What new words have you learned recently?

[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.

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.

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 )

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 )

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. 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.