it has been so long since we have posted on this blog, so i just decided to post the word of the day, even though i don't have something thought provoking to say about this word.
lenitive \LEN-uh-tiv\ adjective
: alleviating pain or harshness : soothing
it's a good word. and a new word. i don't think i have ever heard this word used. maybe you all have something to say about this word. post a comment.
and adriane, post something already.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
memories.
last october was a big month for me. actually, all of last year (2006) was a big year which led up to a big october. over the last year (2007), i have done a lot of learning and reflecting. and now that october has rolled around, i am doing more reflecting than usual.
so i found it very fitting that the word of the day for friday was retrospect. but instead of sharing with you retrospect, i have chosen to share retrospection.
retrospection \re-truh-'spek-shun\ noun
: the act or process or an instance of surveying the past
i have absolutely been having moments of retrospection and have been reassured that every decision i made, both good and bad, led me to where i am today. and even if i had to learn things the hard way, i am grateful that i have learned those things. and i am grateful for retrospection to remind me where i don't want to go again.
so i found it very fitting that the word of the day for friday was retrospect. but instead of sharing with you retrospect, i have chosen to share retrospection.
retrospection \re-truh-'spek-shun\ noun
: the act or process or an instance of surveying the past
i have absolutely been having moments of retrospection and have been reassured that every decision i made, both good and bad, led me to where i am today. and even if i had to learn things the hard way, i am grateful that i have learned those things. and i am grateful for retrospection to remind me where i don't want to go again.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
still here.
umm...yeah...so, everyday i have thought that i needed to post something on this blog. but then i just think..."oh, i'll do it tomorrow." well, a month of tomorrows has passed by and now i am ready to post.
over the last month i have received several fantastic words-of-the-day from my friend, and yours, merriam-webster and as much as i would like to include all of those words in this post (purely out of guilt), i will only include this one word:
quidnunc \KWID-nunk\ noun
: a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip : busybody
i feel like i have had an encounter of sorts with a quidnunc today. you see, my mom's best friend is someone that will go straight to the source (or in my case, the source's mother) when she hears or reads something about someone she knows.
through a random set of circumstances, this quidnunc came across my name and while having a conversation with my mother, said quidnunc decided to ask my mother about this situation. and since i am sometimes a bit orgulous, i had not shared anything about this situation with anyone in my family. and now, because of this quidnunc, everyone in my family is going to hear all about this situation.
so, today i don't like quidnuncs.
over the last month i have received several fantastic words-of-the-day from my friend, and yours, merriam-webster and as much as i would like to include all of those words in this post (purely out of guilt), i will only include this one word:
quidnunc \KWID-nunk\ noun
: a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip : busybody
i feel like i have had an encounter of sorts with a quidnunc today. you see, my mom's best friend is someone that will go straight to the source (or in my case, the source's mother) when she hears or reads something about someone she knows.
through a random set of circumstances, this quidnunc came across my name and while having a conversation with my mother, said quidnunc decided to ask my mother about this situation. and since i am sometimes a bit orgulous, i had not shared anything about this situation with anyone in my family. and now, because of this quidnunc, everyone in my family is going to hear all about this situation.
so, today i don't like quidnuncs.
Friday, August 31, 2007
pronoun or proper noun?
last week, as i was watching "are you smarter than a fifth grader?", they put a sentence up on the board and asked how many proper nouns were in the sentence. sheeeeesh! i had no idea. i kept wondering what is the difference between a pronoun and a proper noun...
pronoun
any of a small set of words in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context
proper noun
a noun that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English —called also proper name
well, now i know. and now you know, right? and that makes us smarter that those pesky little fifth graders.
ps. i hate that show.
pronoun
any of a small set of words in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context
proper noun
a noun that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English —called also proper name
well, now i know. and now you know, right? and that makes us smarter that those pesky little fifth graders.
ps. i hate that show.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
pluralization vs. possession.
this one is a bit long (because i inserted some explanations), but well worth reading...
once i got into an argument over pluralization. you know, when you have more than one thing but they're called by the same name? my former roommate and i were making a sign for her brothers, who rodeo (please reserve judgment). i can't remember exactly what she wanted the sign to say because we ended up changing it because of the argument which i will tell you about forthrightly.
so the roommate's decision (at least, this is what i think it was) was to write this on the sign: "we love (or a heart in place of the word love) the munns's". do you get it? munns is their last name and there are two of them. right? i didn't think so. i said that when you write it like that, it indicates ownership. like, "the munns' house" or "the munns' cattle ranch" (make note that in my mind, i saw munns' rather than munns's). she was adamant that i was wrong. because she has had that name her whole life and has always said "munns's". i was adamant that i was right. you know, because i usually AM at stuff like this. so, in comes rachelle.
rachelle is siding with sara and is telling me that i am too stubborn about stuff like this. that i cannot accept that there is a possibility that i am wrong. rachelle and i (being the naturally curious people we are) start making phone calls to our most intelligent of friends to help us get an answer (let it be known that we had no internet access at that house, so we had to rely on the phone for this one). i, of course, called my bff emily because she is probably the smartest person i know. first, she immediately sides with me. wooohooo! then she tells me she will do some internet research and get back to me.
in the meantime, we continue to make our other two signs, one for each brother. they do not have names which need to be pluralized. nor do we need to indicate any sort of possession with their signs. easy. and no arguments. we continue to discuss the possibility of my being incorrect.
my phone rings. it is emily. with the answer! hallelujah!
guess who was right?
Plurals.
Plural means "more than one." English handles these things more simply than many languages. You already know the basic rules: most nouns take an s or es at the end; singular nouns ending in y usually end in ies in the plural. Our adjectives don't change form at all. There are a handful of irregular nouns — child, children; woman, women — but native speakers learn the important ones early, and non-native speakers can find a list of them easily enough.
A few exceptions require special care. In some noun phrases, the "head noun" gets the plural, even if it's not at the end of the noun phrase: mothers in law, attorneys general, courts martial. (Such forms may be disappearing, but they're still preferred.)
Many people get spooked by the plurals of proper names: the rules really aren't that different. Papa Smith, Mama Smith, and Baby Smith are the Smiths; Mr. Birch, Mrs. Birch, and Junior Birch are the Birches. The only difference is that proper names ending in y shouldn't change form in the plural: just add an s. The members of the Percy family are the Percys, not the Percies.
Resist the urge to put an apostrophe before the s in a plural, whether in common or proper nouns. The term for this vulgar error is the "greengrocer's apostrophe," from the shopkeepers' habit of advertising their "potato's" and "apple's." The only occasions on which you use apostrophes to make plurals are spelled out in my entry for apostrophes. [Entry added 14 Sept. 2004.]
Possessive.
The possessive is used to indicate belonging: Carol's car ("the car that belongs to Carol"), my brother's apartment ("the apartment that belongs to my brother"), my neighbors' yard ("the yard that belongs to my neighbors"), his name ("the name that belongs to him"), and so on. You could also express most of them with of: "the car of Carol," "the apartment of my brother," "the yard of my neighbors," "the name of him."
The rules for forming possessives are simple:
The personal pronouns have their own possessive forms: my ("belonging to me"), your ("belonging to you"), his ("belonging to him"), her ("belonging to her"), our ("belonging to us"), and their ("belonging to them").
With most singular nouns, you form the possessive with an apostrophe and s: Carol's, brother's.
With plural nouns ending in s, just add an apostrophe: neighbors'. Personal names don't get treated any differently: Bush's agenda ("the agenda that belongs to Bush"), the Smiths' house ("the house that belongs to the Smiths").
Plural nouns that don't end in s are treated like singular nouns, with apostrophe and s: the people's choice, the children's toys, and so on.
The only time for hesitation is when you have a singular noun that ends in s or an s sound: bus, James, house. This is a matter of house style: most guides suggest the same rules as before: the bus's route, James's friends, my house's roof. Others (especially in journalism) suggest just an apostrophe without the additional s. Some have different rules depending on whether the s is sounded like an s or a z; some have different rules based on whether it's a word of one syllable or more. But it's usually best to go with apostrophe-s with all singular nouns, whether or not they end in s. [Entry added 12 July 2005; revised 24 December 2006.]
i was.
now, as an addendum (this was already previously posted and i just remembered something), i forgot to point out that we had to completely change the sign because my roommate still did not believe that i was right. instead of saying "we heart the munnses" it read "we heart the munns boys". problem solved.
once i got into an argument over pluralization. you know, when you have more than one thing but they're called by the same name? my former roommate and i were making a sign for her brothers, who rodeo (please reserve judgment). i can't remember exactly what she wanted the sign to say because we ended up changing it because of the argument which i will tell you about forthrightly.
so the roommate's decision (at least, this is what i think it was) was to write this on the sign: "we love (or a heart in place of the word love) the munns's". do you get it? munns is their last name and there are two of them. right? i didn't think so. i said that when you write it like that, it indicates ownership. like, "the munns' house" or "the munns' cattle ranch" (make note that in my mind, i saw munns' rather than munns's). she was adamant that i was wrong. because she has had that name her whole life and has always said "munns's". i was adamant that i was right. you know, because i usually AM at stuff like this. so, in comes rachelle.
rachelle is siding with sara and is telling me that i am too stubborn about stuff like this. that i cannot accept that there is a possibility that i am wrong. rachelle and i (being the naturally curious people we are) start making phone calls to our most intelligent of friends to help us get an answer (let it be known that we had no internet access at that house, so we had to rely on the phone for this one). i, of course, called my bff emily because she is probably the smartest person i know. first, she immediately sides with me. wooohooo! then she tells me she will do some internet research and get back to me.
in the meantime, we continue to make our other two signs, one for each brother. they do not have names which need to be pluralized. nor do we need to indicate any sort of possession with their signs. easy. and no arguments. we continue to discuss the possibility of my being incorrect.
my phone rings. it is emily. with the answer! hallelujah!
guess who was right?
Plurals.
Plural means "more than one." English handles these things more simply than many languages. You already know the basic rules: most nouns take an s or es at the end; singular nouns ending in y usually end in ies in the plural. Our adjectives don't change form at all. There are a handful of irregular nouns — child, children; woman, women — but native speakers learn the important ones early, and non-native speakers can find a list of them easily enough.
A few exceptions require special care. In some noun phrases, the "head noun" gets the plural, even if it's not at the end of the noun phrase: mothers in law, attorneys general, courts martial. (Such forms may be disappearing, but they're still preferred.)
Many people get spooked by the plurals of proper names: the rules really aren't that different. Papa Smith, Mama Smith, and Baby Smith are the Smiths; Mr. Birch, Mrs. Birch, and Junior Birch are the Birches. The only difference is that proper names ending in y shouldn't change form in the plural: just add an s. The members of the Percy family are the Percys, not the Percies.
Resist the urge to put an apostrophe before the s in a plural, whether in common or proper nouns. The term for this vulgar error is the "greengrocer's apostrophe," from the shopkeepers' habit of advertising their "potato's" and "apple's." The only occasions on which you use apostrophes to make plurals are spelled out in my entry for apostrophes. [Entry added 14 Sept. 2004.]
Possessive.
The possessive is used to indicate belonging: Carol's car ("the car that belongs to Carol"), my brother's apartment ("the apartment that belongs to my brother"), my neighbors' yard ("the yard that belongs to my neighbors"), his name ("the name that belongs to him"), and so on. You could also express most of them with of: "the car of Carol," "the apartment of my brother," "the yard of my neighbors," "the name of him."
The rules for forming possessives are simple:
The personal pronouns have their own possessive forms: my ("belonging to me"), your ("belonging to you"), his ("belonging to him"), her ("belonging to her"), our ("belonging to us"), and their ("belonging to them").
With most singular nouns, you form the possessive with an apostrophe and s: Carol's, brother's.
With plural nouns ending in s, just add an apostrophe: neighbors'. Personal names don't get treated any differently: Bush's agenda ("the agenda that belongs to Bush"), the Smiths' house ("the house that belongs to the Smiths").
Plural nouns that don't end in s are treated like singular nouns, with apostrophe and s: the people's choice, the children's toys, and so on.
The only time for hesitation is when you have a singular noun that ends in s or an s sound: bus, James, house. This is a matter of house style: most guides suggest the same rules as before: the bus's route, James's friends, my house's roof. Others (especially in journalism) suggest just an apostrophe without the additional s. Some have different rules depending on whether the s is sounded like an s or a z; some have different rules based on whether it's a word of one syllable or more. But it's usually best to go with apostrophe-s with all singular nouns, whether or not they end in s. [Entry added 12 July 2005; revised 24 December 2006.]
i was.
now, as an addendum (this was already previously posted and i just remembered something), i forgot to point out that we had to completely change the sign because my roommate still did not believe that i was right. instead of saying "we heart the munnses" it read "we heart the munns boys". problem solved.
Monday, August 13, 2007
dream a little dream of me.
there was a time last week when i said something to rachelle and i used the word "dreamed". like, dreaming in past tense. she made a comment that the proper verbiage was "dreamt". well, the word has come up again and i feel so weird using "dreamt", even though i know i've heard it used before and even though rachelle is quite knowledgeable on stuff like this. so, being the type of person who was told, even as a child, to "look it up" if i had a question or a doubt in my mind about something, i took my father's advice and looked it up.
what did i find?
we were both right. i first looked it up on merriam-webster.com. since that didn't really tell me how to conjugate the verb properly, i googled "how to conjugate dream". then i found this website...verbix.com. oh, what a joy to my young girl brain! there it is, right in plain, easily understandable english, how to conjugate the word dream in every possible way!
so, the point to this post is this: rachelle and i are equally intelligent. and now we are even more so.
what did i find?
we were both right. i first looked it up on merriam-webster.com. since that didn't really tell me how to conjugate the verb properly, i googled "how to conjugate dream". then i found this website...verbix.com. oh, what a joy to my young girl brain! there it is, right in plain, easily understandable english, how to conjugate the word dream in every possible way!
so, the point to this post is this: rachelle and i are equally intelligent. and now we are even more so.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
i did it all for the nookie.
i know i once told you that i signed up accidentally for the "learner's word of the day" email from merriam-webster, right? yeah. so i never un-signed up for it. so, i get definitions to many words i already know and use proficiently in my daily activities. so, when i get one that catches my attention, i have to share it with the masses. i don't know why this one did in particular, okay. i do. it's because it reminded me of a horrible limp bizkit song from the late 90's, which you can watch here.
as if i needed an actual definition to figure out what this word means. besides, hasn't it been slang for much longer than 8 years?
nooky or nookie
Function: noun
Status: slang
Meaning: : sexual relations : the act of having sex
great. now i've gone and gotten this song stuck in my head.
one more thing before i go...wikipedia defines slang as this, which is exactly as i understand it. i guess "nooky/nookie" is no longer considered slang if it has a merriam-webster dictionary definition? gross. i am embarrassed to be part of the english speaking world if this word is in our dictionary.
as if i needed an actual definition to figure out what this word means. besides, hasn't it been slang for much longer than 8 years?
nooky or nookie
Function: noun
Status: slang
Meaning: : sexual relations : the act of having sex
great. now i've gone and gotten this song stuck in my head.
one more thing before i go...wikipedia defines slang as this, which is exactly as i understand it. i guess "nooky/nookie" is no longer considered slang if it has a merriam-webster dictionary definition? gross. i am embarrassed to be part of the english speaking world if this word is in our dictionary.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
i'm failing, but trying.
remember how i resolved to quit swearing?
well, it isn't going so well.
adriane asked me tonight at dinner how that was going and i was reminded that i needed to do better.
so here, in my attempt to do better, is a brand new word to use as a replacement for that other foul word you may be using:
scaramouch \skair-uh-MOOSH\ noun
1 capitalized : a stock character in the italian commedia dell'arte that burlesques the spanish don and is characterized by boastfulness and cowardliness
2 a : a cowardly buffoon b : rascal, scamp
i love it. i fear people wouldn't take me very seriously if i do use it, but i'm going to try anyway. i will keep you posted.
well, it isn't going so well.
adriane asked me tonight at dinner how that was going and i was reminded that i needed to do better.
so here, in my attempt to do better, is a brand new word to use as a replacement for that other foul word you may be using:
scaramouch \skair-uh-MOOSH\ noun
1 capitalized : a stock character in the italian commedia dell'arte that burlesques the spanish don and is characterized by boastfulness and cowardliness
2 a : a cowardly buffoon b : rascal, scamp
i love it. i fear people wouldn't take me very seriously if i do use it, but i'm going to try anyway. i will keep you posted.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
so i thought i'd take up fencing.
and then i thought, "nahhhh." but, if i did take up fencing, i would probably be really good at the riposte. because i am quick like a cat. like a ninja. like whatever kind of animal and or person who has mastered the art of stealth fighting. actually, the only reason i know that i am quick is because i have much experience in the area of recovering from slips and trips. that's right, my friends. i have excellent reflexes. it's a blessing. i was blessed with quick reflexes to counteract the curse of clumsiness.
riposte \rih-POST\, noun:
1. A quick thrust given after parrying an opponent's lunge in fencing.
2. A quick and effective reply by word or act.
3. To make a riposte.
now, i say that i would be good at the #1 definition of the word for a few reasons. because i like to think that i would. because, as i mentioned earlier, i have quick reflexes. and because i somewhat lack skill in the #2 definition of riposte. i can be effective in reply by word or act. but there's usually no quick about it. i suffer from what george costanza himself suffers from. the inability to think of a clever, spot-on comment when the need arises.
it's a horrible curse which one day i will hopefully be able to overcome.
riposte \rih-POST\, noun:
1. A quick thrust given after parrying an opponent's lunge in fencing.
2. A quick and effective reply by word or act.
3. To make a riposte.
now, i say that i would be good at the #1 definition of the word for a few reasons. because i like to think that i would. because, as i mentioned earlier, i have quick reflexes. and because i somewhat lack skill in the #2 definition of riposte. i can be effective in reply by word or act. but there's usually no quick about it. i suffer from what george costanza himself suffers from. the inability to think of a clever, spot-on comment when the need arises.
it's a horrible curse which one day i will hopefully be able to overcome.
Friday, July 27, 2007
resolutions.
this may surprise several of you, but i swear. i use swear words and i sometimes don't even realize that i do it. and other times i feel like there is no way to better express myself than to use these words. people know what they mean and they know that when i am screaming them, i am very upset.
but today i am turning over a new leaf. i am going to stop. i mean, if i slip up and "accidently" let one slip out, give me a break. this is not a habit that i can break in just a few short days. why can't i break it in a short period of time? well because i have decided that the best way to break my swearing habit is to teach myself new, more intelligent words to replace the lowly words i already know.
so, today (or for the last few days), i have been trying to use this word instead of other, more foul words. (and if you have the same habit i do, i challenge you to join me on my endeavor.)
dolt \'dōlt\ noun
1: a stupid person
i can't even wait to use this word in conversation or in my rage. it will rock.
but today i am turning over a new leaf. i am going to stop. i mean, if i slip up and "accidently" let one slip out, give me a break. this is not a habit that i can break in just a few short days. why can't i break it in a short period of time? well because i have decided that the best way to break my swearing habit is to teach myself new, more intelligent words to replace the lowly words i already know.
so, today (or for the last few days), i have been trying to use this word instead of other, more foul words. (and if you have the same habit i do, i challenge you to join me on my endeavor.)
dolt \'dōlt\ noun
1: a stupid person
i can't even wait to use this word in conversation or in my rage. it will rock.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
keep it low.
so, you might know by now that i get a wee bit excited about learning new words. so what could possibly get me even more excited than that? learning new words that are from a different language that have, over time, been adopted into our very own english.
case and point...
sotto voce \SAH-toh-VOH-chee\, adverb or adjective:
1. Spoken low or in an undertone, as not to be overheard.
2. (Music) In very soft tones. Used chiefly as a direction.
Behind the scenes, however, were sotto voce grumblings that Kohl was perhaps hanging on too long and that the party might be better off if he were to step aside and hand the candidacy to popular majority leader Wolfgang Schauble.
-- Jordan Bonfante, "The Challenger", Time, March 16, 1998
mostly i like this word because it involves stealth. you know, "keep it down, or we might be found out while we're sneaking around robbing this bank." or something to that effect.
i am going to try to use this new word(s) in my daily activities today, which thus far should include: working with buyers, mowing the lawn, washing my car, attending a dinner/baby shower with my old coworkers, and finally, reading the new harry potter book. i'm afraid that it might prove to be difficult since there are only two activities on this list which include conversing with others.
case and point...
sotto voce \SAH-toh-VOH-chee\, adverb or adjective:
1. Spoken low or in an undertone, as not to be overheard.
2. (Music) In very soft tones. Used chiefly as a direction.
Behind the scenes, however, were sotto voce grumblings that Kohl was perhaps hanging on too long and that the party might be better off if he were to step aside and hand the candidacy to popular majority leader Wolfgang Schauble.
-- Jordan Bonfante, "The Challenger", Time, March 16, 1998
mostly i like this word because it involves stealth. you know, "keep it down, or we might be found out while we're sneaking around robbing this bank." or something to that effect.
i am going to try to use this new word(s) in my daily activities today, which thus far should include: working with buyers, mowing the lawn, washing my car, attending a dinner/baby shower with my old coworkers, and finally, reading the new harry potter book. i'm afraid that it might prove to be difficult since there are only two activities on this list which include conversing with others.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
you were right.
i really want to tell my dad that he was wrong, but i won't. let me explain.
the other night my dad was telling me that he has been reading my blog and that he liked it. we got into a discussion about a word i used in a recent post on my other blog.
i used the word tenaciousness. he tried to tell me that tenaciousness was not a word and proceeded to tell me that i should have used the word tenacity. he said he knew this because he had gotten into a discussion about this word with someone else--i'm guessing years ago. i tried to tell him that he was wrong, but i didn't fight too hard because what if--heaven forbid--i was wrong.
well, today i went to my trusty friend, m-w.com and looked up tenaciousness. and my trusty friend informed me that i was right and my dad was wrong.
or that all those years ago, dad, you were right.
the other night my dad was telling me that he has been reading my blog and that he liked it. we got into a discussion about a word i used in a recent post on my other blog.
i used the word tenaciousness. he tried to tell me that tenaciousness was not a word and proceeded to tell me that i should have used the word tenacity. he said he knew this because he had gotten into a discussion about this word with someone else--i'm guessing years ago. i tried to tell him that he was wrong, but i didn't fight too hard because what if--heaven forbid--i was wrong.
well, today i went to my trusty friend, m-w.com and looked up tenaciousness. and my trusty friend informed me that i was right and my dad was wrong.
or that all those years ago, dad, you were right.
Monday, July 9, 2007
psycho syco.
sy·co·phant
Function: noun
: a servile self-seeking flatterer
Example sentence:"I can't stand sycophants," said Rosemary, "so if you want that promotion, do your best and let your work speak for itself."
do you remember how i once did a post about words being defined by other words with which i am not familiar? i may be dumb, but i don't really know what "servile" means.
ser·vile
Function: adjective
1 : of or befitting a slave or a menial position
2 : meanly or cravenly submissive : abject
oh, this can go on forever.
cra·ven
Function: adjective
1: archaic : defeated, vanquished
2: lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted
and ever.
con·tempt
Function: noun
1 a: the act of despising : the state of mind of one who despises : disdain b: lack of respect or reverence for something
2: the state of being despised
3: willful disobedience to or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body
well, now i have become completely sidetracked. i don't know where i was going with this. but i do like the word sycophant. i've noticed they use it in movies and books a lot. so now i know. and now you know.
Function: noun
: a servile self-seeking flatterer
Example sentence:"I can't stand sycophants," said Rosemary, "so if you want that promotion, do your best and let your work speak for itself."
do you remember how i once did a post about words being defined by other words with which i am not familiar? i may be dumb, but i don't really know what "servile" means.
ser·vile
Function: adjective
1 : of or befitting a slave or a menial position
2 : meanly or cravenly submissive : abject
oh, this can go on forever.
cra·ven
Function: adjective
1: archaic : defeated, vanquished
2: lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted
and ever.
con·tempt
Function: noun
1 a: the act of despising : the state of mind of one who despises : disdain b: lack of respect or reverence for something
2: the state of being despised
3: willful disobedience to or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body
well, now i have become completely sidetracked. i don't know where i was going with this. but i do like the word sycophant. i've noticed they use it in movies and books a lot. so now i know. and now you know.
Friday, July 6, 2007
two words that don't make one.
per request, today's lesson is about two words that some believe can be combined to create one word, but in actuality, they are wrong. combining the two words is wrong. i learned this in eighth grade. and you all should have, too. if you didn't, then learn it now.
a lot.
it is not "alot."
it is "a-space-lot."
two words.
and that is the end of today's lesson.
you are welcome.
a lot.
it is not "alot."
it is "a-space-lot."
two words.
and that is the end of today's lesson.
you are welcome.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
these three words.
i can't believe the luck i have been having with the words of the day this last week. these three words are the most awesome words and to get them in the same week is amazing.
first--
pococurante \POH-koh-kyoo-RAN-tee\ adjective
: indifferent, nonchalant
i definitely did not know this word. it took me a minute to figure out the pronunciation and then i checked with m-w.com to make sure i was saying it right. that it one of the best features of m-w.com.
there is a good chance i will probably not use this word in my everyday conversations because: a) it is somewhat of a difficult word to pronounce on the fly. b) the people i communicate with on a daily basis, more than likely, won't know what it means. c) if i use a word people don't know, they might think that i am arrogant or a know-it-all, and we don't want that.
next--
anchorite \ANG-kuh-ryte\ noun
: a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons
i love when i learn words where the chance that i will use them in a conversation is slim to none. i don't know anyone who is an anchorite. nor do i know anyone who would become an anchorite. but i love that i now know this word, so when i am watching pbs or discovery, and there is a show on about anchorites, i won't have to wait to find out what an anchorite is to change the channel. i'll know and i can change the channel right then.
finally--
jeopardy \JEP-er-dee\ noun
1 : exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury : danger
2 : the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense
i know this word. obviously. who doesn't? i mean, i know it because it is the name of my favorite game show. but, did i know that the meaning was so serious? no, i hadn't actually thought about how serious this word is. do you think that a quiz show should be called jeopardy? is there really an imminence of death? or injury? are they in danger? i mean, i guess that there is an imminence of loss. but that money was really never their's to begin with, so can you lose something that isn't yours?
so funny. hahaha. i do love jeopardy, though. and i will now view it with a more serious approach. i mean, it is jeopardy, after all.
first--
pococurante \POH-koh-kyoo-RAN-tee\ adjective
: indifferent, nonchalant
i definitely did not know this word. it took me a minute to figure out the pronunciation and then i checked with m-w.com to make sure i was saying it right. that it one of the best features of m-w.com.
there is a good chance i will probably not use this word in my everyday conversations because: a) it is somewhat of a difficult word to pronounce on the fly. b) the people i communicate with on a daily basis, more than likely, won't know what it means. c) if i use a word people don't know, they might think that i am arrogant or a know-it-all, and we don't want that.
next--
anchorite \ANG-kuh-ryte\ noun
: a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons
i love when i learn words where the chance that i will use them in a conversation is slim to none. i don't know anyone who is an anchorite. nor do i know anyone who would become an anchorite. but i love that i now know this word, so when i am watching pbs or discovery, and there is a show on about anchorites, i won't have to wait to find out what an anchorite is to change the channel. i'll know and i can change the channel right then.
finally--
jeopardy \JEP-er-dee\ noun
1 : exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury : danger
2 : the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense
i know this word. obviously. who doesn't? i mean, i know it because it is the name of my favorite game show. but, did i know that the meaning was so serious? no, i hadn't actually thought about how serious this word is. do you think that a quiz show should be called jeopardy? is there really an imminence of death? or injury? are they in danger? i mean, i guess that there is an imminence of loss. but that money was really never their's to begin with, so can you lose something that isn't yours?
so funny. hahaha. i do love jeopardy, though. and i will now view it with a more serious approach. i mean, it is jeopardy, after all.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
two words of the day.
today's word of the day:
purview \PER-vyoo\ noun
1 a : the body or enacting part of a statute b : the limit, purpose, or scope of a statute*2 : the range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention3 : range of vision, understanding, or cognizance
Example sentence:The court ruled that the student's T-shirt fell under the purview of the First Amendment.
i have a hard time with words that are defined by words i don't exactly know. like cognizance.
so,
cog·ni·zance
1 : a distinguishing mark or emblem (as a heraldic bearing)2 a : KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESSb : NOTICE, ACKNOWLEDGMENT 3 : JURISDICTION, RESPONSIBILITY
all right. now i realize that i vaguely knew this word but just wasn't sure how to define it. so today i have learned two new words. having said all of that, i have just now admitted to a few people that i don't know everything. see? i am not a know-it-all. or a smarty-pants. i would also like it to be known that these are not endearing phrases, so when you call your friend a know-it-all or a smarty-pants, please be aware that their reaction may not be one of gratitute. maybe they will shoot back with a sarcastic remark to cover their hurt feelings, but deep down their pride and ego have been severely wounded.
where am i going with this? someone called me a smarty-pants today. at first, i was nonplussed. then a little bit offended. i'm a bit knowledgable, but i'm no "smarty-pants", thankyouverymuch.
purview \PER-vyoo\ noun
1 a : the body or enacting part of a statute b : the limit, purpose, or scope of a statute*2 : the range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention3 : range of vision, understanding, or cognizance
Example sentence:The court ruled that the student's T-shirt fell under the purview of the First Amendment.
i have a hard time with words that are defined by words i don't exactly know. like cognizance.
so,
cog·ni·zance
1 : a distinguishing mark or emblem (as a heraldic bearing)2 a : KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS
all right. now i realize that i vaguely knew this word but just wasn't sure how to define it. so today i have learned two new words. having said all of that, i have just now admitted to a few people that i don't know everything. see? i am not a know-it-all. or a smarty-pants. i would also like it to be known that these are not endearing phrases, so when you call your friend a know-it-all or a smarty-pants, please be aware that their reaction may not be one of gratitute. maybe they will shoot back with a sarcastic remark to cover their hurt feelings, but deep down their pride and ego have been severely wounded.
where am i going with this? someone called me a smarty-pants today. at first, i was nonplussed. then a little bit offended. i'm a bit knowledgable, but i'm no "smarty-pants", thankyouverymuch.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
another favorite word.
resplendent \rih-SPLEN-dunt\
adjective : shining brilliantly : characterized by a glowing splendor
this was the word of the day for monday. i know this word. i may have used it in the past, but once again, i am drawn to the word because of the definition. i like this definition because it has the word brilliantly in it. i love the word brilliant and all variations thereof.
and i will tell you why i love it. i love it because adriane, my co-author, uses it all the time. and i love adriane. and i love that she uses this word. it is so "british" and, for some odd reason, i associate "british" with sophisticated. and when she uses this word, i feel sophisticated, too.
yeah. so that might be the lamest reason to love a word. but i love words and i will not apologize for that, nor for the reasons why. hahaha.
and now i love the word resplendent, because the definition rocks.
adjective : shining brilliantly : characterized by a glowing splendor
this was the word of the day for monday. i know this word. i may have used it in the past, but once again, i am drawn to the word because of the definition. i like this definition because it has the word brilliantly in it. i love the word brilliant and all variations thereof.
and i will tell you why i love it. i love it because adriane, my co-author, uses it all the time. and i love adriane. and i love that she uses this word. it is so "british" and, for some odd reason, i associate "british" with sophisticated. and when she uses this word, i feel sophisticated, too.
yeah. so that might be the lamest reason to love a word. but i love words and i will not apologize for that, nor for the reasons why. hahaha.
and now i love the word resplendent, because the definition rocks.
Friday, June 15, 2007
danglish language.
i have cleverly (or accidentally) created my own word today: danglish. really, it started as a typographical error. sometimes when i type, i merge words, leaving out the end of one word and the beginning of the following word. thus, danglish. in my mind, the title was supposed to read "dangling english". i liked the accidental effect much, much better.
so, since i have not been actually studying the english language on a regular basis since about my 19th year of life, i have decided that i am getting a little bit dumber and now i am going to use this blog as an opportunity to re-educate myself. i know, it seems preposterous - "adriane, not knowing something about the english language when she claims to know everything!?" but it's true. and i'll be the first one to admit it. i cannot remember what a dangling participle is. and who reminded me that i don't know? house. yes, that ornery, negative, genius of a fake doctor, gregory house. i was watching the season finale and he said "dangling participle" while criticizing a cuban on his poor english. so i looked it up.
Dangling Participle
A present participle is a verb ending in -ing, and is called dangling when the subject of the -ing verb and the subject of the sentence do not agree. An example is "Rushing to finish the paper, Bob's printer broke." Here the subject is Bob's printer, but the printer isn't doing the rushing. Better would be "While Bob was rushing to finish the paper, his printer broke." (Pay close attention to sentences beginning with When ——ing.)
One way to tell whether the participle is dangling is to put the phrase with the participle right after the subject of the sentence: "Bob's printer, rushing to finish the paper, broke" doesn't sound right.
Not all words ending in -ing are participles: in the sentence "Answering the questions in chapter four is your next assignment," the word answering functions as a noun, not a verb. (These nouns in -ing are called gerunds.) [Revised 3 August 2001.]
so there's your english lesson for today. don't dangle your participles or an arrogant doctor type may harshly criticise you. and now i can, too.
so, since i have not been actually studying the english language on a regular basis since about my 19th year of life, i have decided that i am getting a little bit dumber and now i am going to use this blog as an opportunity to re-educate myself. i know, it seems preposterous - "adriane, not knowing something about the english language when she claims to know everything!?" but it's true. and i'll be the first one to admit it. i cannot remember what a dangling participle is. and who reminded me that i don't know? house. yes, that ornery, negative, genius of a fake doctor, gregory house. i was watching the season finale and he said "dangling participle" while criticizing a cuban on his poor english. so i looked it up.
Dangling Participle
A present participle is a verb ending in -ing, and is called dangling when the subject of the -ing verb and the subject of the sentence do not agree. An example is "Rushing to finish the paper, Bob's printer broke." Here the subject is Bob's printer, but the printer isn't doing the rushing. Better would be "While Bob was rushing to finish the paper, his printer broke." (Pay close attention to sentences beginning with When ——ing.)
One way to tell whether the participle is dangling is to put the phrase with the participle right after the subject of the sentence: "Bob's printer, rushing to finish the paper, broke" doesn't sound right.
Not all words ending in -ing are participles: in the sentence "Answering the questions in chapter four is your next assignment," the word answering functions as a noun, not a verb. (These nouns in -ing are called gerunds.) [Revised 3 August 2001.]
so there's your english lesson for today. don't dangle your participles or an arrogant doctor type may harshly criticise you. and now i can, too.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
i changed my mind.
i know that in my last post i said that trickery was my favorite word. but i changed my mind after i received the word of the day on monday. here is the word and definition.
wimple \WIM-pul\ verb
1 : to cover with or as if with a wimple : veil
2 : to ripple
3 chiefly scottish : to follow a winding course : meander
can you guess my new favorite word? okay, i will tell you. i think my new favorite word might be meander. don't get me wrong. i still really enjoy trickery. but i enjoy meander just a tiny bit more.
i know that i like this word because of the essay by mary schmich that people claimed was kurt vonnegut's work. i enjoy that essay and i especially enjoy that baz luhrmann put it to music.
whenever i heard the word meander, i think of this essay/song. and when i think of this essay/song, i think of the part that says, "the real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle tuesday." and when i think of that part, i think of the day that i decided i was going to move to boston. it wasn't 4 pm on an idle tuesday. it was 6 pm on an idle thursday. i don't know how the connection was made, but it was and now it will forever live in my memory.
so, yes...meander is my favorite word, at least for today.
wimple \WIM-pul\ verb
1 : to cover with or as if with a wimple : veil
2 : to ripple
3 chiefly scottish : to follow a winding course : meander
can you guess my new favorite word? okay, i will tell you. i think my new favorite word might be meander. don't get me wrong. i still really enjoy trickery. but i enjoy meander just a tiny bit more.
i know that i like this word because of the essay by mary schmich that people claimed was kurt vonnegut's work. i enjoy that essay and i especially enjoy that baz luhrmann put it to music.
whenever i heard the word meander, i think of this essay/song. and when i think of this essay/song, i think of the part that says, "the real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle tuesday." and when i think of that part, i think of the day that i decided i was going to move to boston. it wasn't 4 pm on an idle tuesday. it was 6 pm on an idle thursday. i don't know how the connection was made, but it was and now it will forever live in my memory.
so, yes...meander is my favorite word, at least for today.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
learning curve.
okay, let me clarify a claim i made in my first post on this blog. i think i mentioned i was already getting the word of the day from m-w.com. well, i totally lied. i was getting words from dictionary.com. and so far, there is a BIG difference. and that difference is this...i learn new words from dictionary.com. i see words i already know from m-w.com. dangit.
without doing any investigating, i have decided that i must have signed up for the remedial word of the day at m-w.com. grrrr. not only do i know what poignant means, i even already knew how to pronounce it! same goes for the word nook. jeez.
so this is me, complaining about the english language and the crappy word of the day i signed up for. now, having looked at the website, i see that i signed up for the "learners word of the day". well, i do know that i am definitely still learning many, many new things each and every day, but i wouldn't consider myself a "learner" when it comes to these words. more like a "knower". haha.
as a work in progress, i just changed my subscription to the regular word of the day. hopefully now i will be enriched. and the rest of you as well.
The Word of the Day for June 09, 2007 is:
obstinate • \AHB-stuh-nut\ • adjective
*1 : perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
2 : not easily subdued, remedied, or removed
Example Sentence:As usual, Cassie remained obstinate in her opinion even though the facts were clearly stacked against her.
Did you know? If you're obstinate, you're just plain stubborn. "Obstinate," "dogged," "stubborn," "pertinacious," and "mulish" all mean that someone is unwilling to change course or give up a belief or plan. "Obstinate" suggests an unreasonable persistence; it's often a negative word. "Dogged," which can be more positive, implies that someone goes after something without ever tiring or quitting, while "pertinacious" suggests a persistence that can be annoying. "Stubborn" indicates a resistance to change, which may or may not be admirable. Someone who displays a really unreasonable degree of stubbornness could accurately be described as "mulish."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
ahhhh, that's better.
without doing any investigating, i have decided that i must have signed up for the remedial word of the day at m-w.com. grrrr. not only do i know what poignant means, i even already knew how to pronounce it! same goes for the word nook. jeez.
so this is me, complaining about the english language and the crappy word of the day i signed up for. now, having looked at the website, i see that i signed up for the "learners word of the day". well, i do know that i am definitely still learning many, many new things each and every day, but i wouldn't consider myself a "learner" when it comes to these words. more like a "knower". haha.
as a work in progress, i just changed my subscription to the regular word of the day. hopefully now i will be enriched. and the rest of you as well.
The Word of the Day for June 09, 2007 is:
obstinate • \AHB-stuh-nut\ • adjective
*1 : perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
2 : not easily subdued, remedied, or removed
Example Sentence:As usual, Cassie remained obstinate in her opinion even though the facts were clearly stacked against her.
Did you know? If you're obstinate, you're just plain stubborn. "Obstinate," "dogged," "stubborn," "pertinacious," and "mulish" all mean that someone is unwilling to change course or give up a belief or plan. "Obstinate" suggests an unreasonable persistence; it's often a negative word. "Dogged," which can be more positive, implies that someone goes after something without ever tiring or quitting, while "pertinacious" suggests a persistence that can be annoying. "Stubborn" indicates a resistance to change, which may or may not be admirable. Someone who displays a really unreasonable degree of stubbornness could accurately be described as "mulish."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
ahhhh, that's better.
Friday, June 8, 2007
ah...words...funny, little words.
first--thanks ade, for making our new blog look beautiful.
sure do appreciate ya!
the m-w.com word of the day sure brought a smile to my face. not so much the word, but the definition. here it is:
thimblerig \THIM-bul-rig\ verb
1. to cheat by trickery.
2. to swindle by a trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three small cups to fool the spectator guessing its location.
definition number two is quite descriptive and defines only one situation. i like its preciseness. but this is not the definition that brought a smile to my face.
definition number is the one that brought a smile to my face. i decided when i was reading the definition that i love the word trickery. i truly enjoy it. i don't use it nearly enough. actually, never, but i should. and i am going to. i'm going to start using the word trickery more. starting today.
i don't know why i love the word. to me, it sounds like a fun word, even though it technically isn't a "fun" word. i think that maybe i love it so much because one of my favorite actors delivered a line in a movie that included the word trickery.
in the break-up, vince vaughn--my favorite actor--says, "there's a really big gap between getting your ass kicked, and having a dancing, singing sprite fool you with trickery, and then strike your throat before you know that you're even in the fight."
i didn't care much for the entire movie, but that one line alone makes the movie for me. and i think that is where my love for the word trickery comes from.
so...
thimblerig--good word.
trickery--best word.
well, at least for today.
ps. a special thanks goes out to my movie guru for the movie quote.
sure do appreciate ya!
the m-w.com word of the day sure brought a smile to my face. not so much the word, but the definition. here it is:
thimblerig \THIM-bul-rig\ verb
1. to cheat by trickery.
2. to swindle by a trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three small cups to fool the spectator guessing its location.
definition number two is quite descriptive and defines only one situation. i like its preciseness. but this is not the definition that brought a smile to my face.
definition number is the one that brought a smile to my face. i decided when i was reading the definition that i love the word trickery. i truly enjoy it. i don't use it nearly enough. actually, never, but i should. and i am going to. i'm going to start using the word trickery more. starting today.
i don't know why i love the word. to me, it sounds like a fun word, even though it technically isn't a "fun" word. i think that maybe i love it so much because one of my favorite actors delivered a line in a movie that included the word trickery.
in the break-up, vince vaughn--my favorite actor--says, "there's a really big gap between getting your ass kicked, and having a dancing, singing sprite fool you with trickery, and then strike your throat before you know that you're even in the fight."
i didn't care much for the entire movie, but that one line alone makes the movie for me. and i think that is where my love for the word trickery comes from.
so...
thimblerig--good word.
trickery--best word.
well, at least for today.
ps. a special thanks goes out to my movie guru for the movie quote.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
word flash.
so, rachelle is a blogging genius. not only is she the world's champion blog stalker, but she figured out all of the weird little idiosyncrasies of the program. so now she's snagged me into a joint blogging venture. i am excited. not only because she and i are most anal about things like spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc., but because to us, this stuff is fun.
we look for mistakes everywhere. we debate about punctuation. we make phone calls to friends who (we think) are smart to settle such debates. since chelle is getting the m-w.com word of the day (i already am, too), then i decided to get another word of the day via dictionary.com. so our readers will be SO enriched. except for the part where i am a slow blogger...
well, to start off, here is today's dictionary.com word of the day! i have never heard of it, nor will i probably ever use it. but there is a chance that sometime in my future i will come across it and i will think, "hmmm...i've seen that word somewhere..."
lumpen \LUHM-puhn; LUM-puhn\, adjective;
plural lumpen, also lumpens:
1. Of or relating to dispossessed and displaced individuals, especially those who have lost social status.
2. Common; vulgar.
noun:
1. A member the underclass, especially the lowest social stratum.
. . .an academic sweatshop where underpaid lumpen intellectuals slave for a pittance.
-- Ashlea Ebeling, "I got my degree through e-mail", Forbes, June 16, 1997
we look for mistakes everywhere. we debate about punctuation. we make phone calls to friends who (we think) are smart to settle such debates. since chelle is getting the m-w.com word of the day (i already am, too), then i decided to get another word of the day via dictionary.com. so our readers will be SO enriched. except for the part where i am a slow blogger...
well, to start off, here is today's dictionary.com word of the day! i have never heard of it, nor will i probably ever use it. but there is a chance that sometime in my future i will come across it and i will think, "hmmm...i've seen that word somewhere..."
lumpen \LUHM-puhn; LUM-puhn\, adjective;
plural lumpen, also lumpens:
1. Of or relating to dispossessed and displaced individuals, especially those who have lost social status.
2. Common; vulgar.
noun:
1. A member the underclass, especially the lowest social stratum.
. . .an academic sweatshop where underpaid lumpen intellectuals slave for a pittance.
-- Ashlea Ebeling, "I got my degree through e-mail", Forbes, June 16, 1997
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
my new idea.
so, i really enjoyed my word of the day posting, so i decided that whenever the word of the day is something that is particularly interesting or funny, i am going to write about it here.
today's word is gibe. it is a word that i know, but i don't use. today, i am going to make a conscious effort to use the word gibe in a conversation with my grandma. i think that it will be possible. we will be doing yard work. i will let you know.
i'm excited about my new blog.
i already said i was a closet nerd. but now it's not so much in the closet.
today's word is gibe. it is a word that i know, but i don't use. today, i am going to make a conscious effort to use the word gibe in a conversation with my grandma. i think that it will be possible. we will be doing yard work. i will let you know.
i'm excited about my new blog.
i already said i was a closet nerd. but now it's not so much in the closet.
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