Glossophobia is a Missy-ism “word she meant to say!” What is a “Missy-ism?” Missy is a very smart dog with a large vocabulary but sometimes she doesn’t choose the word she means to say. On the Farm we call these silly mix-ups Missy-isms. We don’t want readers to make the same silly mistakes Missy makes,
According to Mencken, along with another word highfalutin is a useful word; it is impossible, not employing them to convey the ideas behind them without circumlocution. The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States Fourth Edition (1980, 1st 1919) A true Americanism. Now you know.
Someone compiled the definitive list of 132 Algonquian words used in American (English) at some point. These are the 36 which survived though to Mencken’s day. Dates are of first appearance. If one has nothing better to do for the next month or so, these are great books to read through. One the other hand…
Allegory “The function of allegory is not to hide but to reveal, and it is properly used only for that which cannot be said, or so well said, in literal speech. The inner life, and specially the life of love, religion, and spiritual adventure, has therefore always been the field of true allegory; for here
Previous posts in the Standard Dictionary of Facts series: HISTORY, LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, BIOGRAPHY, GEOGRAPHY, TRAVEL, ART, GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, INDUSTRY, INVENTION, COMMERCE, SCIENCE, NATURAL HISTORY, STATISTICS AND MISCELLANY The Standard Dictionary of Facts– Give it a try! I have already read the Prefaces of both the Question Book and the Dictionary (citations below). I am a
“Ruff??” ‘”Good Lord, Missy!” Sigh. “Can’t you look it up yourself?” “Ruff!” “Well, I suppose I could but I just assumed you knew what the word meant.” “I guess I do, but why do you ask?” “ruff?” “Um. Duh. Marica. I am not hard of hearing. I just heard Mr. Big Food say that that
http://www.playbuzz.com/jonb10/how-many-english-words-do-you-actually-know Folks, this is what’s wrong with the world today. Twenty-four correct of 30 possible is NOT an A+ and certainly does NOT deserve a gold star.24/30 = 0.8 = 80% = B-.Talk about grade inflation.
Believe it or not, we have resumed the Word of the Day Can You Use It in a Sentence game. (You can view all 54 “word” posts by clicking on “words” in the label list.) We had an especially good word– left over from December 18th!– to begin again. Especially good as we read our
Oh what profound ignorance doth exonerate our mighty president. –A. Leland We commented that this might be one of A. Leland’s shortest sentences. He didn’t give her a chance to exonerate him– he called her back straight away to apologize. –Daughter C To err is human, to exonerate, divine. –Mr. Big Food Having learned of
Those incapable of thinking beyond pecuniary concerns are worthy of spiteful disapprobation. –Mike I disapprove of Alex’s handling of pecuniary issues. –Marica His objections were ostensibly pecuniary since he was not lacking in time or interest. –Daughter C To place a pecuniary value on friendship is to misunderstand its value altogether. –A. Leland. That’s rich.
A human being born with a tail suffers from atavism. –Marica Recent studies of the progressive mind provide strong evidence for atavism among the more liberal population, although it is not yet clear whether this devolution has found its terminus in its current reptilian form, or if this segment of the population will revert still
Until today, I had no idea those beautiful fine webs in the pasture that I take so many photos of in the fall were gossamers. –Marica His thesis, which he thought so deep and profound, collapsed like gossamer under the slightest critical scrutiny. –Mr. Big Food With gossamer strands of spider’s silk strung with artful
[Miss M] ruled by royal fiat that I could not use the word “commercial” in this sentence. –Daughter C I just gave Missy & Rocky a fiat to get the heck out of the dining room. –Miss M Rule by whim coupled with fiat is a true mark of tyranny. –Mr. Big Food Constitutional authority,
My colleague is immune to feelings of impropriety.–A. LelandThere was a certain impropriety in the manner in which he handled challenges to his reading of the literature.–MaricaThe alleged impropriety of how college football determines its national champion is greatly exaggerated.–Mr. Big Food Can you believe he answered his phone during dinner? The impropriety of some
He was the devil incarnate. –Marica Even omnipotence incarnate would not be enough to salvage healthcare dot gov. –Mr. Big Food [Miss M] may well be the incarnate expression of an occasional friend. –A. Leland Dog ownership is happiness incarnate. –Miss M
Tonight we had 100% participation in our Word of the Day Can You Use it in a Sentence activity! Please do not efface my doorstep with your presence. –A. Leland I would like to efface the tense of our word game. –Daughter C Security drones are an efface to individual liberty. –Mr. Big Food Tray
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