Lexical Elitists's topics - tribe.net

kudos to facebook!

heather69 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:52:38 GMT

I'm impressed. I just saw a story that Facebook is on a mission to eradicate improper grammar!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080627/ap_on_hi_te/tec_facebook_genders

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

lexically elite spam?!

Stephanie — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:50:17 GMT

A spam email made it through my mail filter today. It was, not surprisingly, an ad for some sort of penis enlargement. The surprising bit was that it used the word pullulate. wow.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

restaurant gaffes

heather69 — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:23:48 GMT

Driving home today, I saw a sign in front of a restaurant advertising, "Shishka Bobs."

posted in Lexical Elitists - 15 replies

A Lesbian by any other name...

danmorgan — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:45:54 GMT

Maybe they could go for "lesbosian"?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/30/true_mytilenians/

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

Didn't know this: can anyone confirm?

Bobster — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:17:38 GMT

tribes » other » "stupid" (but fun) questions » topics »

Why do they call it a blowjob?

Answer given by Humming Floaters:

Re: Why do they call it........ Thu, April 10, 2008 - 5:34 AM
In the late 19th century sex workers actually called it a "below job." Over the years it eventually became "blow job."

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

incidence of incidents in which someone says incidences

Stephanie — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:53:00 GMT

So it was my understanding that you could have one incident, or several incidents, but 'incidence' refers to a rate of occurrence, so it would be rare to need to pluralize it.

So I _was_ going to rant about how often I hear people say 'incidences' ... but then I looked it up online, and dictionary.com lists one meaning of 'incidence' as the same as incident. Is this correct? Or do they just have it listed because so many people get it wrong that it's becoming accepted?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

Required reading: eggcorns

mottledcrow — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:24:17 GMT

http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/

I just stumbled across this link in the literary nerds tribe, and found it to be particularily appropriate for this tribe as well. In the context of the restaurant mis-spelling topic, it immediately raised the bar from my feeble attempts with mangled French food by introducing mangled Italian delicacies instead: Chicken Cacciatore (http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/category/english/cross-language/ ).

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

When will they fix it?

Julie — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:53:18 GMT

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/Peterboroughsign.JPG

Does anyone care to Photoshop this one for me?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

misspelled place names

heather69 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:35:26 GMT

While driving yesterday, I noticed a sign for "Resevoir Street." Ugh.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

Peeve: spelling skills and homonyms

mottledcrow — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:33:04 GMT

Just need to vent, but this has been one of my pet peeves for ages: why is it that so many people (most recently seen in an academic meeting) seem incapable of differentiating between principle and principal? The two words are completely different in meaning. And yet, so many times, I have seen people blithely write 'the principle effects...'.

The other couple I constantly come across is 'affect' and 'effect'.

Tribe, are we the only ones who care to express our thoughts with precision?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 33 replies

Heather? Wherefore art thou, Heather?

Josh — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:35:37 GMT

Do we need a moderator here?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 27 replies

Buzzwords 2007 All We Are Saying, By GRANT BARRETT

Anamika — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:26:32 GMT

[snip]

What follows is by no means a complete list of the words that took our attention this year, but rather a sampling from the thousands that endured long enough to find a place in the national conversation.

[snip]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html?pagewanted=print

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

pleaded vs pled?

heather69 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:25:30 GMT

Quite recently, I've noticed media articles using pleaded rather often - as in, he pleaded guilty to the crime.

Personally, I prefer "pled." I don't know why, but that's just the way I am.

What does everyone think about this? What are your preferences?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

hung?

heather69 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:32:24 GMT

I was talking to my mother and mentioned someone hung himself. She immediately chastised my poor grammer and insisted that it should be hanged. But I'm curious.

I would never say, "I hanged out with my friends."
And, of course, we all know about "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care."
But what about saying, "He hung himself from the rafters?"

I tried checking some dictionaries and grammar guides, but found mixed answers. So, is this one of those evolutions of language? Or am I missing something in the tense being used?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 24 replies

“Hey, guys.”

Josh — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:20:48 GMT

A local columnist ruminated on this usage in today’s paper. The inciting incident took place in an upscale restaurant: a young waiter greeted an elderly married couple with, “Hey, guys.” The woman was not visibly offended. Nevertheless, the columnist wondered how the term “guys” became unisex.

I thought: "Hey, I'd alert the Lexical Elitists. Those guys will have the answer!" ;o)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 23 replies

Publishers?

MickD — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:31:45 GMT

Forgive me the crosspost. I'm trying to help my Uncle, a retired professor of English, to find a publisher for his memoirs. He would prefer not to self publish. Would anyone have a connection in the publishing world to share?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

"That excuse of a man."

Josh — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:45:49 GMT

A character on television has been saying this lately in relation to the man his estranged wife has taken to kissing. Each time I hear it, I think, "That's so curiously wrong!"

The normal expression in such circumstances is "no-good excuse" or "sorry excuse" or "poor excuse" or "pathetic excuse," but here we have only "that excuse of a man." The contempt in the speaker's voice is obvious, so no confusion results. And it's dialogue, where grammatical imperfections are often deliberately chosen (-by the writers of said dialogue) in order to reveal an aspect of character.

What I wonder about (---and I *do* wonder about this) is, "Why does *he* say that?"

I think the actor is old and this is just how he says it. I have a hard time imagining why the phrase would be written that way. Does anyone here so a plausible reason?

"That excuse of a man." Curiouser and curiouser, as Lewis Carroll put it.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 10 replies

assortment of obscure (mostly) sexual words

Stephanie — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:35:52 GMT

apparently this gentlemen is collecting "sick words." I'd put good money that's meant in the superlative, not pejorative, sense.

http://homepage.mac.com/alexharrell/words.html

I like sphallolalia. It's just fun to say (and do!)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

Poor typists with large vocabulary seeks opinion

Lilly — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:54:29 GMT

Hello, I am a poor typists with a large vocabulary. Do you find that you can differentiate between someone like me, and a person who is unable to really tell the difference between proper word usage, based on context, and other telling things during an online discussion? If so, does it matter to you if the person feels compelled to constantly correct themselves. Does it matter if you know that they know that you know the difference?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 10 replies

Help! Need in-law advice

Marial — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 04:05:30 GMT

I'm marrying into a family of extremely nice people who all say "I seen". I don't want to seem like a snob to them but this makes me cringe and widens the divide between his family and mine. Any advice?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 6 replies

Need your collective intelligence! HELP

mysterium_tremendum — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:51:52 GMT

Ok, so what do you call those sentances that when you read them silently mean little or nothing, but when you hear them read out loud mean something entirely different? Like the Sly Stone song "Thank you falettinme be mice elf". I need to know the name of that particular type of sentence structure or fashion of scripting, and I'd love/need some examples.

Anyone?

(I'm writting a paper on language cognition and the global proccess of speech Vs written language)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 9 replies

does no one proofread before printing?

heather69 — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:33:26 GMT

I was in a parking lot at a hotel and saw some dreadful signs all around the lot.

"The hotel assumes no responsibilities for vehicles or it's contents."

Hmm... Did they intend to say the hotel's contents? The vehicles? Or maybe they were trying to say that the hotel is content? Ugh.

And the worst part is that the hotel had an incident years ago where a guest was found dead in his room. Maybe they don't want to be liable for the people inside the rooms either?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

awkward phrasing

heather69 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:37:42 GMT

I was just reading a text that included a phrase something like this... The matter is in significant degree....

I know what the author meant, but I cannot help hearing in my mind "insignificant" rather than "in significant."

And to think it was Carl Sagan of all people! I'm reading Dragons of Eden, a fascinating exploration of the evolution of the brain.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 25 replies

of interest to logophiles and philanthropists

Stephanie — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:18:40 GMT

I got this in an email forward today, and while many email forawrds are annoying, I thought I'd share this one. The words on their quiz were quite challenging, I certainly couldn't have defined them all, although I got a lot right by informed guessing based on word roots and process of elimination... yay for intuition and semantic memory!

"If you haven't seen this site yet, take a look. www.freerice.com has a fun vocabulary quiz - for every correct answer 10 grains of rice is donated to hungry people around the world. 10 grains isn't much, but they are already up to 212 million grains a day since it started Oct. 7. Spread the word!"

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

Peeve: saying "Think" you instead of "thank" you.

Josh — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:14:31 GMT

I think this started with actresses saying "think" you in order to sound younger than they are. But now I hear real women saying this. "Think you." What the hell?

I realize this isn't a lexical matter but I hope to find consolation among my fellow elitists here...

posted in Lexical Elitists - 28 replies

will not/wo not ok/okay/okai?

Optimus — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:24:38 GMT

will not/wo not ok/okay/okai?

I heard a white child born and raised in a formerly Inuit native tribal area

substitute "wo not" in a phrase that called for "will not". He seemed very comfortable with the use, but was also raised within 100 miles of Anchorage, AK.

It stuck with me with potential for use connoteing honesty.

I lack grammatical training (my spelling is rotten too), and am not sure how to ask this question, but...

Is there a word (so I can use a grammer index) for this? ( a substitution with a conotation.)

While I am writing, I've been thinking about the popularly understood "Okay", its abbreviation "ok".

|Is okai a useful spelling, and what other spellings in use might add context to "okay"?

Anyway, I am a neophite lexographer, but always want to learn new communication skills.

Perhaps some lexical elitist might enlighten me?

Jon

posted in Lexical Elitists - 12 replies

" NO ONE UNDER " / 21 ALLOWED INSIDE

Josh — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:14:54 GMT

I saw this sign, complete with quotation markets, on the door of an arcade this morning. I told my friend Gail, "If they were open, I'd go inside and ask the manager what the heck those quotation marks are doing there."

She thought they were fine. She thought they added emphasis. As in, read my lips, 'no one under' 21 allowed inside.

I still don't like it.

What do you think?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 14 replies

articles and abbreviations

heather69 — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:58:54 GMT

I was just typing something about a labor & delivery nurse and I stumbled over something.

When writing the abbreviation, in this case "L&D," is it proper to use "a" or "an?"

My first instinct is to use "an," because I would mentally read it as "an ell-and-dee nurse." But, if one would read out the words rather than the letters, it would rightly be "a labor and delivery nurse."

Of course, I simply changed to "the" to avoid the whole issue, but now I'm curious. What would everyone else do in this situation?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

Rant about translations... and my patience for errors

kip-Cherone — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:53:36 GMT

HOW BLOODY HARD IS IT TO GET AN ENGLISH SPEAKER TO LOOK AT YOUR AD BEFORE YOU POST IT?

I can't tell you how many times i see products from non-english speaking countries, that mistake "it's" for "its"; "your" for "you're".

course, knowing today's speakers of English, it probably WAS proofread by an english speaker.

Is it really that hard to keep "there" and "their" and "they're" separate in your spell checker? ARRUGH.

(ok, rant over, sorry)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 27 replies

The way to Christ is simple

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:10:00 GMT

God's Blessings often benefit all people. But many of His promises are only for His own children. If you're not sure that you're a part of God's family, He offers you this invitation. The way to Christ is simple:

1. Admit that you have a need.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23

2. Believe that Jesus is God, the Son, who paid the wages of your sin.

For the wages of sin is death [eternal separation from God]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23

3. Call upon God.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9

King James Version

The Holy Bible

ISBN 978-1-58660-198-0

Barbour Publishing

www.barbourbooks.com

posted in Lexical Elitists - 9 replies

The greatest of pleasures

Josh — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:49:06 GMT

“To be learning something is the greatest of pleasures, not only to the philosopher but the rest of mankind, however small their capacities.”

Aristotle said that. What does it say about human beings that this is true of them? If you think this is *not* true of human beings, what does it say about them that this is false?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

Worterbuch der Indogermanischen Sprachen (Big PDF)

Anamika — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:08:22 GMT

Worterbuch der Indogermanischen Sprachen: Dritter Teil: Wortschatz der Germanischen Spracheinheit by August Fick with contributions by Hjalmar Falk, entirely revised by Alf Torp in 1909.

http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/pdf/pgmc_torp/pgmc_torp.pdf

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

Ok Josh..

Marial — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:10:32 GMT

http://tribes.tribe.net/pickypoets123?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5Bcc9ccce8-e722-4cf9-b127-d850d33cfc20%5D

As it is my first ever tribe creation, I don't know how to post it to other stuff.. Just please liik up "limericks and hiku" if you're interested.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

A "Jumbled" poet

Josh — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:41:37 GMT

Today's Jumble words are

Brook
Agile
Oblong
Queasy

Using them, I composed the following.

A nightingale's song stirred in the poet memories of his agile youth, so he leapt over the brook, then leapt back, and leapt over a third time, landing queasy. His stomach soon settled in an oblong box.

What can you make of them?

Fans of such playfulness are invited to join Jumble Bums; we do this every day.

http://tribes.tribe.net/jumblebums

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

New Tribe: Jumble Bums

Josh — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:00:07 GMT

I love the Jumble (“that scrambled word game”) in the morning paper. Some time back I started jotting down the words of the day and turning them into phrases (--canned bamboo * tempo trophy * limber dismay * ). Why not? Sometimes they inspire poems or descriptions for stories. (“Limber dismay” is classic, even if I didn’t think of it!)

So I’m starting this tribe for other lovers of the Jumble and wordplay.
There’s a link in case you wish to play the daily Jumble online.

http://tribes.tribe.net/jumblebums

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

Lovers of Levengers

Josh — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:34:43 GMT

Lovers of Levengers
Lounging in leather chairs
Laughing loud, leering low,
Luring each other upstairs.

(I wrote this in a message to my friend Ann, who also loves Levengers, the store supplying "tools for serious readers.")

http://www.levenger.com/HOME/RtlHomePage.asp?Params=category=556|level=2|pageid=5514

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

word nerds rule!

Fifi — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:50:56 GMT

I just felt the need to say that this is my favorite tribe. Even though we're all passionate about words, and somewhat persnickety about usage, everyone here is far more civil than in most tribes, even tribes where people hold up compassion and kindness as a virtue. The fact that we don't need a moderator speaks volumes to me. (Well edited and grammatically correct volumes, of course!) Perhaps it's because we all value communication and discussing semantics is honestly about trying to unearth a commonly understood and "correct" meaning of a word. Whatever the reason, I really do appreciate you all and this tribe. :-)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 7 replies

What's up w/ moderatorship?

AnathemaD — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:57:42 GMT

I just noticed there's no mod? Does anyone want to seize the reins of power? I would certainly be up for it--I love this tribe and everything it stands for, but I'm also not one of the most prolific posters.

(as to my cred, in case I am running for office . . . I've been an editor for about 20 years, and practically sleep with a copy of the Chicago Manual under my pillow. And I lurves me some big words. Also, I've noticed that when I mod a tribe, I do step up and start posting more, finding interesting tidbits, etc.)

But if not me, heck, someone else please state your interest! Let's get this mod thing goin'!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 14 replies

What about translating Elvis into Latin?

Josh — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:27:42 GMT

I couldn't resist! :o)

Crooner 'with a calling' sings Elvis ... in Latin
Published: Wednesday August 15, 2007

Die-hard Elvis addicts might not approve, but hits by the man who defined cool when he took rock 'n' roll into the mainstream can now be heard ... in Latin sung by a Finnish literature professor.

In yet another testament to the irrepressible influence of "The King," fans can croon along to the broody "Nunc hic aut numquam" ("It's Now or Never"), shake hips to the slightly scary sounding title "Nunc Distrahor" ("All Shook Up"), or just have fun with "Ne Saevias" ("Don't Be Cruel").

"Latin is an eternal language and therefore I believe it is important to document Elvis' songs also in this eternal language," said Jukka Ammondt, known by his stage name Doctor Ammondt.

The late Pope John Paul II was one of his fans, as is former US president Bill Clinton, according to this professor at the University of Jyvaeskylae who released his first Elvis album in 1995 under the title, "The Legend Lives Forever in Latin."

But why the language of Caesar?

"In my high school years in the early 1960s I had my own band and I sang Elvis in English," said Ammondt.

"Later, as a university professor in the 1990s, I realised that it was my calling to sing Elvis in Latin."

He now tours every summer during university break, playing across Europe or the United States where he has performed in Memphis, home to Elvis' Graceland mansion, New York and San Francisco.

Ammondt, whose lyrics are translated by a fellow professor, is passionate about all things Latin -- he often listens to the Finnish public radio's news broadcasts in Latin, the only one of its kind outside the Vatican.

His musical "calling" started in the early 1990s when he recorded an album of Finnish tango songs in Latin, "Tango Triste Finnicum," before moving on to Elvis. In 2001, he recorded an album in Sumerian, a now-defunct language of ancient Mesopotamia, today part of Iraq.

Ammondt, who has a gift for languages and a sense of humour, insists that Finns have an easier time pronouncing Latin than English.

But it's not everyone who can get their tongue around Elvis' 1956 hit "Tedere me ama" ("Love Me Tender"): "I tenere me, suaviter/Ama intime/Me beasti dulciter/Et nunc amo te/Tenere me adama/Vero somnio/Amo te, o lux mea: Fiat unio."

Even with the twangy electric guitars and heavy horns, the Latin lyrics are jarring and some might say Ammondt is not a born crooner. His renditions have been compared more to karaoke singing than to Tennessee recording studio material.

That doesn't matter for Ammondt, who may be described as eccentric. An expert on Bertolt Brecht, romanticism and melancholy in literature, he doesn't mind jeers or criticism.

He says Elvis' songs have given him the "courage to be myself and to think as an individual and to pay attention to my own feelings."

In his early 60s with long grey hair and round spectacles, the thin, divorced father of three posed almost-nude for his 1997 "Rocking in Latin" album cover.

Ten years younger than his idol, Ammondt, who has his own website, www.drammondt.com, never had the chance to play for Elvis before the rock 'n' roll legend died of a heart attack on August 16, 1977 at age 42.

But he met Carl Perkins, who wrote the music and lyrics to "Blue Suede Shoes" and first recorded the song before Elvis turned it into a smash hit -- and which Ammondt has transformed into "Glaudi Calcei."

Perkins, who died in 1998, was "interested" by his endeavours, Ammondt said modestly.

He said Pope John Paul II, who received some of Ammondt's recordings from the Finnish embassy to the Vatican, was "positive about the idea of promoting the Latin language in this way."

And former US president Bill Clinton, who plays the saxophone in his spare time, sent Ammondt his regards after listening to his music.

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Crooner_with_a_calling_sings_Elvis__08152007.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

how many do you know, oh elitist cronies...

Stephanie — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 04:55:23 GMT

houghton mifflin has published a list of of 100 must-know words for high school grads. Must admit, I don't have all of these in my vocab... how 'bout youse guys? :P

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/booksellers/press_release/100words/

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

Proper use of "began to?"

Anemone — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:41:19 GMT

I'm curious about the proper use of "began to." I read and edit stories/essays/personal statements from undergrads. They love to say "I began to grow angry" or "I began to cry." I was taught that unless the action is interrupted ("I began to cry but stopped when I thought about rainbows and kittens"), saying "began to" is unnecessary...instead, you should just get to the point and say "I cried." It may not be a hard and fast rule, but does the general idea sound right?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

Newspaper headline "gay-firing law starting"

kip-Cherone — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:34:14 GMT

If you read that, knowing nothing about the town or the politics -- what would you think the topic is?

i HATE headline writers, sometimes.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 10 replies

Imfa Infa Aaaahhhhrrrgg!!!

PaulaC — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 17:34:17 GMT

In the last few years I have slowly heard an increasing number of individuals in the media mispronounce various words, especially the word infrastructure. With the weapons of mass destruction debacle, the whole greenhouse specter and what we are doing to change it, and now the bridge in Minnesota the word and its mispronunciation rings in my ear at least two or three times per day. How is it, that a talking head, whose only job is to talk, foul up that job? If on the page or teleprompter it says i-n-f-r-a, how does this become Imfa or infa?
One exception stands out, a few days ago, my hero Jim Lehrer actually remembered the forgotten ‘r’ in discussing the bridge collapse and not ten seconds later, our speaker Pelosi left it out in her reply.

Sigh.

</rant>

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

british English v. american english "i did used to do"

kip-Cherone — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:20:52 GMT

My french husband and i were discussing the use of "did used to do". he had never seen the phrase "did used to" as he understood the rule to be "did + inivintive verb". I told him it wasn't inaccurate, for all it's uncommon. But when i looked it up online, i found this interesting comment in a list of ways "used to" is used

Used you to play the organ in church before you became a monk?

my grammar warnings flashed on immediately, but that is apparently very correct. HELP??? is it something that is British?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 11 replies

well and good

heather69 — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:55:12 GMT

The post about Al Gore and the overuse of "whom" reminds me of something else. I go absolutely batty when people say, "I don't feel well." I hear it so often working at the hospital and it's so terribly annoying. I really want to ask, "Gee, are you experiencing some type of neurological disorder that interferes with tactile sensation?"

Well is an adverb, not an adjective. If someone doesn't feel well, they probably cannot distinguish between silk and corduroy.

Yet, everyone seems to think it sounds more correct than "I don't feel good," which is grammatically correct. James Brown was absolutely correct to proclaim, "I feel good!"

Ugh!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 8 replies

This isn't really about Al Gore, but

Artemisss — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:10:37 GMT

I just read this online:

"Former Vice President Al Gore, whom some Democratic activists want to see as a 2008 presidential contender, had no immediate comment about his son's latest arrest."

Shouldn't it be "who some Democratic activists..." or is it really whom? Isn't Al the subject of this sentence? Or in this clause, are the activists the subject?

Thanks! I'm so irritated by people overusing 'whom' to sound intellectual, but in this case I'm not sure.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 19 replies

That vs. which

CraigKurumada — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:07:14 GMT

Comrades:

"Topics which I want to learn more."

"Topics that I want to learn more."

In my native Rocky Mountain English dialect, these sentences are almost interchangeable. I generally use the which when it refers to a substantive. My California-born wife agrees.

I recall many years ago a friend of mine telling me of a British fellow who complained that Americans don't know the difference and misuse "that" and "which".

Do you have a hard and fast rule about "that" and "which", which/that you can impart to us ignoramii?

Craig in Arcata

PS. The sand which is here is not as tasty as the sandwiches there.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 18 replies

advertising flubs

heather69 — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:35:00 GMT

How often do you catch mistakes in advertising? Isn't it soooo annoying?

One of my favorites is a commercial for an assisted-living facility in my area. The text, which is both spoken and printed on the screen, reads the following:
Live Comfortable
Live Safe
Live Secure

Every single time that I see this commercial, I find myself screaming at the television, "-LY!" at the end of each line.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 29 replies

Mayn't I?

Josh — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:38:02 GMT

I appreciate the can/ may distinction. ("Can" refers to ability while "may" refers to permission.) Yet I can't imagine myself saying, when pleading for permission, "Mayn't I?" (As in, "Dear, mayn't I wait until a commercial to take out the trash?")

What sayest thou?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

Hyphenation

jeau — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:39:01 GMT

I've been listing my dad's antique books on biblio.com, and one of the most striking differences I've noticed in the texts (orthographically, anyway) is the non-standardization of hyphenation. More currently, though, I'm confused by three disparate spellings of tie dye, tie-dye, and tiedye. Does anyone have a preference? Which look(s) weird? Why? What do your favorite sources say? Just curious...

posted in Lexical Elitists - 9 replies

"Mine your own business!"

Josh — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:18:20 GMT

This is funny, though it wasn't meant to be. To "mind" one's own business means to tend to it, but to "mine" it suggests digging up buried ideas. As a writer, I think "mining my own business" sounds like an excellent job description, especially when "business" suggests one's affairs rather than merely one's work.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

adjectival anathema

Stephanie — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:06:34 GMT

anathema is a noun, but it seems the way it most commonly is used like an adjective: "Small-minded loudmouths are anathema to my soul."

(I suppose this construction works because it is like a trope, with the one noun standing in for all the adjectives it implies? You can't just substitute any noun and have it work, but put the right loaded noun in there and it does. Eeeeeeenteresting.)

At any rate... my question is, what if one generates an adjectival form like "anathematic' ? Is this wrong? Redundant, but forgivable? The long-awaited solution to an adjectival dilemma?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 10 replies

We bore the gods

Josh — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:45:13 GMT

[ I know this isn't a poetry tribe, but what delights me in the following silliness--penned this morning over coffee--is the use of---you'll see.]

We Bore the Gods

We bore the gods.
It's why they hide away.
--They nag like wives, those mewling scrives*.
(*From the Hordu: root of decay.)

That cracks me up! A false footnote in a poem! Hordu isn't even a language. (My original thought was Urdu, but then I thought, hell, I don't *know* Urdu and besides 'Hordu' would be funnier.)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

Would you believe

Josh — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:09:26 GMT

there is a tribe called "al of your sexual fantasys in this tribe"?

I joined and immediately called for a correction of the spelling, adding, "Am I the only one bothered by this?"

Evidently everyone is masturbating or dead, as there's been no response to my urgent plea.

At least here I rest assured someone will feel my pain. (And while you feel it, tell me what you're wearing... joke!)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 9 replies

Noize * boi * kewl

Josh — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:39:54 GMT

Heather complained about authors using odd spellings to convey slang, dialect, patois.

I thought this morning of two spellings ('noize' and 'boi') that follow normal pronunciation and use the same number of letters but are chosen for (debateable) visual appeal. A third, 'kewl,' has sonic value, as it suggests sounding "cool" as two syllables, koo-wul, but it's overuse has left the reader unsure whether it's supposed to suggest that pronunciation or just to look, well, kewl.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

True, that !

kip-Cherone — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:39:05 GMT

Ok, so i just heard myself say in reply to the claim "It never hurts to try", "True that".

and despite not knowing where i picked this rather youthful phrase up from, what i'm really curious about is how any one would punctuate the damn thing.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 21 replies

Subjunctive

kip-Cherone — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:16:56 GMT

I was tutoring some highschool kids in french, and they asked about sujunctive.

Not really pondering whom i was talking to (high schoolers) I told them it was like our subjunctive mode. to which i got the "stare of confoundment and of 'are you really a teacher'".

How many of you still use subjunctive, or even hear it used in teh real world often or correctly. I never really stoped to consider that it's dying, but clearly it is.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 15 replies

Think of the children!

AnathemaD — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:26:39 GMT

Heard on the radio that schoolteachers in Hayward are expected to go on strike, "A move that could impact thousands of children." Mmmmm hmmm. They might, for instance, fail to learn about avoidance of "impact" as a verb . . .

posted in Lexical Elitists - 8 replies

of vs for

samrat — Thu, 31 May 2007 05:58:16 GMT

hello all, these two prepositions are giving me a hard time. The net hasn't thrown up any answers too, which makes me wonder if I am the only nincompoop grappling with this.

The dilemma is in their use as phrasal verbs - plan for/plan of; proposal for/proposal of. Most times, I have an innate sense of which is appropriate, but haven't got to figuring out exactly why...can someone point me to an online resource?

thanks.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

passive of a different color.

Stephanie — Tue, 22 May 2007 00:43:16 GMT

just a little mini-outburst here.... but what is up with people using the phrase "passive-aggressive" to refer to outright aggression? have we completely forgotten the meaning of the word passive?

this link was on boingboing.net today, http://passiveaggressivenotes.wordpress.com/ and while it is really funny, most of it isn't passive at all.

Call me a hair splitter, but writing essentially "I spit in something you ate" is very active to me, no?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

passive?

heather69 — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:54:54 GMT

What are your thoughts on the passive? Why does Microsoft hate it? I get so annoyed that I always get the highlighted scribble telling me, "Passive voice, consider revising."

Personally, I enjoy the stylistic flexibility and find many advantages in using the passive construction. Is this actually frowned upon by grammarians, or is it just too difficult to get a computer program to understand all of the lovely nuances available for use in the English language?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 31 replies

I trust your well

btd — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:00:16 GMT

I received email from a job recruiter with the line:
I trust your well
Of course I know what he was trying to say, but I found it amusing that his sentence is correct if he was talking about how he trusted my source of water. So I replied:
I drink bottled water
but maybe he'll think I'm saying that's how I stay healthy, instead of me telling him how I use an alternative source of water, and not my well.

Later in his email he wrote (in talking how I could interview, even though I now have just started a new job):
you have nothing to loose
so I responded:
I do not have anything too loose, that's true.
then continued discussing my schedule.
Again, he'll probably read it as replying sensibly to his line, but I don't think he'll understand my lexical play on words and humor.

Ironically, recruiters tell us how we should spell check and make sure resumés are perfect, yet he made these errors!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 8 replies

Forte as fort or for-tay

kip-Cherone — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 17:16:15 GMT

Anyone who is "lexically elite" has encountered this conundrum, and I'm curious what you all do about it/with it/when in it.

Consider "forte" in the following sentence.

"She is an accomplished singer of many styles, but Torchsongs are truly her FORTE".

Most of those who are truly lexically elite know that "forte" here, is pronounced "fort" like that building in teh old west where Indians supposedly raided... However, the vast majority of Americans believe the correct pronunciation of the term is "for-tay". This is so prevalent in our society, that educated people will often dismiss you as *ill-educated*, if you "mis" pronounce it as "fort". Several books I've read, suggest that you keep in mind your own "image" and what your goals are, when using this term, cause people love to say "you illiterate fool, it's for-tay".

So my question is "What are lexical elitists to do?" Personally, when i'm in an academic setting I pronounce it correctly, but if I'm in a court room, trying to explain something about Native Cultures to a jury, or if I'm talking to business people trying to get money for some pet project, i'm likely to use "fortay" just cause i don't want to prejudice people against the argument I'm presenting.

just curious what a "good ol' elitist" aught to do. :-)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 15 replies

happiness exploration via linguistics, psychology and more

heather69 — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:45:08 GMT

This is, perhaps, not technically a lexical topic, but I find it fascinating and I think the folks in this tribe might enjoy the subject and engage in a wonderful discussion about it.

I found a series of dialogues on Slate.com involving my hero, Steven Pinker, linguistic, experimental psychologist, member of the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists and participating in a dozen other amazing, fun, intellectual pursuits. Steven Pinker recently published a book entitled, "The Blank Slate," which is mostly about evolutionary psychology, as well as countless books and articles, mostly exploring linguistics, language acquisition, the physiology of language, distinct brain modules for various functions and more. He is on the top of my list of people with whom I would love to spend a week or month getting drunk and discuss anything and everything! (You can learn just about everything about him on his site - http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/index.html)

The series in Slate is a discussion of Human Nature and Happiness between Pinker, Martin Seligman. a big shot psychology professor, and Robert Wright, a fellow many times over at a number of prestigious universities, etc.

Here's the link: http://www.slate.com/id/2072079/entry/2072402/

I can't wait to see what everyone has to say about the subject! I certainly hope that you find it as amazing as I do!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

grammar question

kip-Cherone — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:04:46 GMT

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday cleared the way for subpoenas compelling five Justice Department officials and six of the federal prosecutors they fired to tell the story of a purge of U.S. attorneys that has prompted demands for the ouster of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
-----

My mind is throwing fits about the "Thursday" tossed in here, without punctuation. but, as i am *anything but* a grammar goddess, I figured maybe it was just me, and this is perfectly correct usage of English grammar and punctuation.

could anyone help?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

Books?

Greg — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:21:54 GMT

I'm working my way though Hesse, Reading Steppenwolf and i have Sadartha lined up next. I thuroughly enjoy the poetic style but at the same time realize that Hesse was German and wonder about the translation process. What are you guys into?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

creating new words

heather69 — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 06:30:43 GMT

Sure, we all talk about the thingamajig and the whoosie-whatsit, but what about practical additions to our common lexicon. We create new words and usurp the meaning of old ones all the time, especially when it comes to technological advances. One of my favorite observations was using a computer in Germany and seeing the pop-up window that says "Schliessen die Fenster." (Literally, close the window.) Or "Klicken Sie hier, bitte." (Click here, please.)

I'd love to know what other new phrases everyone is using. I recently found myself creating a good one - overchristmasizing. I live in a the town of Bethlehem, PA, so Christmas is a tad overdone around here. Someone gave me a hard time that it isn't a real word, but I really feel that it is a useful and meaningful term that we could be using.

Does anyone have some other good ones?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 33 replies

the door is a jar

Greg — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:57:23 GMT

If i can adore
and a door can be ajar
can I be a jar too?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

weird things are happening to my intelligance

Doll_Parts — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:39:28 GMT

i have to risk exposing myself as a complete moron by posting this burning man moment but it's kinda like finding the sacred heart of Jesus in your tombstone pizza

Twice in a row i was busily posting on some obscure and irrelevant topic when it suddenly occurred to me that the thread being drawn out so totally belonged on another Tribe. So I did the copy and paste thing.

On Hot Guys Looking for Smart Girls or Hot, Smart Girls Looking for Smartish, Real Hot Guys ... me and Kumar started discussing the word "reasonable," afterwhcih I realized it belonged here. (Try not harp too much if it ends up needing to be posted to Brammarnazis or Cunning-Linguist or whatever ...

http://tribes.tribe.net/9ea2a60f-30e2-4b62-a576-ecdcd75e38fb/thread/46b7e5ae-6f63-4794-9a28-b40ca36972d0?newpostingid=c358a779-832c-4d45-9a6f-27b2ed41a87c#c358a779-832c-4d45-9a6f-27b2ed41a87c

Earlier, there was a discussion on a cannon that shoots pants and the possibility of it leaving a mark on a shirtcocker when some pretty vampire girl mentioned that somebody named Chaos Boy had a similar, well-functioning machine but that they were using it to lob garlic into the poor vampire camp. (It should be noted that in fine Vampire style, she held no resentment as she told the story.)

So when I read that I realized that this was a post that deserved to go to Disinfotainment: http://bm.tribe.net/thread/74e7ff3c-41c0-4130-965d-1036caaa6f87

anyway, that was exhausting but left my root chakra all spinny so I think it was worth it.
This Burning Man moment brought to you by the Best Moop of 2006, The Little Green Pipe ...

posted in Lexical Elitists - 7 replies

Mispronunciation!

Sat, 23 Dec 2006 08:10:09 GMT

Hello all! I just joined this tribe, so bear with me if I am posting this in the wrong area. Word mispronunciation really annoys me. Especially when the correctly spelled word is in front of the person, and they still pronounce it incorrectly; not as if they don't know how to pronounce the word, but as if they glanced at it and whatever comes out of their mouth as pronunciation of the word is fine with them. For example, people's names are a common problem. This person commonly sees this guy's name Santeramo and says Sacramento. One misuse is fine, but to continually say it wrong and not actually pay attention to what one is reading really annoys me. This person is from the northeast, and has a tendancy to put an 'S' at the end of places such as Walmart, Meijer, Kroger etc... But to top it all off, this person doesn't pronounce the 'T' in Walmart like a T but like a K as in Walmarks, and commonly pronounces other words that have a T towards the end like a K. Also this person never pronounces N correctly, almost like it never exists, and proceeds to use it like an M thus saying Valentime's Day. I work in a computer environment, and when working with servers that have names for network purposes, one must know the correct spelling of the server name. This person constantly get's M's mixed up with N's wherever placed in the name, and it really drives me nuts because I have to ask twice just to veriy.
Is this some type of regional mispronunciation, or lack of attention to detail, or just plain not knowing the English Language?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 10 replies

English a lovely language no matter who is speaking it!

Regina — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 02:13:44 GMT

I have now lived in three countries where English is the primary language (Ireland, Australia and the US). In each one I have added words to my vocabulary. For instance in Ireland the toilet is the "Bog" or the "Jacks", in Australia it is the "Lav" or even a "Dunny" and in the US it is the "Restroom" or the "Bathroom". It strikes me as a bit odd that when I arrived here in the US I considered the American vocabulary and accent a bit rough and brash. I looked on the vocabularies I had left behind as more complex and stylish. No that I have been here a few years I realize that it is all much of a muchness and there are interesting words and meanings in all versions of English. What you lose on the roundabouts you pull up on the swings!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

The Vagaries of English (cross post)

Bobster — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:09:26 GMT

I received this in an e-mail and thought of all of you. There are probably answers to all of these (OK, some are just silly), whether we're dealing with trademarks, tradition, sarcasm, regionalism, etc which burrowed their way snugly into the vernacular. So, answering these questions ought to be a small challenge to Lexical Elitists.

---------------------------------------

1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?
2. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?
3. If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?
4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?
5. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?
6. Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same thing?
7. Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?
8. Why do "tug" boats push their barges?
9. Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game" when we are already there?
10. Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?
11. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"?
12. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?
13. Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?
14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?
15. Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds?
16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?
17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?
20. Why is bra singular and panties plural?
21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead?
22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?
23. How come abbreviated is such a long word?
24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?
25. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
26. Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one?
27. Christmas - What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

there should be a word for that!

Stephanie — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 02:33:51 GMT

it's like 'The Meaning of Liff", only international, and real.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=2558975&page=1

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

Free Spelling Bee TONIGHT in SF (October 12th)

sfslim — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:14:37 GMT

TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT!
Rx Gallery 132 Eddy Street @ Mason
8pm (spelling starts promptly at 9pm)

Completely re-engineered, version 2 of the BUZZED BEE features clearer sound, faster rounds, and more chances for you to make a fool of yourself in front of your so-called friends. Spectators will T-H-R-I-L-L to the skimpily salacious divertissements of the Buzzed Bee DSYLEXIC CHEERLEADERING SQUAB, while participants will wrack their brains and un-tie their tongues in an open competition to "bee" crowned San Francisco's BEST SPELLER!

So to recap, we have:

[ X ] No cover charge.

[ X ] Sexy Cheerleaders in Skimpy Outfits.

[ X ] A Spelling Bee for Intoxicated Adults.

[ X ] A Bevy of Fabulous Prizes, and PLENTY of other surprises!

So come on back for another ride on the B-U-Z-Z-E-D B-E-E. We promise we won't sting (unless you ask very nicely).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: Make sure to arrive on time or you may miss out on the initial fast and furious qualifying round (aka "The Circle J-E-R-Q-U-E").

Latest BUZZED BEE news + photos from previous bees online at:
www.catcubed.com/buzzedbee/

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

L.E. Game

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 20:49:23 GMT

Spurious Confection =

FAKE CAKE

(answer must rhyme and often there may exist multiple answers)
In Jeopardy!, they call this category, "rhyme time".

posted in Lexical Elitists - 44 replies

Pimp gloss

CraigKurumada — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 06:06:03 GMT

Okay, LEs:

I'm a pretty progressive male, but I get somewhat uncomfortable when I hear, hm, how you say in English, "street language", "gutter language", "locker room language." I grew up in Utah, so sue me!

Furthermore, I was appalled on a recent trip back to my hometown of Salt Lake City during New Year's to see so many advertisements in the newspaper for "Pimp and Ho Parties - come dressed as "your favorite [sic]" Pimp and Ho!"

On another tribe - "Ultimate Foodies", there is a thread titled "Pimp That Snack." The thread shows multiple photos of candy bars and snacks which have been altered by cooks to be 10 or 20 times bigger than they normally appear. Giant Toblerone bars, giant cakes, giant Kit Kat bars, etc.

I know the stereotypical image of a pimp in the U.S. Also, of course, racist. Pimps are African-American, wear zoot suits and a lot of jewelry. Fine. So, in your estimation, "pimp" is currently a verb and has come to also mean, "dress up outrageously or make to look every so much more so"? Is that what this is about?

I can't imagine myself using this "new" verb.

Oh, yeah. When is your first recollection of this usage?

Craig in Arcata

posted in Lexical Elitists - 6 replies

help me, O lexically elite ones!

Stephanie — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 06:13:10 GMT

I read of a word once that is a term for a word or phrase that was necessary to be coined in response to another word or phrase being coined, or coming into common usage, and had no need to exist before.

examples: analog clock; corded phone, Coke Classic, World War I, land line, snail mail

this, to me, was a pretty cool word, but I have since forgot what the word is.

does anyone know?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 12 replies

Decimation...

PaulaC — Thu, 25 May 2006 14:31:55 GMT

I've been hearing this quite often lately. I think people are mixing the meaning with devastation. Since when is 'reduced by ten percent' a horriffic tragedy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimate

posted in Lexical Elitists - 14 replies

Free Spelling Bee for SF Bay Lexical Elitists -- The BUZZED BEE

sfslim — Mon, 29 May 2006 23:52:07 GMT

Any lexical elitists in the San Francisco Bay Area are encouraged to come out this Thursday night to the BUZZED BEE, a FREE performance / spelling bee for misfits, geeks, and word nerds.

I've posted an event listing in this tribe, but I know that many folks (myself included) often don't view event listings in their tribes. Full information can be found at:

http://catcubed.com/buzzedbee/

or

http://sfslim.livejournal.com/25476.html

"Bee" there, or be square. (Ugh. Sorry. I couldn't resist.)

- SFSlim

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

three new words

Stephanie — Wed, 10 May 2006 06:49:13 GMT

what are the three most recent or coolest new words you've learned?

I'm digging

synecdoche
papillotage
parturition

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

Archaism

bmc — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 07:33:03 GMT

I used the word "whence" in a piece I wrote for a poetry class. The "teacher" noted that "if it was so archaic that [she] had to look it up, I shouldn't be using it in my poetry." I responded that she should be thanking me for sending her to the dictionary to enrich her knowledge of our language.

Twit.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 12 replies

Another report from Signland

Francis — Thu, 04 May 2006 09:16:24 GMT

In front of a local Ice-cream parlor:
MOM DESERVES
A DECEDENT
ICE CREAM CAKE

Does it come in a coffin-shaped plastic container?
And what did Mom do to deserve such a thing?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 2 replies

Too lazy to find this in the CMS! Help?

GrrrArgh — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:14:08 GMT

What's the rule for which words are "factioned" vs. those which are "ficationed"?

For instance, the act of putrefying is putrefaction, but the act of vilifying is vilification. Why? Is it that putrecation just happens, but vilifying happens *to* something? And how would that affect zombies? Would Romero-style zombies be changed by zombifaction, while voodoo-style zombies were changed by zombification?

This was actually a serious question...at least until the zombies showed up <lol>. Thanks : ).

posted in Lexical Elitists - 4 replies

too archaic to use?

Stephanie — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 18:41:02 GMT

I used the word 'belies' in a paper for my writing class, and the teacher questioned whether it was a word. Well, I know it's a word, but is it too archaic for use, or did I use it wrong?

I wrote (about Edward Weston's 'Pepper') "...a blemish lurking in the shadows belies earthly imperfection."

posted in Lexical Elitists - 7 replies

knick-knack origin.

andy — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 06:06:46 GMT

was wondering about this with my sweetie the other night and not finding much seaching the web - anyone have a good word origin dictionary or other info about where the 'knick-knack' came from?

thanks!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 3 replies

Never knew this

Bobster — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:02:42 GMT

The word porcelain comes from the fact that it resembles a Cowrie Shell, which is said to look like
the vagina of a pig. (Porcus = pig). from http://www.popbitch.com/latestIssue.html

[French 'porcelaine', cowry shell, porcelain, from Old French, from Old Italian 'porcellana', from feminine of 'porcellano', of a young sow, from porcella, young sow, diminutive of 'porca', sow, from Latin, feminine of 'porcus' (pig).

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

Gaining acceptance into the Hallowed Halls of Lexiconia

kati — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:58:45 GMT

"Mommy? Where do new words come from?"

Well, dear, it's like this:

http://wordsmith.org/words/eustasy.html

posted in Lexical Elitists - 12 replies

Defene... dumbass

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 23:44:27 GMT

So, there's this guy that frequents the same coffee shop I do. Everytime I've seen him come in, he mentions to whomever barista is listening the new word he learned that day- kind of cool, but he can come off as fairly pompous if you weren't familiar with him. Anyhow, his new word today is evidently "defenestration". This is a fun word, and as any lexial elitist should know, refers to the act of throwing something out a window; the word-a-day-guy said it was a political term that meant the ousting of a political person or party. When I called him on it, he replied that that word has only until recently meant to an object out a window. This seemed totally believable, especially with considering the manner in which he explained the history of the word. However, after I checked the word online at several sites, I've concluded "defenestration" has never referred to anything other than winging an object out a window and this whacky guy is either misinformed, a liar, a pedantic prick or most likely, all three.

Anyone have extra insight into this word? Should I defenestrate this old bastard onto his ass next time he comes in?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 11 replies

Looking for a word for "fire buff"

Francis — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 14:31:26 GMT

I need the proper term for a person who collects fire-fighting memorabilia. A friend has coined "pyrophile", but that's too close to "pyromaniac", and, to me, denotes someone who likes fires, not firefighting. Anyone know the Greek word for "fire-fighter"?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 5 replies

Another nail in English's coffin

Francis — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 08:27:37 GMT

"BOKAYS"
I've never seen this until a few days ago, when I saw it on several different florists' signs.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 18 replies

Endothermic

sonyalynn — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:14:43 GMT

I had a verbal debate with a friend of mine last night when I described myself (a mammal) as exothermic, as opposed to endothermic. She asserted that endothermic was correct *ina biological context*, and was right, but I didn't believe it and checked the dictionary.com entry. What I found flat out offended me.

The word looks to actually have 2 distinct, yet diametrically opposed meanings!

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=endothermic

The fabric of my reality has been torn and I must go sulk in a corner now.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 44 replies

Prescriptions needed

paola — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 20:54:41 GMT

Dear fellow elitists,

I was asked for a recommendation, and I guess I need your help.
A friend of mine is looking for an English grammar, as prescriptive as possible. Not necessarily the best, but authoritative: she's an Italian editor, and needs something that can be used as the definitive word in times of controversy with translators, copywriters and Broken English speaking clients.

We have a couple of them in Italian: is there anything like that in American English or British English?

Thanks.

posted in Lexical Elitists - 11 replies

Prescription Needed (reminded me of this)

Bobster — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:26:15 GMT

The Moscow Times
VIEW FROM AMERICA: Grammar Bug Wages War On Ugly E-mails
By Bob Hirschfeld [Wednesday, May 5, 1999]

A new computer virus is spreading throughout the Internet, and
it is far more insidious than las week's Chernobyl menace. Named
Strunkenwhite, after the authors of a classic guide to good
writing, it returns e-mail messages that have grammatical or
spelling errors. It is deadly accurate in its detection
abilities, unlike the spell-checkers that come with
word-processing programs.

The virus is causing something akin to panic throughout
corporate America, which has become used to the typos,
misspellings, missing words and mangled syntax so acceptable in
cyberspace.

The CEO of LoseItAll.com, an Internet startup,said the virus has
rendered him helpless. "Each time I tried to send one particular
e-mail this morning, I got back this error message: 'You
dependent clause preceding your independent clause must be set
off by commas, but one must not precede the conjunction.' I
threw my laptop across the room."

A top executive at a telecommunications and long-distance
company, 10-10-10-10-10-10-123, said: "This morning, the same
damned e-mail kept coming back to me with a pesky notation
claiming I needed to use a pronoun's possessive case before a
gerund. With the number of e-mails I crank out each day, who has
time for proper grammar?"

A broker at Begg, Barow and Steel speculated that the hacker who
created Strunkenwhite was a "disgruntled English major who
couldn't make it on a trading floor. When you're buying and
selling on margin, I don't think it's anybody's business if I
write that 'i meetinged through the morning, then cinched the
deal on the cel phone while bareling down the xway.'"

Strunkenwhite is particularly difficult to detect because it
doesn't come as an e-mail attachment. Instead, it is disguised
within the text of an e-mail titled "Congratulations on your pay
raise." The message asks the recipient to "click here to find
out about how your raise effects your pension." The use of
"effects" rather than the grammatically correct "affects"
appears to be an inside joke from Strunkenwhite's mischievous
creator.

The virus has left government e-mail systems in disarray.
Officials at the Office of Management and Budget can no longer
transmit electronic versions of federal regulations because
their highly technical language seems to run afoul of
Strunkenwhite's dictum that "vigorous writing is concise."

The White House speechwriting office reported that it had
received the same message, along with a caution to avoid phrases
such as "the truth is" and "in fact." The virus can have an
even more devastating impact if it infects an entire network. A
cable news operation was forced to shut down its computer system
for several hours when i discovered that Strunkenwhite had
somehow infiltrated its TelePrompTer software, delaying
newscasts and leaving news anchors nearly tongue-tied as they
wrestled with proper sentence structure.

Meanwhile, bookstores and online booksellers reported a surge in
orders for Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style."
-------------
• Bob Hirschfeld, who enjoys receiving e-mails in plain English,
lampoons the news at his web site, bobsfridge.com. He
contributed this comment to The Washington Post.
--------------

posted in Lexical Elitists - 1 reply

state of

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:57:27 GMT

Quite often I wake in a jejeune state

posted in Lexical Elitists - 8 replies

jelled

docrobert — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 05:38:49 GMT

I read an LA Times article today that used the word "jelled" in some context, like "it took a while before his ideas jelled".

Anything wrong here? Am I the only one for whom this spelling and what it represents about language is odious? ;)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 18 replies

noetic doppelganger

Stephanie — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 02:09:24 GMT

okay, so I just found out that noetic means "created or originating in the intellect" instead of "experienced with the eyes of a child" (or something akin)

anyone know where the source of the confusion might be? Is there a homonym that has to do with childlike experience?

I'm feeling rather disillusioned...

posted in Lexical Elitists - 24 replies

Bona fide words for "poo"

kati — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 16:52:09 GMT

I'll start with just one and leave more to you all:

scat (from wolves)

posted in Lexical Elitists - 57 replies

it is what I am

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 09:39:16 GMT

at times I use my animadversions of certain works

posted in Lexical Elitists - 0 replies

abuse, or creative license?

Stephanie — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 00:38:34 GMT

I overheard a woman today declare herself to be an avaricious reader, which of course promptly annoyed me (she may have even said "avarice reader," though I can't prove it).
However, on second thought, it occured to me that it would be conceivable for someone to read avariciously.

should she get the benefit of the doubt?

posted in Lexical Elitists - 12 replies

Awesome word: tmesis

AnathemaD — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 03:19:15 GMT

I guess I knew this word existed, but I'd not heard it or seen it written in so long I'd forgetten it existed. And then today I was reading a review of James Kelman's "How Late it Was How Late," the ook that's entirely written as an interior monologue in incoherent Scottish dialect (I've not read it but it's supposed to be brilliant), and the reviewer referenced the narrator's "x-rated tmesis." According to dictionary.com:

tmesis \TMEE-sis\, noun:
In grammar and rhetoric, the separation of the parts of a compound word, now generally done for humorous effect; for example, "what place soever" instead of "whatsoever place," or "abso-bloody-lutely."

Examples of tmesis:

If on the first, how heinous e'er it be,
To win thy after-love I pardon thee.
--Shakespeare, Richard II

His income-tax return, he remarked, was the "most rigged-up marole" he'd ever seen.
--Frederic Packard

In two words, im possible.
--Samuel Goldwyn

It is unfuckinglikely that I go an hour, let alone a day without committing progoddamnfane tmesis!

posted in Lexical Elitists - 15 replies

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