Word of the Day:Vocabulary building

[Harry Leg]

AS with the theme of this thread, why use words that don't capture exactly what you mean? Crook works nicely

Although I must agree that crook is an apt description, I thought pusillanimous captured the essence of what i meant quite nicely.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

The leaky papilla on his abdomen made him appear more pusillanimous than she'd imagined--he would not get lucky tonight.


(Pusillanimous def. as unmanly)

And let us not forget, George Wallace denouncing, "Pusillanimous pussyfooters."

Or Spiro Agnew, with the help of Pat Buchannan, denouncing, "The nattering nabobs of negativism."

And finally, who of a certain age can forget Sen Sam Irwin at the Senate Watergate hearings asking Presidential aide John Ehrlichman if CREP (the Comm. to Reelect the President, which had funneled money to the guys who got caught breaking into Demo HQ at the Watergate) was an eleemosynary organization. And Ehrlichman, to his credit, knew it meant a charitable organization.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[BlackShanglan]

I still remember with fondness the lawyer caught announcing that he and his client were still dealing with learning what allegations had been made and who the alligators were.

 

[Guest]

And finally, who of a certain age can forget Sen Sam Irwin at the Senate Watergate hearings asking Presidential aide John Ehrlichman if CREP (the Comm. to Reelect the President, which had funneled money to the guys who got caught breaking into Demo HQ at the Watergate) was an eleemosynary organization. And Ehrlichman, to his credit, knew it meant a charitable organization.

That really wasn't all that long ago, Rumps. How sad to think we cannot expect such a vocabulary in our age of 'Bushisms'.

Perdita

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

That really wasn't all that long ago, Rumps. How sad to think we cannot expect such a vocabulary in our age of 'Bushisms'.

Perdita

Agreed.

Rumple

 

[Mercurius]

Here's one I discovered recently. I like it because it somehow sounds like what it means:

pluvial - pertaining to precipitation, specifically rainfall

Also, even if you don't particularly care for salt flats, don't be a playa hater.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

borborygmi is the correct term for tummy rumbling

The word is plural. Singular is borborygmus

I've been waiting years to be able to use this word in a conversation, to no avail.

 

[Guest]

borborygmi is the correct term for tummy rumbling

The word is plural. Singular is borborygmus

I've been waiting years to be able to use this word in a conversation, to no avail.

Oh - I've used it in conversation.

Something to do with my head near my husband's stomach at certain times. That sound is most distinctive.

 

[Tom Collins]

I hate words like that. You can't use 'ambivalent' anymore, cause people will just take it as meaning apathetical.

The Earl

If the words that we use are beyond the person that is reading the story then they should look the word up on a dict. site, (I do it when I come across a word that is unfamiliar to me and they can too.) or just move on.

I'm not going to dumb down my vocabulary because our school system wont teach a child properly out of a misguided fear of causing them emotional damage. Doing so only promotes the prevailing ignorance.

 

[Tom Collins]

I was thinking more of specific audiences. Obviously I won't be using my full vocabulary if I am writing a children's book. Some words would be beyond their grasp.

If I am writing to a general audience, I expect them to have a robust vocabulary and the ability to pick meaning out from context.

I can't say that I completely agree with this, Colly.

I believe it was Beatrix Potter (I could be wrong about the author) who used the word "soporific" in one of her children's books about rabbits. That's a big, strange word for a little kid.

How will a child learn to marvel at the complex beauty of language if they aren't exposed to it?

 

[ABSTRUSE]

borborygmi is the correct term for tummy rumbling

The word is plural. Singular is borborygmus

I've been waiting years to be able to use this word in a conversation, to no avail.

You need to see an internist.

 

[Tom Collins]

To my immense embarrassment, the borborygmus emanating from the region of my abdomen could be heard at the tables abutting my own.


I like this word.

reciprocity
rec·i·proc·i·ty
n. pl. rec·i·proc·i·ties
1. A reciprocal condition or relationship.
2. A mutual or cooperative interchange of favors or privileges, especially the exchange of rights or privileges of trade between nations.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Redolent.

Every line of The Picture of Dorian Gray is redolent of the poisoned and luxurious beauty of the Decadence.

How I love that word.

 

[The_Fool]

All saccharine smiles, duplicitous words, and pseudo-intelligence, she was the embodiment of meretricious; however, puerile jealousy revealed the Janus-faced poseur to be not only rather inefficaciously vindictive, but pitiably asinine, as well.


3: based on pretense; deceptively pleasing

I like poseur. Even used it as a title once...

 

[kendo1]

I like poseur. Even used it as a title once...

I prefer Mister.

 

[McKenna]

I like this word.

reciprocity
rec·i·proc·i·ty
n. pl. rec·i·proc·i·ties
1. A reciprocal condition or relationship.
2. A mutual or cooperative interchange of favors or privileges, especially the exchange of rights or privileges of trade between nations.

Reciprocity. What a concept.

One of my favorite words, too, not just for the meaning but for the way it slides off the tongue and through the lips.