much.

(There probably isn't an actual word for sitting like that. You'd have to think someone would have come upon it by now.)

Actually, there probably is a word for that (after all the english language has a word for everything else, including the mass murder of snakes), but most people wouldn't have any clue what you were saying if you used it. Not that I know the word...

I think Firestarter's suggestion is the most direct way to put it and I can't think of anything else to suggest, so I think I'll just second him.

Good idea.


By the way, what is the mass murder of snakes? Out of curiosity.