What new words have you learned recently?

[understatement]

I was reading through several articles and stumbled upon these eggs:

gamut -- "the complete range of something"

anodyne -- "inoffensive, often deliberately so"

irrupt -- "enter forcibly or suddenly"

What new words have you learned recently?

[thirsting]

Sartorial - "relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress"
Sardonic - "disdainfully or skeptically humorous"

I've long thought those two are philosophy terms, maybe something to do with Sartre, but no, neither are.

[deltamire]

I did a bit of research for a story I'm hacking my way through, and came across these three fun ones:

Katabasis - a descent into the underworld, or pretty much any descent. Sometimes used for going from inland to the coast, which is shockingly mundane for such a word.
Anastasis - a recovery, usually from illness. Also has religious connotations, specifically Christianity (it's often used in reference to when jesus did his resurrection shtick).
Psycopomp - in mythology, a term to refer to a guide for recently deceased souls. Think Charon the Ferryman, but pretty much any polytheistic religion has one or more, if they've got a concept of the afterlife.

Similar to thirsting's first word, there's also haberdashery - anything fiddly and small used in sewing, like buttons, ribbons and thread.

[Willie the Duck]

Humulus -- the plant that I always knew as Hops (notable in inclusion in beer). Apparently 'hops' is just the female seed cones of the Humulus plant.

[Scarlet Knight]

Shambolic : obviously disorganized or confused

I read it today and thought it meant a false symbol. :smallredface:

[Wizard_Lizard]

Tautology-Two words that mean the same thing put beside each other consecutively.

[Peelee]

I learned it some 20-odd years ago now, but I love sharing it, so it's new to y'all (probably).

Anastrophe. Pronounced like it's a Greek name, similar to "apostrophe". Anastrophe is the inversion of standard sentence syntax. It is archaic, and largely not used anymore, and yet virtually everyone is familiar with anastrophe, if not by name. People usually refer to it as "Yoda-speak".

Example of anastrophe this is.

[Scarlet Knight]

This was in today's paper & I had to look it up:

solipsism : the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Interpolation
- like extrapolation, but working out a result between known values in a trend, whereas extrapolation is working out a result beyond the known values.

So if I have a sequence of x = 2y, 2x = 4y, 4x = 8y, then I can extrapolate that 5x = 10y, and I can interpolate that 3x = 6y.

[Fyraltari]

Tautology-Two words that mean the same thing put beside each other consecutively.

That’s a pleonasm actually. A tautology is a statement that bears no new information or a logical construct that is always true regardless of the truth of its hypothesis.

Example: ‘All red ants are red’, every single math theorem ever, ‘my older brother was born before I was’, etc.

In French, these are sometimes called ‘Lapalissades’ because the gravestone of General Lapalisse reads ‘were he not dead, he would still be alive.’
Except that’s just an issue with the font of spacing which makes ‘envié’ look like ‘en vie’. It’s supposed to read ‘were he not dead, he would still be envied.’

[Imbalance]

withstandability
It's less a word than industry jargon that has to do with parameters for how much damage a piece of equipment can take when something like a bad arc flash occurs. It's hard to find a book definition, but most people who use it know what it means. It shows up in a lot of building electrical specifications, and refers to standards set by UL. It's the kind of thing you can calculate using code-compliant ratings, but can't really measure other than to see that, after a fault, "yeah, it held up." I had long understood the concept, had probably seen it in hundreds of specs and glossed over it, but until a conference call in May I had never heard it said, and was immediately compelled to look it up:

"The ability of electrical apparatus to withstand the effects of specified electrical fault current conditons without exceeding specified damage criteria."

[Xuc Xac]

I learned it some 20-odd years ago now, but I love sharing it, so it's new to y'all (probably).

Anastrophe. Pronounced like it's a Greek name, similar to "apostrophe". Anastrophe is the inversion of standard sentence syntax. It is archaic, and largely not used anymore, and yet virtually everyone is familiar with anastrophe, if not by name. People usually refer to it as "Yoda-speak".

Example of anastrophe this is.

"It's used all the time in writing," he said. "In fact, it's used so often that you don't even notice it," continued the forum poster.

[Peelee]

"It's used all the time in writing," he said. "In fact, it's used so often that you don't even notice it," continued the forum poster.

The definition of "anastrophe" is specifically the inversion of standard sentence syntax, or normal order of clauses. Your statements are, by definition, not examples of anastrophe, since they are used all the time, so often that you don't even notice it.:smalltongue:

Anastrophe is the ultimate hipster philosophy - as soon as it becomes normal, it's no longer a form of anastrophe.

[Wizard_Lizard]

That’s a pleonasm actually. A tautology is a statement that bears no new information or a logical construct that is always true regardless of the truth of its hypothesis.

Example: ‘All red ants are red’, every single math theorem ever, ‘my older brother was born before I was’, etc.

In French, these are sometimes called ‘Lapalissades’ because the gravestone of General Lapalisse reads ‘were he not dead, he would still be alive.’
Except that’s just an issue with the font of spacing which makes ‘envié’ look like ‘en vie’. It’s supposed to read ‘were he not dead, he would still be envied.’

So today I learned a new word, Pleonasm.

[Xuc Xac]

The definition of "anastrophe" is specifically the inversion of standard sentence syntax, or normal order of clauses. Your statements are, by definition, not examples of anastrophe, since they are used all the time, so often that you don't even notice it.:smalltongue:

They're used all the time but they aren't the normal word order, which is SVO for English. The point of anastrophe is to draw attention to the displaced words. In the case of written dialogue, anastrophe is used to emphasize the quoted words. The "he said" and "said the old woman" and so on can usually be understood from context anyway and are rarely as important as the dialogue itself.

[snowblizz]

"Wherefore". Yes as in the Romeo and Juliet play. It did not mean what I thought it did.

[Willie the Duck]

In French, these are sometimes called ‘Lapalissades’ because the gravestone of General Lapalisse reads ‘were he not dead, he would still be alive.’
Except that’s just an issue with the font of spacing which makes ‘envié’ look like ‘en vie’. It’s supposed to read ‘were he not dead, he would still be envied.’

Whoever did that should kern in hell. :smallbiggrin:

That's another good one -- Kern -- "adjust the spacing between (letters or characters) in a piece of text to be printed"

[Peelee]

They're used all the time but they aren't the normal word order

You can say that, but it doesn't make it true. You are classifying "normal word order" at an arbitrary point, and claiming there can be only one normal word order, neither of which holds much water.

[Scarlet Knight]

In all my years in health care , I learn a new term : oligosymptomatic : having few or minor symptoms

I have heard of asymptomatic: no symptoms, and pre-symptomatic : the time of incubation when a patient has no symptoms just prior to displaying them.

But oligosymptomatic is to be used when the patient has symptoms so mild theat he reports as asymptomatic . Example: "Well yeah I was tired but I wasn't sick; I just got off a plane and everyone's tired after flying."

[Willie the Duck]

In all my years in health care , I learn a new term : oligosymptomatic : having few or minor symptoms

I like that one, it, along with idiopathic (relating to or denoting any disease or condition which arises spontaneously or for which the cause is unknown) and heteroskedasticity (the state of having standard errors which are non-constant over a range), were some of the fun new words of grad school.

[Vinyadan]

Discombobulate and inveigh. I had no idea they existed in English. One means to confuse, the other to rail against someone or something (related to invective).

[Wizard_Lizard]

Discombobulate and inveigh. I had no idea they existed in English. One means to confuse, the other to rail against someone or something (related to invective).

Did the word discombobulate discombobulate you?

[Berenger]

Kenning - a combination of words used as a metaphor for another word or person (e.g. winter's blanket = snow, giant slayer = Thor).

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-kenning.html

[The Fury]

"Acrimony." It means "Fury." I was thinking of an alternate universe where there was another, cooler, smarter forum user that's annoyingly similar to me. So I guess "The Acrimony" would be their username.

[el minster]

"Wherefore". Yes as in the Romeo and Juliet play. It did not mean what I thought it did.

Wherefore means why I believe I learned this from Romeo and Juliet

[Sermil]

A recent article about the Harley Quinn show described a character as himbo, which is the male equivalent of a bimbo -- a male who is good looking, sexual attrative, but kinda dumb.

So basically :elan:

[deltamire]

A recent article about the Harley Quinn show described a character as himbo, which is the male equivalent of a bimbo -- a male who is good looking, sexual attrative, but kinda dumb.

So basically :elan:
A weird aspect of language change that comes from movement from social circles to social circles is the definition of the humble himbo; as far as I know, one of the main original facets of the himbo is that they're generally not romantically domineering, or, specifically, generally respect women. A guy who wasn't all that intelligent, built like a brick ****house, and generally a very nice, kind person to be around. I know Ragnarok's Thor was thrown around as the pioneering example of it, if you want to get stereotypical about his character.

. . . So, yeah, Elan is a pretty good example of a himbo, ignoring the whole 'jacked' part. Though I still stand that he's a manic pixie dream boy, damn it!

[Wizard_Lizard]

A weird aspect of language change that comes from movement from social circles to social circles is the definition of the humble himbo; as far as I know, one of the main original facets of the himbo is that they're generally not romantically domineering, or, specifically, generally respect women. A guy who wasn't all that intelligent, built like a brick ****house, and generally a very nice, kind person to be around. I know Ragnarok's Thor was thrown around as the pioneering example of it, if you want to get stereotypical about his character.

. . . So, yeah, Elan is a pretty good example of a himbo, ignoring the whole 'jacked' part. Though I still stand that he's a manic pixie dream boy, damn it!

Nah, Elan is clearly a genius mastermind, manipulating events behind the scenes under the guise of a witless buffoon!

[Fyraltari]

. . . So, yeah, Elan is a pretty good example of a himbo, ignoring the whole 'jacked' part. Though I still stand that he's a manic pixie dream boy, damn it!
Elan, as a Dashing Swordsman, is a stereotypical action hero, therefore I posit to you that he is Tom Cruise-levels of jacked, which is nothing to sneer at.

[deltamire]

Elan, as a Dashing Swordsman, is a stereotypical action hero, therefore I posit to you that he is Tom Cruise-levels of jacked, which is nothing to sneer at.
Most of the action Elan does is one of a high dexterity hero - doesn't have much upper body strength compared to, say, Durkon or Roy (the class and level geekery thread says his strength is 10-11, which is nothing to be sniffed at but would be considered normal for the sort of skills a general adventurer would need), mostly relies on dex based weapons, such as the rapier, and has a tendency to somersault and flip about. While OOTS has a lot of . . . Blending of fighting styles (compare Roy's relatively mobile skilled fighting to the two other strength-based fighters, Thog or Tarquin's axework, which is more focused on brute, very effective force) I think it's safe to say that Elan is more of an Inigo Montoya character, though perhaps without the intent on avenging his father. However, if the narrative calls for it, you can bet your bottom dollar he'll go through a training montage and come out swole!

[Fyraltari]

I see your Inigo Montoya and I raise my James Bond!

[Khedrac]

Kenning - a combination of words used as a metaphor for another word or person (e.g. winter's blanket = snow, giant slayer = Thor).

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-kenning.html
Quite where that meaning for the word comes from, but it must be very modern - it isn't any of the meanings in the Oxford English Dictionary (the full version which attempts to include any word ever used as English).

The OED's definitions pretty much fit my understanding of the word (with a couple of surprises):
It's a dialect word for the dry measure of 2 pecks or half a bushel.
It is an obsolete word for teaching.
It is an obsolete word for being able to see something or visual range.
It is an obsolete word for teaching.
And it means to understand something.

[Peelee]

Elan, as a Dashing Swordsman, is a stereotypical action hero, therefore I posit to you that he is Tom Cruise-levels of jacked, which is nothing to sneer at.

Tom Cruise is a slightly short guy with show muscles. Further, why Tom Cruise and not Keanu Reeves or Nic Cage?

[Fyraltari]

Tom Cruise is a slightly short guy with show muscles. Further, why Tom Cruise and not Keanu Reeves or Nic Cage?

Why these two and not Daniel Craig or Jean Reno?

[Peelee]

Why these two and not Daniel Craig or Jean Reno?

Because Daniel Craig stinks, but I'm a sucker for Jean Reno. So, Jean Reno then?

[Vinyadan]

I think Orlando Bloom would be more Elan.

[Eldan]

Quite where that meaning for the word comes from, but it must be very modern - it isn't any of the meanings in the Oxford English Dictionary (the full version which attempts to include any word ever used as English).

The OED's definitions pretty much fit my understanding of the word (with a couple of surprises):
It's a dialect word for the dry measure of 2 pecks or half a bushel.
It is an obsolete word for teaching.
It is an obsolete word for being able to see something or visual range.
It is an obsolete word for teaching.
And it means to understand something.

It's a Nordic and Germanic word in that meaning, and an outdated or possibly even archaic one at that (I don't speak any Nordic languages, just German). And I've never seen it used except to refer to Norse poetry, which is extremely heavy on Kennings. (As in, there's entire verses without normal nouns.)

[Scarlet Knight]

"Bildungsroman" is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood.

It was in a book review and it's use in the sentence " This book is a Bildungsroman" didn't help me in the slightest.

[Xuc Xac]

Bildungsroman is what RPG enthusiasts call "zero to hero".

[Eldan]

From my experiences in German classes, it's mostly whiny upper middle class teenagers growing into whiny middle class young adults.

[Rockphed]

Similar to thirsting's first word, there's also haberdashery - anything fiddly and small used in sewing, like buttons, ribbons and thread.

A haberdasher is either a seller of men's clothing or a seller of what you mention. A haberdashery is where a haberdasher sells his stuff. Haberdashery is the stuff a haberdasher sells.


From my experiences in German classes, it's mostly whiny upper middle class teenagers growing into whiny middle class young adults.

That sounds like a rather unfortunate amount of the "literature" I read in school. Catcher in the Rye is probably the ultimate example I was made to suffer through.

And although I learned it 5 or six years ago, I present "trunion", which is a system for allowing something to tilt, especially a cannon.

[Eldan]

Catcher in the Rye has nothing on The Sorrows of Young Werther. The one where he philosophizes for an entire chapter about how happy the poor peasants working in the fields are, because all their suffering is physical, unlike his own, which is mental and artistic and deep and they aren't smart and educated enough to suffer like he can. Because the girl he's stalking doesn't love him enough.

[Rockphed]

Catcher in the Rye has nothing on The Sorrows of Young Werther. The one where he philosophizes for an entire chapter about how happy the poor peasants working in the fields are, because all their suffering is physical, unlike his own, which is mental and artistic and deep and they aren't smart and educated enough to suffer like he can. Because the girl he's stalking doesn't love him enough.

Is the point to come out hating Werther? Because just from that description I already hate Werther.

[snowblizz]

And although I learned it 5 or six years ago, I present "trunion", which is a system for allowing something to tilt, especially a cannon.

Trunnion with 2 N:s. And I must have read too much historical non-fiction because I knew this without actually knowing the word right away. Just a voice in my head going, "nah must be with 2 Ns".


Is the point to come out hating Werther? Because just from that description I already hate Werther.

No it actually isn't. It is a classic (ok many will dispute that) from the Romantic period. It was quite serious about itself, and IIRC accused, even in its time to have encouraged "Romantics"to kill themselves. The majority of the Romantic movement is like that, pretentious, angsty and superbly insufferable. The whole moment is a reaction against the rationality of Enlightment thought. I read Dostoevsky's The Idiot as an assignment, as we had to read a book from the period-genre-style. My bookreport of it was titled:"Aaaaaaaaaargh!". True story. It was painful to slog through. Every character always acted in the most painfully insane emotional way ensuring the utmost misery for everyone involved. The reader included. Many of the Romantic classics are like this, The Humpback of Notre Dame I am only 50% sure I read has the same general set up.

[danzibr]

Hmm, I try to learn new words when I see them... I'm blanking, only remembering colors, I'll put one here:

aeneous: greenish gold

[Scarlet Knight]

Panglossian : marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds : excessively optimistic.

An article in my newspaper read: " should this seem naively panglossian..."

[Vinyadan]

The word comes from Pangloss, a character from Voltaire's short work Candide, ou l'Optimisme, who believes that this world is the best of possible worlds.

[Fyraltari]

Pangloss is a satire/strawman of the philosopher Leibniz.

[Peelee]

Pangloss is a satire/strawman of the philosopher Leibniz.

Leibniz? Like, the "I independently invented calculus" Leibniz?

[Fyraltari]

Leibniz? Like, the "I independently invented calculus" Leibniz?
That’s the one, yes.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

The word comes from Pangloss, a character from Voltaire's short work Candide, ou l'Optimisme, who believes that this world is the best of possible worlds.

An optimist believes that this world is the best of possible worlds. A pessimist fears that might be true.

[Knaight]

The word comes from Pangloss, a character from Voltaire's short work Candide, ou l'Optimisme, who believes that this world is the best of possible worlds.
And who continues to believe that through a great deal of suffering, including losing multiple body parts permanently.

[Scarlet Knight]

Again in another book review I ran upon a German word that I never heard of before.

Weltschmerz (from the German, literally world-pain, also world weariness) .

A book review referred to Lincoln as "a character of deep wisdom and soul and Weltschmerz".

[WinterKnight404]

That's so funny you guys have a thread for this. On FB I post words frequently that I encounter while reading news articles online. The most recent one I shared is:
Vacillate - to alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive
Example: "I had, for a time, vacillated between teaching and journalism."

[Wildstag]

Recently learned the word Sonder, which is great because I find it hard to believe that people actually get concerned enough by that realization that it needs its own word.

I dunno, I just find it pretty natural to think I'm just one person out of billions, and everything that happens to me is just as hectic as everyone else. Never needed to realize it, I just always knew it.

[Imbalance]

That's so funny you guys have a thread for this. On FB I post words frequently that I encounter while reading news articles online. The most recent one I shared is:
Vacillate - to alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive
Example: "I had, for a time, vacillated between teaching and journalism."

Keep doing that. In my early Internet days I was edified by others who were themselves hobby etymologists and wordsmiths. Having well-read forum peers, namely ones with handles such as Abacinate, Dark Angel and Skinflint, was and is always beneficial.

[SZbNAhL]

Tautology-Two words that mean the same thing put beside each other consecutively.That’s a pleonasm actually. A tautology is a statement that bears no new information or a logical construct that is always true regardless of the truth of its hypothesis.

Example: ‘All red ants are red’, every single math theorem ever, ‘my older brother was born before I was’, etc.

I'd call that a truism. I'd say tautology is a repetition of information, either from acronym confusion (e.g. PIN number) or describing nouns with adjectives already included in their definitions e.g. organic aldehyde, French Parisian, microscopic atom.

As for new words, I learned "crepuscular" today, meaning "of or related to twilight"*. I therefore move that Stephanie Meyer fans henceforth be referred to as "the crepuscular collective".

*Here was the context, if anyone's interested. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCxS4p5nRRE)

[Razade]

I'd call that a truism. I'd say tautology is a repetition of information, either from acronym confusion (e.g. PIN number) or describing nouns with adjectives already included in their definitions e.g. organic aldehyde, French Parisian, microscopic atom.

As for new words, I learned "crepuscular" today, meaning "of or related to twilight"*. I therefore move that Stephanie Meyer fans henceforth be referred to as "the crepuscular collective".

*Here was the context, if anyone's interested. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCxS4p5nRRE)

A French Parisian isn't really a tautology as you could have, say, a Moroccan Parisian or an American Parisian. They domicile there, they are not culturally or nationally French. I live in Phoenix, thus I am a Phoenician but I am not an Arizonan Phoenician. I wasn't born in Arizona nor do I identity as an Arizonan culturally. Also a tautology may be used to mean "a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form." which the quoted examples fall under. That's how it's defined in logic.

[Vinyadan]

A French Parisian isn't really a tautology as you could have, say, a Moroccan Parisian or an American Parisian. They domicile there, they are not culturally or nationally French. I live in Phoenix, thus I am a Phoenician but I am not an Arizonan Phoenician. I wasn't born in Arizona nor do I identity as an Arizonan culturally. Also a tautology may be used to mean "a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form." which the quoted examples fall under. That's how it's defined in logic.
In this case, I think it's important to specify what you mean by Phoenician; I'd never heard that with that sense.

[Razade]

In this case, I think it's important to specify what you mean by Phoenician; I'd never heard that with that sense.

I think I did? I said I live in Phoenix, thus am Phoenician. Considering the real Phoenicians didn't even last to the CE, I think that's enough context.

[Rynjin]

I'd call that a truism. I'd say tautology is a repetition of information, either from acronym confusion (e.g. PIN number) or describing nouns with adjectives already included in their definitions e.g. organic aldehyde, French Parisian, microscopic atom.

As for new words, I learned "crepuscular" today, meaning "of or related to twilight"*. I therefore move that Stephanie Meyer fans henceforth be referred to as "the crepuscular collective".

*Here was the context, if anyone's interested. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCxS4p5nRRE)

If you want another useful context, some animals (like bunnies) are crepuscular, meaning they are most activate at dawn and dusk, but rest both during the largest portion of the day and at night.

[Vinyadan]

I think I did? I said I live in Phoenix, thus am Phoenician. Considering the real Phoenicians didn't even last to the CE, I think that's enough context.
Yup, that's what I mean: it's not understandable without naming the city. Maybe it's frequent over there? I have heard that people from Albany calling themselves Albanians have problems making themselves clear the further they are from Albany.

It's also that you sometimes do meet people calling themselves after ancient peoples who lived in their place of origin, even though modern inhabitants would consider it highly unusual.

[Fyraltari]

I'd call that a truism. I'd say tautology is a repetition of information, either from acronym confusion (e.g. PIN number) or describing nouns with adjectives already included in their definitions e.g. organic aldehyde, French Parisian, microscopic atom.

As for new words, I learned "crepuscular" today, meaning "of or related to twilight"*. I therefore move that Stephanie Meyer fans henceforth be referred to as "the crepuscular collective".

*Here was the context, if anyone's interested. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCxS4p5nRRE)

A truism would be statement that is always true (and so doen't bring anything nex to the conversation) but it doesn't necessarily have the element of redundancy that a pleonasm or a tautology have. Ex: "You win some, you lose some".

[Rockphed]

Yup, that's what I mean: it's not understandable without naming the city. Maybe it's frequent over there? I have heard that people from Albany calling themselves Albanians have problems making themselves clear the further they are from Albany.

It's also that you sometimes do meet people calling themselves after ancient peoples who lived in their place of origin, even though modern inhabitants would consider it highly unusual.

People from Albany are obviously "Albanites", not "Albanians".

[Scarlet Knight]

Here is a good one: "footling" meaning silly or not important.

"His theory was founded on footling facts."

[Rynjin]

"Colluquy" is a conversation, apparently. It's not often I can't at least figure out a word from context clues, but Brent Weeks has issues writing human sounding dialogue sometimes.

[Vinyadan]

"Colluquy" is a conversation, apparently. It's not often I can't at least figure out a word from context clues, but Brent Weeks has issues writing human sounding dialogue sometimes.
You can use this trick: soli-loquy = speaking alone, col-loquy = speaking with someone else (col- is like the one in col-league, col-lection, col-lide...).

[SZbNAhL]

"Colluquy" is a conversation, apparently. It's not often I can't at least figure out a word from context clues, but Brent Weeks has issues writing human sounding dialogue sometimes.

Hence the term "colloquial", literally meaning "as used in conversational speech".

[Rynjin]

You can use this trick: soli-loquy = speaking alone, col-loquy = speaking with someone else (col- is like the one in col-league, col-lection, col-lide...).

If it was coliloquy, I would have picked that up, but sadly didn't.

[Xuc Xac]

Hence the term "colloquial", literally meaning "as used in conversational speech".

And "loquacious" meaning "likes to engage in conversation".

[Scarlet Knight]

From the same book that gave me footling:

peregrinations: journeys, especially long or meandering ones.

"Her peregrinations took her to the tip of the bay."

[Khedrac]

From the same book that gave me footling:

peregrinations: journeys, especially long or meandering ones.

"Her peregrinations took her to the tip of the bay."

That is where the Peregrine Falcon gets its name - it is the Wandering Falcon.

[Vinyadan]

That is where the Peregrine Falcon gets its name - it is the Wandering Falcon.

I didn't check this, but it should ultimately come from "per agros" , "through the country" . Latin A sometimes becomes E, like with perennial (from "per annos" , "through the years" )

[Spacewolf]

Jamais Vu, when something that should be familiar seems new.

[Rockphed]

Jamais Vu, when something that should be familiar seems new.

So the converse of Deja Vu?

[Xuc Xac]

"Déjà vu" means "already seen" and "jamais vu" means "never seen".

[Scarlet Knight]

George Carlin, the great comedian, created: "Vuja De, the feeling that somehow... none of this has ever happened before"

[WinterKnight404]

Fingerer (no it doesn't mean the first thing that comes to mind... you perverts :smallwink: )

A friend found the word in a crossword puzzle. Merriam-Webster website defines the word "fingerer" as "one who makes the fingers of gloves" and this just blew my mind. I have been looking for hours trying to find any information on the etymology of this word. I had so many questions like: Was it an actual profession that existed that prompted the word? How was it used? Has it gone out of use?

Well, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, "finger" originates in Old English, hence is Germanic in origin.

The OED recognizes "fingerer" as a dishonest person. So, perhaps a thief? A swindler?

A "glover" is a maker of gloves so I doubt there would be a separate profession for fingers. No clue where the Merriam-Webster definition came from.

[SZbNAhL]

The OED recognizes "fingerer" as a dishonest person. So, perhaps a thief? A swindler?

I don't know how widespread it is, but I've heard finger used colloquially as a verb meaning "steal", e.g.:

Arrest 'im constable, that's the man what fingered me telly.

Also, today I learned the word "oblocutor", meaning somebody who disputes.

[Peelee]

No clue where the Merriam-Webster definition came from.

There are two schools of thought on dictionaries - that dictionaries dictate what words mean and their usage and are thus authoritative, or that dictionaries reflect how people use words and are thus curatorial. Merriam-Webster itself subscribes to the latter, so I would imagine that "fingerer" was used for some time, at least, in order to be included in their dictionary.

[Vinyadan]

Fingerer (no it doesn't mean the first thing that comes to mind... you perverts :smallwink: )

A friend found the word in a crossword puzzle. Merriam-Webster website defines the word "fingerer" as "one who makes the fingers of gloves" and this just blew my mind. I have been looking for hours trying to find any information on the etymology of this word. I had so many questions like: Was it an actual profession that existed that prompted the word? How was it used? Has it gone out of use?

[...]

A "glover" is a maker of gloves so I doubt there would be a separate profession for fingers. No clue where the Merriam-Webster definition came from.
From the website "careerplanner.com"


"GLOVE SEWER"Job Description and Jobs
Job Description:
1) Operates sewing machine to join or decorate glove and mitten parts or finished article: Guides parts under machine needle to join thumb pieces to back and palm; to assemble finger pieces and join pieces to glove; to join sides of cuffs or cuff to glove; to stitch around fingers, thumb, and sides of glove to close glove openings; to sew on knuckle strap or finger tips; to join parts of mittens; or to stitch knit linings to elastic wristbands to complete cuffs.


2) May repair gloves with defective stitching and be designated Mender.


3) May be designated according to part sewn or operation performed as Closer; Fingerer; Fourchette Sewer; Knuckle-Strap Sewer; Mitten Stitcher; Palm-And-Back Forger.


4) May be designated: Strapper; Thumb Sewer; Tipper; Wrist Closer; Wrister; Wrist Liner.


5) Performs duties as described under SEWING-MACHINE OPERATOR, REGULAR EQUIPMENT Master Title.




So I guess it's a specific term for a worker within an industry, more of a function than a profession.

[WinterKnight404]

Good catch Vinyadan! I don't remember what the clue was in the crossword puzzle because that might have helped. So it's probably a specialized function on an assembly line.

[snowblizz]

I don't know how widespread it is, but I've heard finger used colloquially as a verb meaning "steal", e.g.:


To finger someone also means basically to snitch on someone. Obviously comes from point out someone with your finger, ie fingering someone. And everyone knows snitches get stiches, maybe in their gloves, which I think is where "fingerer" gets the "shady" descriptor.

But youy are right, if your organisation has a Frankie the Finger or Fingers you know he's the pickpocket of the outfit.:smallwink: Actually think there is a Lucky Luke album where the shady magician that does slight of hand, but also steals is nicknamed Fingers. Depends on translation though I guess.

[Scarlet Knight]

There is a baseball Hall of Famer named Rollie Fingers. I wonder what was the source of his family name? Thief ? Glove maker? Snitch? Lute picker?

[Razade]

It comes from someone either missing a finger, make of that how you will, or similar distinct characteristics of the fingers such as a birth defect. Not all Western surnames come from an occupation.

[Peelee]

It comes from someone either missing a finger, make of that how you will, or similar distinct characteristics of the fingers such as a birth defect. Not all Western surnames come from an occupation.

Had a customer one time, crazy name. Alone the lines of "ribeyefake". Basically almost a real food but altered so that it sounded like fake food. Asked about it at one point, apparently had grandparents or great-grandparents come over through Ellis Island, where the culturally sensitive agents that processed the immigrants said "Name? Whoah, I can't understand that, did you say "ribeyefake?" Well, here's your papers, Mr. Ribeyefake, that's your name now. NEXT!"

So yeah, names can come from anywhere.

[Florian]

Is the point to come out hating Werther? Because just from that description I already hate Werther.

The concept of "identity" is a rather young one. Werther was actually one of the first literary examples for using it, making the difference between "inside" and "outside" identity the main topic of the novel.


Again in another book review I ran upon a German word that I never heard of before.

Weltschmerz (from the German, literally world-pain, also world weariness) .

A book review referred to Lincoln as "a character of deep wisdom and soul and Weltschmerz".

This is rather hard to explain to someone not sharing the German mindset.

[Peelee]

This is rather hard to explain to someone not sharing the German mindset.

Which is why you should ask an Austrian.

[Florian]

Which is why you should ask an Austrian.

No, you don't.

It´s better to acknowledge that there are a few countries able to form their "inland empire", most often based on population density.

Iran, Turkey, Germany, Japan and HK fit that bill, former empires like Austria or the UK don't.

[Peelee]

No, you don't.

It´s better to acknowledge that there are a few countries able to form their "inland empire", most often based on population density.

Iran, Turkey, Germany, Japan and HK fit that bill, former empires like Austria or the UK don't.

How many Germans does it take to screw in a light bulb?

One. They are very efficient and do not enjoy jokes. :smalltongue:

[Florian]

How many Germans does it take to screw in a light bulb?

One. They are very efficient and do not enjoy jokes. :smalltongue:

You are evading a serious answer, Genosse Lee.

[Peelee]

You are evading a serious answer, Genosse Lee.

Genau! Though I have to note, I evaded a serious answer with that joke about the Austrians to begin with, so it's a bit late to be throwing that accusation around.:smallwink:

[Florian]

Genau! Though I have to note, I evaded a serious answer with that joke about the Austrians to begin with, so it's a bit late to be throwing that accusation around.:smallwink:

Care to have a serious discussion?

[Peelee]

Care to have a serious discussion?

About German/inland imperial world pain/world weariness? Nah. I'd just end up cracking more jokes about deferring to my Austrian brethren.

[Florian]

About German/inland imperial world pain/world weariness? Nah. I'd just end up cracking more jokes about deferring to my Austrian brethren.

You don't have those.

I don´t know what is wrong with you over in the States. What you call your roots and and our local reality seldom meet on a workable level.

[Keltest]

You don't have those.

I don´t know what is wrong with you over in the States. What you call your roots and and our local reality seldom meet on a workable level.

Our national identity is short a zero in age compared to you folks on the other side of the pond, so we have a tendency to look back at anything beyond that time and wonder why we dont have as legitimate a claim to that heritage as you guys do just because we happen to not live there anymore. If a German moves to England, does he suddenly become English and stop being German? What about his children, who are being raised by a German family? Wheres the cutoff?

[Peelee]

You don't have those.

I don´t know what is wrong with you over in the States. What you call your roots and and our local reality seldom meet on a workable level.

I'm half Austrian and do not care for petty gatekeeping about my roots, especially from people who have little to no idea what my roots actually are (such as how close I am to my Austrian family).

But hey, maybe it's different in Germany. Maybe as soon as someone moves away and has a kid, you completely shun them. Don't know, since I have virtually no interest in Germany. All I can say is I'm happy that my family is Austrian. Good people, I like them a lot, and it seems to be mutual.

[Razade]

Especially considering that those of us in the United States keeps a lot of what was brought with us close. I grew up between a Russian family, second generation, and they spoke Russian and English and cooked mostly Russian dishes with substitutes when and where they were needed and if you told them they weren't Russian they'd probably kick you out of their house and never speak to you again. That's indicative of a lot of families. Most American families are only fifth or sixth generation and with the increase in how long people live, lots of them have family members that are old enough to remember coming to the country or living with someone who was an immigrant where the culture is retained in a higher density that what you might see on television or in the media. The cultural landscape of the United States is complex and way beyond something we can discuss on this particular forum.

Also keep in mind that as far as ancestry goes, 50 million Americans claim some ancestry back to Germanic roots. That's maybe a drop in the bucket for a country with 382 million people but it's the single largest ethnic group in the country. In the entire country. Sixteen of the fifteen states has German as the second most spoken language of their states. Which is down quite a lot and it wasn't until two very messy bumps in history we're not allowed to discuss here that many Americans had it as a second languge. Especially in the Heartland. You can still find German Villages all across Pennsylvania and Ohio even though anything related to that went westward 100 years ago. Likewise above, if you'd told those Americans they weren't German because they didn't live in the German Empire I think you'd have rather a cold reception.

Both my mother and my father are second Generation Americans and while I really don't care about being German or Welsh or English, I also don't really care about being an American either as it pertains to the larger country as a whole. The culture I grew up in had nothing whatsoever to do with the East Coast and its culture or the West Coast and its culture. Nor the South and its culture. American culture isn't a monolith from start to finish, just regional cultures connected by a shared history and some basic cultural mores that transcend the evolution regional cultures have undergone and a lot of that has to do with who immigrated there and when.


I'm half Austrian and do not care for petty gatekeeping about my roots, especially from people who have little to no idea what my roots actually are (such as how close I am to my Austrian family).

But hey maybe it's different in Germany. Maybe as soon as someone moves away and has a kid, you completely shun them. Don't know, since I have virtually interest in Germany. All I can say is I'm happy that my family is Austrian. Good people, I like them a lot, and it seems to be mutual.

Case meets point.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Then there’s me vibing in nz with no clue of my heritage except.. United Kingdom... maybe?

[Vinyadan]

Then there’s me vibing in nz with no clue of my heritage except.. United Kingdom... maybe?
That's something that often surprises me about Americans, they frequently seem to know or have researched or have been taught their family history from the foundation of Jamestown.


No, you don't.

It´s better to acknowledge that there are a few countries able to form their "inland empire", most often based on population density.

Iran, Turkey, Germany, Japan and HK fit that bill, former empires like Austria or the UK don't.

OK, I lost the rationale for this jump from Weltschmerz to contemporary inland empires (a qualification whose meaning I also miss for multiple reasons). Especially since Weltschmerz was coined between 1823 and 1825 by a Franconian (Jean Paul) living in the Kingdom of Bavaria, at a time in which Austria, Prussia and Bavaria all belonged to the same German Confederation. It's also that the term first described an Englishman, Byron.

For what I understand, Weltschmerz describes the suffering due to the constant, unavoidable contradiction between man's subjectivity and freedom vs nature and reality.

[Keltest]

That's something that often surprises me about Americans, they frequently seem to know or have researched or have been taught their family history from the foundation of Jamestown.

Being able to trace our family history to the founding of our country/cultural group is one of the few time based things we can feasibly do that Europeans generally cannot.

[Razade]

That's something that often surprises me about Americans, they frequently seem to know or have researched or have been taught their family history from the foundation of Jamestown.

I don't know about to the founding of Jamestown but it goes back to the fact that most Americans haven't been here that long. The country has had a number of immigrant waves, each one successively larger than the last and the majority of those are during 1918 to 1950 and after. In the grand scheme of things that's not really that long of a time to track. Given that the lifespan of people have been increasing, there are people still born in 1918 alive today. The number is dwindling but consider that they have had children who were born in the 1930s who then had children born in the 1950s and that suddenly includes my father. So his family, who can trace their heritage back to Germany, spoke German and were German living in another country pressed that on to him. The line from when our family wasn't American and when it suddenly was American isn't that long. I live close to one of his cousins who is 20ish years older than him, and she still speaks German more than English and can tell me all about how her mother smuggled her over to America illegally and then claimed she was born in the U.S so that she could be a citizen without any paperwork outside figging her date of birth.

It doesn't take a lot of research for a lot of us, is my point. We know where we come from because it wasn't that long ago that we were the very people Florian wants to tell us we have no connection to or right to claim familial bonds to.

[Florian]

For what I understand, Weltschmerz describes the suffering due to the constant, unavoidable contradiction between man's subjectivity and freedom vs nature and reality.

Not correct.

For Weltschmerz to happen, you must first have given thought about the ideal state of something, then found that something to be imperfect/flawed/broken, therefore everything you do in regard to that something is also imperfect/flawed/broken.

For example, there's the philosophical concept of the "end of history". At one point, everything has been said and done, every conflict has been resolved, an ideal state has been reached and nothing new will develop from that point on, as nothing new will be needed. History, in the sense of a constant series of conflicts, is over at that point. (Hegel, Marx)

Now consider Popper and Kant. "Zero tolerance towards the intolerant" and the inherent self-constraint imposed by the Categorical Imperative point towards a paradox: An open, liberal society must be quite illiberal to sustain itself. When you go by the notion that "Your freedom ends at the point that you infringe upon the freedom of another", or "Act upon others as you want others to act upon you", you acknowledge the paradox that true freedom does not exist, or rather, that boundaries actually shape freedom.

There's a bleak example for this. The German Constitution holds an "Eternity Clause". The only thing that is exempt from democratic vote is democracy itself. The Bundeswehr (german army) and secret service have the standing task of toppling any nondemocratic government in Germany by force, no matter if that government was empowered by democratic vote.

So, taken together, at one point, democracy will "resolve itself". For a democratic, this is a major source of Weltschmerz.

[Florian]

Our national identity is short a zero in age compared to you folks on the other side of the pond, so we have a tendency to look back at anything beyond that time and wonder why we dont have as legitimate a claim to that heritage as you guys do just because we happen to not live there anymore. If a German moves to England, does he suddenly become English and stop being German? What about his children, who are being raised by a German family? Wheres the cutoff?

*Shrugs*

Europe is less about nation and more about culture.

I think this is the main point that you guys over in "the colonies" don't understand, despite Canada, the States, Australia and New Seeland being way more stable than anything that we experienced in continental Europe.

For example, consider Belgium and Germany. Basically, there is no "Belgium Culture". The country is evenly split between "French Culture" and "Netherlands Culture". Germany is the opposite. "German Culture" extends way beyond the borders of the actual nation, way down to the Alto Aldige region of Italy.

Maybe you are the one asking the question wrong?

[Fyraltari]

Our national identity is short a zero in age compared to you folks on the other side of the pond, so we have a tendency to look back at anything beyond that time and wonder why we dont have as legitimate a claim to that heritage as you guys do just because we happen to not live there anymore. If a German moves to England, does he suddenly become English and stop being German? What about his children, who are being raised by a German family? Wheres the cutoff?

My grandfather was born in France of Italian immigrants. He died back when I was starting to figure out how sentences work, so I never got to ask him the question but I know that neither my father my aunt, my siblings, my cousin or myself consider ourselves Italians.

I think this is a question of integration. In European countries, immigrant are encouraged to integrate themselves into the local culture/identity meaning that second generation immigrants generally think of themselves as being part this and part that and third generation think of themselves as members of their nation of birth with an heritage, heritage that becomes less and less important as generations go.

Of course this process is slower if a first generation immigrant has children with another immigrant of the same country than if they do the same with a native.

The United States, if my understanding is correct, see itself as a melting pot, where immigrants all bring their own cultures/identities and can retain them while being Americans. I would guess that this is due to the nation’s history: being founded by immigrants. As there weren’t an already established majority to absorb them, each community passed down its own identity/culture to its children.

Edit: keep in mind that I am absolutely not an expert in any of this and this is just my own musings. I wouldn’t be surprised if I as completely off the mark.

[Razade]

*Shrugs*

Europe is less about nation and more about culture.

I think this is the main point that you guys over in "the colonies" don't understand, despite Canada, the States, Australia and New Seeland being way more stable than anything that we experienced in continental Europe.

For example, consider Belgium and Germany. Basically, there is no "Belgium Culture". The country is evenly split between "French Culture" and "Netherlands Culture". Germany is the opposite. "German Culture" extends way beyond the borders of the actual nation, way down to the Alto Aldige region of Italy.

Maybe you are the one asking the question wrong?

Knowing some Belgians, I think they'd disagree with your assessment that there is no "Belgian Culture" outside the French and Netherlands identity.

We're not the one asking any question. You told Peelee that they didn't have Austrian brethren and we've pushed back on your concept that just because we're Americans we don't have cultural ties back to where we came from. I think most of us here understand that Euope and its culture is way more complicated than sociopolitical boarders.


As there weren’t an already established majority to absorb them, each community passed down its own identity/culture to its children.

The First Nations would like to have a word with you.

[Fyraltari]

The First Nations would like to have a word with you.

I thought about mentionning them but I wasn't sure about how I could explain the reasons the American settlers did not integrate into the native american societies they encountered. I decided not to try because I assumed everyone would know. Apparently I needed to, so here goes: Invaders and immigrants aren't the same thing.

[Lord Raziere]

I learned one watching an elder scrolls lore video:

sinistral: a fancy word for being left-handed.

[Rockphed]

I thought about mentionning them but I wasn't sure about how I could explain the reasons the American settlers did not integrate into the native american societies they encountered. I decided not to try because I assumed everyone would know. Apparently I needed to, so here goes: Invaders and immigrants aren't the same thing.

There were some immigrants who integrated into various native cultures. One of the biggest sources of same was that Cherokee (I think) would buy africans as slaves, but the children of slaves were both free and members of the group that had enslaved their parents. I mostly know about this because I knew a guy who was descended from same, so I am sorry I can't give more details.

The other reason that there wasn't much integration into native culture is that, thanks to diseases brought by Europeans, the native cultures were often either fragmented or destroyed before the Europeans tried to settle in the area.

[snowblizz]

The other reason that there wasn't much integration into native culture is that, thanks to diseases brought by Europeans, the native cultures were often either fragmented or destroyed before the Europeans tried to settle in the area.

And that if I understand it right, comes back to Fyraltari's point. There was no established majority to absorb them. Due to deceases, conflicts and so on, most american native cultures were pushed off and declined. Trying to just make a neutral argument the demographic equation did not favour the natives.

In places like India and China invaders would come in, conquer and then eventually get absorbed by the local populace. Sometimes forming cultural hybrids or new cultures (i.e. to say even the majority changes somewhat in the contact) Even in South America the native to newcomer ratio seems to me slighlty more even keeled.

[Scarlet Knight]

Here is a new one to me: Concision - using only the words necessary to convey an idea.

"His admirable effort at concision gets the better of him as many important players barely make a cameo."

[BisectedBrioche]

It's not a word, but I recently learnt the term "I've got milk on the stove", meaning "sorry, I've got something that absolutely needs my undivided attention, so I can't hear you out this second!". From the way milk suddenly boils over if you don't keep an eye on it.

[removed because I went AFK and managed to reply to something on the first page]

[Khedrac]

Yesterday I finally learnt that an ornithopter is a flaying machine that uses flapping wings, I have known the term for decades, but did not know how they differed from other flying machines.

[Rockphed]

Yesterday I finally learnt that an ornithopter is a flaying machine that uses flapping wings, I have known the term for decades, but did not know how they differed from other flying machines.

And it automatically plays "ride of the valkyries" as you fly it. :tongue:

I figured it out from a combination of Dune 2000 and playing Magic: the Gathering.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Yesterday I finally learnt that an ornithopter is a flaying machine that uses flapping wings, I have known the term for decades, but did not know how they differed from other flying machines.

I presume you meant flying machine, a flaying machine would be a lot different.

[snowblizz]

I presume you meant flying machine, a flaying machine would be a lot different.

Unless you dive low over a crowd, in which case the difference is rather academic.

[Khedrac]

I presume you meant flying machine, a flaying machine would be a lot different.

Oopsie - that's a rather Freudian typo. On the other hand, there's an idea for a new horror-genre monster, presumably the wings would have to be covered in something rather like sharkskin.

OK - freebie word for people who may not already know it - gibbous.

With reference to the moon it is simply between half-full and full (or full and half-full depending on direction). HP Lovecraft liked using words with very prosaic meanings that were unfamiliar to hint at something much darker.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Oopsie - that's a rather Freudian typo. On the other hand, there's an idea for a new horror-genre monster, presumably the wings would have to be covered in something rather like sharkskin.

OK - freebie word for people who may not already know it - gibbous.

With reference to the moon it is simply between half-full and full (or full and half-full depending on direction). HP Lovecraft liked using words with very prosaic meanings that were unfamiliar to hint at something much darker.

I like gibbous moons.

[Scarlet Knight]

abseil : descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point; rappel.

"The commandos had to abseil down sheer cliffs to reach the hostage."

[BisectedBrioche]

abseil : descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point; rappel.

"The commandos had to abseil down sheer cliffs to reach the hostage."

Interesting, it's the default word in the UK (we use it where an American English speaker would say "rappel").

[Florian]

The original term is "Abseilen". "Ab" is short for "Abwärts", meaning "Downwards", "Seil" is the common term for "climbing rope", the ending "en" describes an action, turning it into "using a climbing rope".
It´s a good example how we use compound words to condense whole sentences/concepts.

[SZbNAhL]

I just learned proskynesis (the act of bowing as a sign of respect, especially in the Persian culture) from this post:


The question is how much of a goddess she considers herself... we haven't seen her receiving open worship or proskynesis.

[MCollarsen]

Apoplectic - To overcome with anger

[Khedrac]

Apoplectic - To overcome with anger

I hope you just made a typo. as that definition is actually badly wrong:

Apoplectic - overcome with anger

"To overcome with anger" would mean you/they are overcoming something else which is a very different thing.
Apoplexy (i.e. when someone is apoplectic) is when someone is overcome with anger.

[Vinyadan]

"Couth". I had never heard it; only "uncouth".

[SZbNAhL]

"Couth". I had never heard it; only "uncouth".

It's one of those words that has died out, leaving only an obviously-derivative word behind. Like how pamphlets are everywhere, but nobody ever talks about full-size pamphs anymore.

[Florian]

It's one of those words that has died out, leaving only an obviously-derivative word behind.

It´s actually quite interesting.

Couth/Uncouth in english, Keusch/Unkeusch in german. It gets more interesting when looking at Kulturni/Njet Kulturni in russian,

In a sense, it´s actually a word that got assimilated by religion and stayed there. Cough/Keusch describes christian as well as moslem values, while the counterparts, Uncouth/Unkeusch/Njet Kulturni describe universal society-based values.

[SZbNAhL]

Braggadocio - boastful or arrogant behaviour, or one who performs such behaviour. Also used specifically to describe hyperbolic boasting among rappers.

[Artemis97]

Poltroon: An utter coward.

Got brought up by my husband the other day in reference to a particular world leader, and I was like "A What?" and he had to explain it. He loves using big archaic words and I love him for it.

[Scarlet Knight]

mordant - having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting as in "a mordant wit".

I read it and thought it meant something similar to morbid sense of humor.


BTW: Poltroon & Braggadocio are great Ren Faire words! If we ever get to go again....:smallfrown:

[tyckspoon]

mordant - having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting as in "a mordant wit".


It's also the term for the chemicals or additions used to fix dyes so they don't fade out or rub off too easily. Possibly related, as many of the traditional mordants would be very acrid or astringent chemicals that usually have a smell/taste described as 'sharp.'

[Vinyadan]

It's also the term for the chemicals or additions used to fix dyes so they don't fade out or rub off too easily. Possibly related, as many of the traditional mordants would be very acrid or astringent chemicals that usually have a smell/taste described as 'sharp.'
I think that both come from mordre = to bite, mordant literally meaning "biting". Mordant also used to mean acids used for refining metal, so it would have left some bite in there. Maybe mordant in the modern chemical sense is an extension of this meaning. Another explanation I found is that it's because it holds the dye, like an animal holding on to something by biting it, but I find it less likely. Mordant wit = biting wit seems to make sense, however (with a sense similar to "stinging").

[Corian]

As a Stephen Donaldson fan, here's an obligatory reference (from the archive (https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072819/http://www.gdiproductions.net/srdamd/))

[Scarlet Knight]

oeuvre : A work of art; The complete body of an artist's work.

"Readers familiar with the poet's oeuvre recognize her unusual impulses."

[Boadicea]

This one's a mouthful I learned in Latin class:
Anagnorisis: the key realization in a play, usually a tragedy, that leads to the plot's resolution, such as someone's true identity being revealed moments before the climax.
And because I used to play Freerice a ton of times and accumulated a list of my favorite cool-sounding words, here's a few more of them for the road:
Enantiodromia: the tendency for things to transform into their opposites. Usually used in psychology.
Entelechy: the realization of potential, such as when Elan learned the Dashing Swordsman class and put his Charisma stat to combat use.
Epeolatry: the worship of words. Sounds like something Vaarsuvius should get into.
And one of my favorites, ophidian. It means snake-like. I liked it so much I named one of my characters after it, though I added an "r" to make it less obvious.

[Imbalance]

I learned one watching an elder scrolls lore video:

sinistral: a fancy word for being left-handed.

Coincidentally, I remember it from the subtitle of an older video game: Lufia II. Having looked it up back then, I still wonder if the game was trying to say that all southpaws are evil gods...

Today I learned that a colloquialism for sunshower, the phenomenon of rain on a sunny day (cue CCR), is "the devil beating his wife." I didn't even know he was married.

I was also recently browbeaten for misusing "ephemeral," a word I know well, in reference to the main blood vessel in the upper part of one's leg. I've been trying to reconcile in the weeks since how I got by so long without any memory of having ever seen "femoral" in print, along with feeling a sense that I may need to rewatch a number of medical dramas and certain crime shows with this new understanding.

[WinterKnight404]

"anodyne" - not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so.

[Rynjin]

"anodyne" - not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so.

Also a medicine or cure, as I learned from playing Dragon's Dogma years ago (the basic healing spell being Anodyne).

[Eldan]

Hypocorism, an affectionate nickname.

[Razade]

Also a medicine or cure, as I learned from playing Dragon's Dogma years ago (the basic healing spell being Anodyne).

Specifically it relates to pain killers or pain relief. Not just any medicine or cure.

[Scarlet Knight]

Accrete - to grow together; adhere

"Temptations and decisions that accrete into experience."

[ForzaFiori]

obloquy - strong public criticism or verbal abuse.

[SZbNAhL]

Ptochocracy - rule by the poor (opposite of the more common plutocracy).



Accrete - to grow together; adhere

"Temptations and decisions that accrete into experience."

Hence the "accretion disc" of accreting matter around young stars.

[Eldan]

Geitonogamy, when a flower pollinates a different flower of the same plant.

[Scarlet Knight]

Lacuna - a blank space or a missing part : gap; deficiency.

"That absence is not a lacuna in the story."

[Yora]

Discombobulate.

[Rockphed]

Discombobulate.

I don't know when I learned "discombobulate". I feel like I have always known it. Either one of my older siblings liked it or it was in a book I read as a child or on a TV show. Now I must examine my childhood to find out.

[Scarlet Knight]

Ineffable - incapable of being expressed in words : indescribable

"The best fiction is ineffable; the reader cannot precisely explain what they have experienced."

[Shirow]

:smallredface:
dais - a low platform
loth - loath
wisp - a small bunch
gluon - a type of particle
vasopressin - an attachment hormone

[understatement]

travail - trial, tribulation

mire - swamp

[Rockphed]

travail - trial, tribulation

mire - swamp

Travail also means "labor, especially the labor of giving birth".

[Xuc Xac]

"Travail" comes from the French word for "work" and is the same root as "travel", because traveling was hard work with no paved roads back when the English were picking up French vocabulary from the Normans.

A "quag" is a swamp with soft ground that's easy to sink into. A "mire" is a swamp with sticky mud that's hard to get out of (the kind of mud that sucks the boot off your foot when you try to walk). A "quagmire" is both easy to sink in and hard to get out.

[Scarlet Knight]

quotidian: ordinary, everyday

"The quotidian chores of holding a democracy together."

[Vinyadan]

"Travail" comes from the French word for "work" and is the same root as "travel", because traveling was hard work with no paved roads back when the English were picking up French vocabulary from the Normans.

And Lat. labor also could mean work, but in a different acception, as "the result of work" ("work of art); children were "labores uteri", the work of the uterus.

More strictly, labor meant "toil". Oddly, eclypses were called labores solis (the sun's toils).

Apparently, travail comes from "tripalium", a torture instrument made up of three (tri-) poles (-palium). Something similar is tribulation, as the tribuli were caltrops (there's also a verb tribulo, I press).

[ForzaFiori]

Eleemosynary - relating to or dependant on charity; charitable.

This may be a new favorite word of mine. No idea how to pronounce it (I came across it in my First Amendment casebook and googled the definition), but it just looks like it'd be fun to say.

[Grey Watcher]

Medical problems are great for learning new words. Like cytoscopy.

[SZbNAhL]

Medical problems are great for learning new words. Like cytoscopy.

I just looked up what that is, and you have my deepest sympathy. Ouch.

Incidentally: brobdignagian, meaning gigantic, as in the land of Brobdignag in Gulliver's Travels. One of two excellent words I picked up from the Diniverse Question (the other being "aglet", if anyone was wondering).

[ForzaFiori]

I just looked up what that is, and you have my deepest sympathy. Ouch.

Incidentally: brobdignagian, meaning gigantic, as in the land of Brobdignag in Gulliver's Travels. One of two excellent words I picked up from the Diniverse Question (the other being "aglet", if anyone was wondering).

This makes me slightly ashamed for having never considered that brobdignag would be turned into an adjective too, despite the fact that I've know lilliputian is a word most of my life.

[snowblizz]

This makes me slightly ashamed for having never considered that brobdignag would be turned into an adjective too, despite the fact that I've know lilliputian is a word most of my life.

In all fairness the first story is the most famous one and often the only one you get to see as most generic Guillivers Travel's experience, be it a children's book or movie adaptation.

For some odd reason the one story where we normals are the superior ones is the one that gets mostly bandied about.:smallbiggrin:

[Sermil]

From the NY Times mini crossword:

agita, meaning anxiety, stress, or aggravation. I had never even heard of the word and assumed I had gotten a letter wrong, but the crossword said "Correct!" and dictionary.com says it's a real word. Apparently, it can also mean indigestion from eating spicy food.


Now that I've learned that, I'll probably go back to not knowing that in about 2 days 🤷

[Rogar Demonblud]

It's also the root of agitation.

[Scarlet Knight]

From the NY Times mini crossword:

agita, meaning anxiety, stress, or aggravation. I had never even heard of the word and assumed I had gotten a letter wrong, but the crossword said "Correct!" and dictionary.com says it's a real word. Apparently, it can also mean indigestion from eating spicy food.


Now that I've learned that, I'll probably go back to not knowing that in about 2 days 🤷

That is a word every Italian American I've ever met uses, perhaps daily.

I just read this word in Sundays paper: interrobang - an unconventional punctuation mark used and intended to combine the functions of the question mark and the exclamation point.

"With all the confusion and panic, it feels like an interrobang."

[Sermil]

It's also the root of agitation.

Oh, I knew it was a root. I just didn't know it was an actively used word by itself.

[Vinyadan]

That is a word every Italian American I've ever met uses, perhaps daily.

It's in none of the major Italian dictionaries, so it either is dialectal, or it's a new form that was created in America. A 1991 letter (https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/11/opinion/l-agita-spells-no-relief-in-any-language-309591.html) to the NYT assumes that it's from "acido" (=acid). As English acid, It. acido also is an adjective, so it can become acida if it refers to a feminine name, which over time can be omitted.
The alternative is a piece of medical Latin that made its way into the common parlance (acida being the plural of acidum "acid thing", so "acids").

[ForzaFiori]

That is a word every Italian American I've ever met uses, perhaps daily.


I realize you're from NY, so you probably have a larger pool of examples to draw from than me, but I'm Italian-American (and only one generation removed from New Jersey, so I'd hope the lingo hasn't changed that much) and I can't recall any of my family ever using "agita."

[Scarlet Knight]

It's in none of the major Italian dictionaries, so it either is dialectal, or it's a new form that was created in America. A 1991 letter (https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/11/opinion/l-agita-spells-no-relief-in-any-language-309591.html) to the NYT assumes that it's from "acido" (=acid). As English acid, It. acido also is an adjective, so it can become acida if it refers to a feminine name, which over time can be omitted.
The alternative is a piece of medical Latin that made its way into the common parlance (acida being the plural of acidum "acid thing", so "acids").

I believe it's more from the Italian "agitare": to upset or work up which is in my copies of Larousse and Webster I/A dictionaries. "Agita" as a noun is not there so I assume it's slang.

Can any true Italians in the Playground confirm? My family is Barese if it's dialect.


I realize you're from NY, so you probably have a larger pool of examples to draw from than me, but I'm Italian-American (and only one generation removed from New Jersey, so I'd hope the lingo hasn't changed that much) and I can't recall any of my family ever using "agita."

That's funny; if anything Italian slang has been fading over time as immigration has slowed. Well, I guess it's usage varies regionally (From your name, I figured you're Italian American if not pure Italian). I was born in Hoboken before moving to NY. A quick google search said it was common Italian American slang. I assumed the phrase "You're givin' me agita!" was in every Mafia script. :smallwink:

[Eldan]

Looking it up in three different online dictionaries doesn't give any results in Italian for Agita, other than a conjugated verb.

[Xuc Xac]

Looking it up in three different online dictionaries doesn't give any results in Italian for Agita, other than a conjugated verb.

Looking up "agita" in an English dictionary shows it's an American slang word that probably came from a regional Italian pronunciation. You probably won't find it in an Italian dictionary. The "Italian" words used by Italian-Americans are usually pretty far removed from any standard Italian pronunciation. These are the same people who say "gabagool" when they mean "capicola".

[ForzaFiori]

That's funny; if anything Italian slang has been fading over time as immigration has slowed. Well, I guess it's usage varies regionally (From your name, I figured you're Italian American if not pure Italian). I was born in Hoboken before moving to NY. A quick google search said it was common Italian American slang. I assumed the phrase "You're givin' me agita!" was in every Mafia script. :smallwink:

I am Italian-American, though as I insinuated in my earlier response, my family is not as... ITALIAN as some :smalltongue: We've been here a while (I'm 4th generation - my great-grandfather came over very early in the big wave of Italian immigration) and due to a variety of factors (my great grandfather and grandfather both died young from what I understand - I never met either one - and my father moved south to go to college, so I didn't get to meet many of my truly Italian family members) our connection to our family roots is limited. My extended family uses some Italian slang (mostly slang that has also made it into English, but in much higher quantities - things like ciao, capisce, etc) we have lasagna at thanksgiving, and of course our last name is Italian, but sadly that's about it.

[Peelee]

I am Italian-American, though as I insinuated in my earlier response, my family is not as... ITALIAN as some :smalltongue: We've been here a while (I'm 4th generation - my great-grandfather came over very early in the big wave of Italian immigration) and due to a variety of factors (my great grandfather and grandfather both died young from what I understand - I never met either one - and my father moved south to go to college, so I didn't get to meet many of my truly Italian family members) our connection to our family roots is limited. My extended family uses some Italian slang (mostly slang that has also made it into English, but in much higher quantities - things like ciao, capisce, etc) we have lasagna at thanksgiving, and of course our last name is Italian, but sadly that's about it.

Quite some time ago, my dad died unexpectedly. I didn't quite know about the whole "everyone comes to your house with food" aspect of death at the time, I was still pretty young. Because it was pretty sudden and out of nowhere, some people just brought fast food, like Arby's. Some people were able to whip some things together. But the most memorable one, far and away, was these family friends who were super Italian. My brother and one of their kids were best friends, I'd gone to school with one of their daughters, had a huge crush on the other daughter the entire time I knew her, our parents were always getting together, we'd just all been pretty close for most of my life. Anyway, the grandparents were, every one of them, Italian immigrants. So they come to the house (well, as many as were in town. Again, very surprising death). And the grandmother, who I rarely met but always loved when I did, was about the most embarrassed I've ever seen someone be. Wailing and gnashing of teeth, just in a pure state of lament, because due to the suddenness, while she had brought a lasagna, she did not have time to make the noodles and was forced to resort to store-bought noodles, and begged us to forgive her.

I love that family.

[ForzaFiori]

Quite some time ago, my dad died unexpectedly. I didn't quite know about the whole "everyone comes to your house with food" aspect of death at the time, I was still pretty young. Because it was pretty sudden and out of nowhere, some people just brought fast food, like Arby's. Some people were able to whip some things together. But the most memorable one, far and away, was these family friends who were super Italian. My brother and one of their kids were best friends, I'd gone to school with one of their daughters, had a huge crush on the other daughter the entire time I knew her, our parents were always getting together, we'd just all been pretty close for most of my life. Anyway, the grandparents were, every one of them, Italian immigrants. So they come to the house (well, as many as were in town. Again, very surprising death). And the grandmother, who I rarely met but always loved when I did, was about the most embarrassed I've ever seen someone be. Wailing and gnashing of teeth, just in a pure state of lament, because due to the suddenness, while she had brought a lasagna, she did not have time to make the noodles and was forced to resort to store-bought noodles, and begged us to forgive her.

I love that family.

Food is definitely a big part of Italian culture (and plenty others, I'm sure). That part of a culture also always seems to be one of the most deeply held - almost everyone I know who's family seems to care in anyway what it's roots are, one of the first things they show you is their family recipes - English, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Greek, if your family puts something before "American" when describing themselves (even regional US terms like southeastern or midwestern to a limited extent), odds are pretty good you have a family dish to prove it. It probably is for the same reason that food television picked up in the US after 9/11. Nothing makes you think of home more than food, so it's the last part of the "old country" a family gives up.

I will say though, I think that I got the good end of this tendency - both traditional Italian and southern food is amazing, and I have recipes for both in my family. :smallbiggrin:


To get back on topic - More fun with legal terms: Trespass can be used in reference to a person: to "trespass" someone means to bar them from an area. IE, if you trespass on my land, I will trespass you and bar you from ever returning, and stores will "trespass" shoplifters.

[truemane]

And Lat. labor also could mean work, but in a different acception, as "the result of work" ("work of art); children were "labores uteri", the work of the uterus.

The Latin/Roman term for work, as in your job, is "necotium." Which is a negative prefix ('nec') attached to the word 'otium' meaning leisure. For Romans your job wasn't a thing you did because it had inherent worth, it was the thing you did when you weren't relaxing. They didn't put the same value on work ethic that 'we' do.

[Scarlet Knight]

All this talk of family made my slap my forehead. I called my Dad, who confirmed "agita" was slang and neither dialect nor true Italian.

Now I have a cannoli craving. :smallannoyed:

I found this in a chapter on laughing rats: Metacognition. It's a mental ability to know what you know and what you don't know.

"Metacognition was showed in rats who were rewarded for pressing the right answer but also for not pressing a lever if they did not know the answer."

I guess that is why D&D players tell each other "not to meta-game".

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I found this in a chapter on laughing rats: Metacognition. It's a mental ability to know what you know and what you don't know.

"Metacognition was showed in rats who were rewarded for pressing the right answer but also for not pressing a lever if they did not know the answer."

I guess that is why D&D players tell each other "not to meta-game".

Not quite. Meta- just means "applied to itself" so "metagame" means "gaming the game", while metacognition means "thinking about what you are thinking" (and "metaliterature" means a book about other books, etc). So metagaming is not named after metacognition, they are just both named after the effect of applying something to itself.

GW

[snowblizz]

The Latin/Roman term for work, as in your job, is "necotium." Which is a negative prefix ('nec') attached to the word 'otium' meaning leisure. For Romans your job wasn't a thing you did because it had inherent worth, it was the thing you did when you weren't relaxing. They didn't put the same value on work ethic that 'we' do.

A true Roman didn't work after all. Also apparently ancient Greek looked down upon physical labour. Both socities were quite heavily slavery based, the Greek more domestically as was the general trend in the region since even more ancient times. Rome much more generally infused with slaves at every level as it rolled on and conqured more territory. It probably ends up a bit of a chicken-egg situation, but as poor self-sustaining Roman farmers were pushed off their lands to be replced by large slave estates that also means many poor to modest people were essentially living a life of leasure. Though compared to the actually rich and powerful they might in cmaprison as well been slaves. But at least they were Romans and had a vote, which efectively was bought by subsidies. Meaning that a true Roman, rich or poor, in one sense didn't really have to work. I imagine that creates an interesting view of hard labour.

Similarly medieaval Europe was thought to be divided into 3 categories, those who pray (the church basically), those who fight (effectively nobility) and those who work (everyone else). That scale effectively goes from least sweating to most sweating.There are parallells to the caste system in the Indian subcontinent too now that I think about it. And quite broadly speaking hard and dirty jobs have always been considered negatively and pushed onto those with little choice.

I think we are fairly close to modern times when a work ethic becomes a (generally) positive and labour gains a value in of itself. Though am sure some philosophers and thinkers throughout been extolling the virtue of honest labour. Some of the examples I don't think can be brought up here.

I'm reading a book on the history of slavery and just got to the Roman period, it probably shows.:smallbiggrin:

Though thinking of it, aren't we already sliding quite hard back in the mindset that work is bad. The less you do and the more you post pictures of you not doing anything on the Net the more adored you are...

[Vinyadan]

A true Roman didn't work after all. Also apparently ancient Greek looked down upon physical labour. Both socities were quite heavily slavery based, the Greek more domestically as was the general trend in the region since even more ancient times. Rome much more generally infused with slaves at every level as it rolled on and conqured more territory. It probably ends up a bit of a chicken-egg situation, but as poor self-sustaining Roman farmers were pushed off their lands to be replced by large slave estates that also means many poor to modest people were essentially living a life of leasure. Though compared to the actually rich and powerful they might in cmaprison as well been slaves. But at least they were Romans and had a vote, which efectively was bought by subsidies. Meaning that a true Roman, rich or poor, in one sense didn't really have to work. I imagine that creates an interesting view of hard labour.
That's just not true, at any level you may want to put it. You have legends like those of Cincinnatus that show the good view of manual labour, and its glorification by Vergil's works dedicated to it. Even in Imperial times, you are not considering how the life of a free man in the country really was, doing different jobs for different owners depending on the time of the year to complement the gains he would have obtained from his own small piece of land (different agricultural works swing a lot in the need for manpower depending on period). Which is very different from being a slave to a single owner, not to say anything about how different the lives of different slaves really were (to make a practical example, a freeman in the countryside didn't risk living his life chained to the oil mill, as some slaves did).

The Greeks had figures like Laertes in the Odyssey, and Hesiod's Works and Days (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0132%3Acard%3D27 4). I don't remember any text disparaging agricultural work. There obviously were parodies of the country-folk, the same way that there was a certain disdain towards the lower urban dwellers by the higher classes, but that ended there.

The Greeks had a fairly negative view of life, and, among its uncountable list of pains, they surely also included work; but recognising its need and unpleasantness is very different from looking down upon it.

[Caerulea]

I'm reading a book on the history of slavery and just got to the Roman period, it probably shows.:smallbiggrin:
What's it called? It sounds interesting.

[Scarlet Knight]

Not quite. Meta- just means "applied to itself" so "metagame" means "gaming the game", while metacognition means "thinking about what you are thinking" (and "metaliterature" means a book about other books, etc). So metagaming is not named after metacognition, they are just both named after the effect of applying something to itself. GW

Thanks for the clarification!


Contrapuntal - 1: polyphonic 2: of, relating to, or marked by counterpoint.

The story I read referred to the second definition "The two men soon moved in a contrapuntal rhythm".

[Vinyadan]

Question: I've seen the word "meltdown" used to refer to an angry reaction by an adult man. Does it imply that the person is petty (as it's often used for kids), or that he's not neurotypical?

[Keltest]

Question: I've seen the word "meltdown" used to refer to an angry reaction by an adult man. Does it imply that the person is petty (as it's often used for kids), or that he's not neurotypical?

Both, potentially, but typically the former in my experience. You might see "he exploded" used in a similar context. It also carries undertones of unreasonableness that other terms for an extreme reaction do not necessarily.

[Spacewolf]

Neither I think?
It seems like it comes from a nuclear meltdown, so basically just a violent out of control reaction. I wouldn't ascribe it to mean non-neurotypical or childish, personally at least.

[Rogar Demonblud]

As I understand it, it started as a metaphor (reactors melting down is really bad) which got broadly applied to the point of meaninglessness.

[Xuc Xac]

When a barbarian in D&D goes into a rage, they can still do useful things and even get better at physical actions because of the adrenaline boost. Someone having a meltdown is also angry, but in a useless and unfocused way. It's a dysfunctional and counterproductive overreaction.

[Razade]

Question: I've seen the word "meltdown" used to refer to an angry reaction by an adult man. Does it imply that the person is petty (as it's often used for kids), or that he's not neurotypical?

Meltdown is used to mean a sudden, often disproportionate display of anger. Often violently so and generally in a public setting. It is neither a gendered thing nor does it imply neurotypical people. The whole "Karen" meme is a really good example of a metldown.

[Peelee]

Meltdown is used to mean a sudden, often disproportionate display of anger. Often violently so and generally in a public setting. It is neither a gendered thing nor does it imply neurotypical people. The whole "Karen" meme is a really good example of a metldown.

I don't know how often it's violent, but other than that this is exactly how I would define a meltdown.

[Razade]

I don't know how often it's violent, but other than that this is exactly how I would define a meltdown.

Violence doesn't have to be on people or even your surroundings. Or even physical harm. Violent here means animated, strong or overwhelming. Though I think when we use the word metldown we all get the mental image of someone throwing things around, knocking displays over. That's still violent anger.

[snowblizz]

What's it called? It sounds interesting.

"Slaveriets Historia" by **** Harrison.

Whose name always gets censored by the software. One of the more prolific Swedish historians.

[BisectedBrioche]

Question: I've seen the word "meltdown" used to refer to an angry reaction by an adult man. Does it imply that the person is petty (as it's often used for kids), or that he's not neurotypical?

The term "meltdown" is used specifically to describe one of two reactions people with ASD can show to harmful stimuli (the other being a "shutdown"); it applies just as much to autistic adults as kids, although it's more likely an adult's learnt some coping mechanisms.

But when someone says someone's having a meltdown, they probably just mean in the more generic sense (from which the term was derived) of "loses control of themselves", which itself comes from "nuclear meltdown" (similar to the expression "going nuclear" to mean an angry outburst). The definition above probably doesn't factor into it.

[Fyraltari]

Meltdown is used to mean a sudden, often disproportionate display of anger. Often violently so and generally in a public setting. It is neither a gendered thing nor does it imply neurotypical people. The whole "Karen" meme is a really good example of a metldown.

Interesting, so if somebody started crying incontrolably to the point they can't firm sentences or do anything, you wouldn't call that a meltdown?

[Razade]

Interesting, so if somebody started crying incontrolably to the point they can't firm sentences or do anything, you wouldn't call that a meltdown?

I think it depends on the context. There's a few similar terms in regards to -downs as it were all based on stimuli.

Meltdown: Which we've covered. A meltdown is a disproportionate display of anger or frustration to a given stimuli. The "Karen" meme is the perfect exemplar for this. Someone so angry at...whatever it is, that they lash out without thinking. Either physically or verbally. Often violently, which is to mean overwhelmingly but also sometimes destructively. There are certainly other ways to display this. Everyone processes and expresses frustration and anger in different manners.

Breakdown: As Brioche pointed out, this is another response people might have. Either crying or displays of profound sorrow, anger is certainly possible in a breakdown. Basically a breakdown is an event where you come to an emotional stimuli and are unable to articulate or express yourself to others until you've found a way to sort through the emotions you're feeling. It is often preceded by the term "Mental" to express that it was something internal. They can also be called a Nervous Breakdown,

Shutdown: The most severe of these, where a person as the name implies closes off completely. They either do not or cannot process or deal with external stimuli.

Of the three, I'd generally say someone crying to the point they can't articulate would be a breakdown but without the scenario and the person it could be one of any of these. It's certainly response to emotional distress.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Note that all three are technically coping mechanisms, so in moderation they aren't necessarily bad. But they do make a prima facie case for asking someone if they're alright and/or need to talk. Mental wellness checks are one of the many unstated benefits of friendship.

[SZbNAhL]

Aposematism - the use of colours and markings to deter predators. Learned it from a Dave Gorman bit* of all things.

*I won't link it here because another part of the act touched on something which is arguably politics.

[Razade]

Note that all three are technically coping mechanisms, so in moderation they aren't necessarily bad. But they do make a prima facie case for asking someone if they're alright and/or need to talk. Mental wellness checks are one of the many unstated benefits of friendship.

I'd generally urge people who think someone is a danger to themselves or others to contact some kind of medical professionals or even law enforcement while maintaining a distance to keep an eye on the person or people.

I legit thought someone was in serious danger (they were erratic and looked in distress) when I was pulling out of the car park for my apartment. I stopped the car and got out, stuck close to the car and kept my door open. I thought I'd locked the doors and I thought I was safe with a car's length between us. I had not. I was not.

The guy pulled a gun on me, told me to get into the car and started to climb into the car when it was clear I thought he was joking. I literally laughed at him and said "What are you going to do, shoot me?" as he pulled up a face mask to cover his face and kept shouting at me to get in the car. It was surreal, especially looking back 4ish years later. If someone told me that was their reaction before I probably would have just rolled my eyes. I totally get it now. The whole situation felt unreal, like it was someone else standing there with a gun in their face and not me.

It was only quick thinking, as I called out to people for help who...did not...that let me slam the door shut and back away. Luckily I was also dumb enough to have left my cellphone in my apartment (a thing I have never done since) and immediately called the cops after the guy took off. Thankfully other people in the apartment complex not in the parking lot heard me shouting and were way ahead of me. Also thankfully, it was a rental car because my actual car was stolen three weeks prior from the same parking lot while I was asleep.

It was not a good area. I thankfully got my original car back. Literally a week later. They just found it in some random apartment complex four or five blocks away. The car was going to get towed and it pinged when they ran the license. It was filled with jello packets, shampoo bottles, a ton of baby care products and a few Spanish music CDs. No idea about the rental to this day though the joke was ultimately on the guy. It was a push start car and I still have the key fob. So he didn't get far with his stolen car.

Still, the point remains. Do not approach people you suspect are in mental distress as a general rule. Not if they're elderly, not if you're a big strong strapping man and they're a lady, especially not if you're a lady and they're a much larger, strapping man. Do call the proper people to handle those sorts of issues. I'm not saying people suffering emotional problems are dangerous (I myself suffer emotional and mental health issues and I'm not dangerous), I'm not saying that you're going to be in danger every time either. What I am saying is mitigate risk to yourself and others as much as you can. Chances are unless you're a trained professional you're not going to be able to do much except make sure they're ok and wait for people who are properly trained. You never know how people are going to respond, you never know what people are really thinking or what they'll do. All you can know is what you can do and what you're going to do.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Posts like this make me wonder if I'm the only one who reads the non-COVID news. Calling 'responsible authority' has a very high probability of getting the person in distress injured or killed. Because we do not have trained professionals on call. Just the police, who are not mental health professionals.

[Scarlet Knight]

Posts like this make me wonder if I'm the only one who reads the non-COVID news. Calling 'responsible authority' has a very high probability of getting the person in distress injured or killed. Because we do not have trained professionals on call. Just the police, who are not mental health professionals.

Sadly options are few. I was in Manhattan and saw a man standing in the middle of the street , cursing the cars.

I could: a) go to him and try to calm him down...a dangerous choice. b) call 911 or c) the traditional New York answer, put my head down and keep walking. I chose b) then c) which had the best odds of success.

Here's one I've never seen before: celesbian (a portmanteau of celebrity and lesbian) - a female celebrity known or reputed to be a lesbian.

[Razade]

Posts like this make me wonder if I'm the only one who reads the non-COVID news. Calling 'responsible authority' has a very high probability of getting the person in distress injured or killed. Because we do not have trained professionals on call. Just the police, who are not mental health professionals.

I absolutely do watch the news and absolutely aware of the problems it might cause. As you assert however, it's not statistically a "high" probability of that person getting hurt or injured. The numbers don't bare that out no matter what the news shows. Going off the news, and not...ya know...data and research, is a weird way to get facts. I fear actually bringing in the numbers or really discussing this further would violate the forum rules however.

It is safer to call people who can help than it is to help yourself when you aren't trained to do it. Don't just believe me or take my word for it. Look up the numbers. I have.

[danzibr]

Food is definitely a big part of Italian culture (and plenty others, I'm sure). That part of a culture also always seems to be one of the most deeply held - almost everyone I know who's family seems to care in anyway what it's roots are, one of the first things they show you is their family recipes - English, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Greek, if your family puts something before "American" when describing themselves (even regional US terms like southeastern or midwestern to a limited extent), odds are pretty good you have a family dish to prove it. It probably is for the same reason that food television picked up in the US after 9/11. Nothing makes you think of home more than food, so it's the last part of the "old country" a family gives up.

I will say though, I think that I got the good end of this tendency - both traditional Italian and southern food is amazing, and I have recipes for both in my family. :smallbiggrin:


To get back on topic - More fun with legal terms: Trespass can be used in reference to a person: to "trespass" someone means to bar them from an area. IE, if you trespass on my land, I will trespass you and bar you from ever returning, and stores will "trespass" shoplifters.
I learned recently “sanction” is kinda like that.

[me_ow]

nonchalant :D
at first you might think its means to have no chill at all ! but its the exact opposite !

[Scarlet Knight]

Here's one I read recently: Oneiric - an adjective that describes things related to dreams.

"The book is both ornate & oneiric, eliciting both paranoia and enchantment."

[sundernaught]

I do not know if it was the OP's intention but this thread is very informative! Most of the words here are new to me :^)

[understatement]

I do not know if it was the OP's intention but this thread is very informative! Most of the words here are new to me :^)

It absolutely was!

"Bildungsroman" is one of my new favorite words.

In the newspaper today I also picked up on "extramural" : outside the walls/boundaries of a town, college, or institution.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I learned today that I've been using 'passerine' wrong. From the birds it describes, I thought is had to do with long-distance migration. Turns out it's about the style of foot they have. :smallredface:

[Scarlet Knight]

I thought this was a typo, but it's a word on it's own: Redound

1. To have an effect or consequence 2. To return; recoil

"His denial of Covid managed to redound on him."

[BisectedBrioche]

What's the difference between redound and rebound?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Redound is generally negative, rebound positive.

[Xuc Xac]

What's the difference between redound and rebound?

Redound is intransitive. It has no object: something can redound, but you can't redound something.

Rebound is transitive, so it can have an object, meaning you can do it to something.

"The ball redounded off the wall." vs "He rebounded the ball off the wall."

[Imbalance]

Spox

Is lazy journalist shorthand slang for spokesperson.

[Scarlet Knight]

Redound is intransitive. It has no object: something can redound, but you can't redound something.

Rebound is transitive, so it can have an object, meaning you can do it to something.

"The ball redounded off the wall." vs "He rebounded the ball off the wall."

I definitely feel smarter for participating in this thread.


Here's one I should have known but didn't: hagiographic.

Hagiography is the biography of a saint, so hagiographic mean to put them is the finest light. "The author of a hagiographic biography of John Brown described his actions as 'desirable & defensible', rather than criminal."

[Wildstag]

Sagacity/Sagacious is a new word to me, and I've been hearing it more often lately, which is kinda strange. People must have a predilection for using 5 dollar words when nickel-words suffice.

[Rogar Demonblud]

And yet you use a five dollar word when complaining about five dollar words.

[Rockphed]

Sagacity/Sagacious is a new word to me, and I've been hearing it more often lately, which is kinda strange. People must have a predilection for using 5 dollar words when nickel-words suffice.

I love sagacious! I used to call one of my older coworkers "oh sagacious one". After a couple times he looked up sagacious and gave me grief because it means "wise looking" instead of "wise"

[Peelee]

I love salacious! I used to call one of my older coworkers "oh sagacious one". After a couple times he looked up salacious and gave me grief because it means "wise looking" instead of "wise"

I find great hilarity in these typos/autocorrects.

[Spacewolf]

Sagacious does mean wise though doesn't it? Seems to be generally defined as Having or showing good or wise judgement.

I first heard that was from Jade Empire with Sagacious Zu.

[Peelee]

Sagacious does mean wise though doesn't it? Seems to be generally defined as Having or showing good or wise judgement.

Yep. Unlike "salacious", which, if used to refer to a coworker, would be quite salacious.:smallamused:

[Fyraltari]

Sagacious does mean wise though doesn't it? Seems to be generally defined as Having or showing good or wise judgement.

I first heard that was from Jade Empire with Sagacious Zu.

It does mean wise, more precisely it means "of keen judgement, discerning, perspicacious".

The first translation in French of the Lord of the Rings translated Samwise to Samsagace (sagace being French for sagacious) which is such a great fit to the character that it being changed to Samsaget is one of my main gripes with the (overall better) second translation.

[Scarlet Knight]

I discovered a word at almost the same time I discovered a reason to use it.

Sybaritic: Fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent.

"Whoever sent me an ad for a $1700 lace teddy must think I live a sybaritic lifestyle".

[Rockphed]

I find great hilarity in these typos/autocorrects.

I have now edited that post 3 times! I blame autocorrect.

And I don't know what online dictionary he found sagacious defined as "having the appearance of wisdom" in. I just remember him giving me grief and jokingly claiming it was a crack at his age.

[understatement]

This thread singlehandedly doubled the "words I'll probably never use but sure as hell wish to." Bless it.

Anyways,

hyssop (n): a small busy aromatic plant, part of the mint family

isinglass (n): a kind of gelatin obtained from fish to make jellies

brogue (n): a type of outdoor shoe with ornamental patterns

panegyric (n): a public speech/text praising something

sinecure (n): an office or position that requirees little work and usually provides an income

[Peelee]

brogue (n): a type of outdoor shoe with ornamental patterns

Oh! Fun fact, a brogue is also a strong accent, typically around the British Isles. For example, you could see an attractive person immediately get more attractive once they open their mouth and you hear a fine Irish brogue.

[Xuc Xac]

isinglass (n): a kind of gelatin obtained from fish to make jellies


Isinglass is also the reason why people might ask if a wine is vegan. Why would fermented grape juice not be vegan? Because most winemakers add isinglass to make all the floating fine bits of pulp settle to the bottom of the wine so it looks nice and clear before bottling. Wine isn't vegan if it had fish guts poured in it to clarify it.

[Ajustusdaniel]

Isinglass is also the reason why people might ask if a wine is vegan. Why would fermented grape juice not be vegan? Because most winemakers add isinglass to make all the floating fine bits of pulp settle to the bottom of the wine so it looks nice and clear before bottling. Wine isn't vegan if it had fish guts poured in it to clarify it.

Having done a little amateur wine making, I would have guessed the main concern would be bees flying into the mashed grapes and accidentally getting mixed in. We had a devil of a time convincing them that wasn't where they wanted to be, and we were doing everything by hand.

[Razade]

Isinglass is also the reason why people might ask if a wine is vegan. Why would fermented grape juice not be vegan? Because most winemakers add isinglass to make all the floating fine bits of pulp settle to the bottom of the wine so it looks nice and clear before bottling. Wine isn't vegan if it had fish guts poured in it to clarify it.

Isinglass is not typically used for wine making and traditional wine production does not use a fining agent at all. They use racking, a gravity assisted process that removes the lees from the wine. Beer production uses racking as well. Fining agents are really only used to avoid the long times racking takes to clarify. Isinglass is more found in beer as well, and a big reason the discussion is now in the public consciousness as Guinness uses Isinglass for their clarification and it got quite the big stir in the UK by animal rights people there. Home wine makers don't really use Isinglass either. It's expensive. for one, you need a lot of it for two and it's only good for clarifying white wines for three. You can't, or shouldn't, use Isinglass for red wines. It's also not great as a clarifying agent across the board. It's traditional for beers, and some very particular wines, but there are cheaper and better products on the market now like Bentonite and Casein. Irish moss is also used, though it doesn't work on yeast, only proteins. Different fining agents work better or worse on different things.

Vegans should still check even if Isinglass isn't the concern. Albumen and Casein are both animal products still and far more likely to be used.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The things I learn on this forum.

[danzibr]

What's the difference between redound and rebound?

Redound is generally negative, rebound positive.

Redound is intransitive. It has no object: something can redound, but you can't redound something.

Rebound is transitive, so it can have an object, meaning you can do it to something.

"The ball redounded off the wall." vs "He rebounded the ball off the wall."
I definitely hear rebound used as an intransitive verb (as well as transitive).

I discovered a word at almost the same time I discovered a reason to use it.

Sybaritic: Fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent.

"Whoever sent me an ad for a $1700 lace teddy must think I live a sybaritic lifestyle".
Huh, the things I should know. See, I knew sybarite, but never thought of the adjective form.

I encounter this quite often. Like I learned vacillating *well* before vacillate, squalid *well* before squalor, etc.

[Rogar Demonblud]

A new one I learned was debridement, to cut away dead/dying tissue to try and prevent gangrene or other infections. Often done with maggots, since they don't eat healthy tissue (too hard to digest).

[understatement]

eidetic (adj): relating to mental images having unusual vividness or detail. Thus, someone like Oracle would have eidetic memory.

kintsugi (n): a Japanese art of repairing pottery by mending it with lacquer that's been mixed with powdered gold

limoncello (n): a lemon-flavored Italian liqueur

penury (n): extreme poverty

muqarnas (n): a form of ornamented vaulting in Islamic architecture

I've been trying to keep a word diary lately, and this thread seemed like the perfect place to start.

[Peelee]

eidetic (adj): relating to mental images having unusual vividness or detail. Thus, someone like Oracle would have eidetic memory.

"Eidetic memory" is usually used to refer to perfect or near-perfect recall, usually synonymous with "photographic" memory. This isn't strictly accurate, since eidetic memory technically has an entirely different meaning altogether (IIRC it involves very short time periods and nearly everyone has eidetic memory to some degree under that usage), but if you see it in a novel, it's probably going to be the perfect recall thing.

Also limoncello is quite tasty. I also rarely drink, so take that for what it's worth.

[Rynjin]

"legerity", which is a word I'd never seen before but was able to suss out the meaning since it looks like the root for legerdemain; it's essentially just a dated synonym for agility.

[SZbNAhL]

A new one I learned was debridement, to cut away dead/dying tissue to try and prevent gangrene or other infections. Often done with maggots, since they don't eat healthy tissue (too hard to digest).

If I'd had to guess, I would have assumed that it was a fancy way of saying divorce. "I had a bride, and now I do not; I have undergone debridement".

Anyway, trochee - a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. In other words, the reverse of an iamb (the thing you need five of to a line in order to have iambic pentameter).

[Scarlet Knight]

If I'd had to guess, I would have assumed that it was a fancy way of saying divorce. "I had a bride, and now I do not; I have undergone debridement".


I've seen some brides; your definition & the medical one might still be confused in the same sentence. :smalleek:

Concupiscence: Strong sexual desire; lust.

" The reason I married her was that I lost a battle with concupiscence. "

[Rogar Demonblud]

It's pronounced de-bri-de-ment, which leads me to believe it was originally French given the similarity to debris.

[Fyraltari]

It's pronounced de-bri-de-ment, which leads me to believe it was originally French given the similarity to debris.

Close but no cigar. "Débridement" is the act of "débrider" i.e. unbind, set free. It comes from "bride" meaning bound or that thing we use to direct horses. "Débris" comes from "bris" which means broken piece.

[Peelee]

It's pronounced de-bri-de-ment, which leads me to believe it was originally French given the similarity to debris.


Close but no

Fun French Fact! "Debris" is based on the French term "de bris" which means "the cheese". The spelling in the original French later changed to "brie". The cheese was so good that the people decided to rename their region after it.

Mosr French words can trace their etymology back to cheese.

[Fyraltari]

Fun French Fact! "Debris" is based on the French term "de bris" which means "the cheese". The spelling in the original French later changed to "brie". The cheese was so good that the people decided to rename their region after it.

Mosr French words can trace their etymology back to cheese.

For example, "anglais" (english) is a corruption of "sang-de-lais" with lais being an older form of "lait" (milk). "sang-de-lais" translates to "milk-blooded" and the name comes from the habit of the Normands and Bretons to use the blood of English fishermen in their cheese making. A practice that has been on the decline starting in the 20's and which last recorded occurence happened after the première of Star Wars.

[Peelee]

For example, "anglais" (english) is a corruption of "sang-de-lais" with lais being an older form of "lait" (milk). "sang-de-lais" translates to "milk-blooded" and the name comes from the habit of the Normands and Bretons to use the blood of English fishermen in their cheese making. A practice that has been on the decline starting in the 20's and which last recorded occurence happened after the première of Star Wars.

This, of course, explains why French cheeses are among the best in the world.

[Fyraltari]

This, of course, explains why French cheeses are among the best in the world.

Among?56789

[Peelee]

Among?

Yes, among (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouda_cheese)

[Fyraltari]

Yes, among (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouda_cheese)

https://media2.giphy.com/media/fo9EFSInji9gY/giphy.gif?cid=82a1493bscbhba8hxzvhkz4tzu14yh4u678d 41srvvattzza&rid=giphy.gif

[Willie the Duck]

Among?56789

Yes, among (https://www.cheese.com/idiazabal/).

[Fyraltari]

Yes, among (https://www.cheese.com/idiazabal/).

https://media0.giphy.com/media/rhQENGnznnBT2/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47110keqis8vme638ucetrw163ix8c ndgbzfyr90mu&rid=giphy.gif

[Mister Tom]

Not exactly one word, but this past week I learned what "with prejudice" means

[Scarlet Knight]

Now I want to open a cheese shop...

Zinken: a symbol used by itinerant travelers who spoke Rotwelsch, which was a beggar's language.

"This zinken told passersby that the owner of the house would give you cheese if you asked."

[Peelee]

Now I want to open a cheese shop...

You would like to be a cheesemonger in a fromagerie, eh?

WHAT NOW, NEW WORD LEARNING THREAD?

[Rockphed]

Now I want to open a cheese shop...

Will you actually stock cheese?

[Scarlet Knight]

Will you actually stock cheese?

"Of course, sir! It is a cheese shop."
:smallwink:

@v "I think we're drifting into a different skit , sir."

[Eldan]

"Of course, sir! It is a cheese shop."
:smallwink:

But do you have a glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive?

[Fyraltari]

But do you have a glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive?

Sorry, they only deal in biological weapons.

[Ajustusdaniel]

Now I want to open a cheese shop...

Zinken: a symbol used by itinerant travelers who spoke Rotwelsch, which was a beggar's language.

"This zinken told passersby that the owner of the house would give you cheese if you asked."

Thank you! I was looking the other day for European equivalents of (possibly apocryphal) hobo sign.

[Mister Tom]

Is this the right thread for an argument?

[Peelee]

Is this the right thread for an argument?

Depends. Is the argument about cheese?