Michael Gates's Blog, page 10
December 1, 2019
Are CARRIWITCHETS the lowest form of humor?
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today it's...
Carriwitchet (noun)
An absurd question, a pun, a quibble, a conundrum; a jocular or facetious comment
So this hydrogen atom walks into a bar. He goes up to the bartender and orders a beer. He says to the bartender, "I think I've lost an electron." The bartender says, "Are you sure?" The electron says, "Yes, I’m positive." So this carton of yogurt walks into a bar. He goes up to the bartender and orders a beer. The bartender says, "Hey, buddy, we don’t serve yogurt in here." The yogurt says, "Why not? I’m a cultured individual." Etcetera, etcetera. Those are carriwitchets. (TWITO, page 29)
Carriwitchet (noun)
An absurd question, a pun, a quibble, a conundrum; a jocular or facetious comment
So this hydrogen atom walks into a bar. He goes up to the bartender and orders a beer. He says to the bartender, "I think I've lost an electron." The bartender says, "Are you sure?" The electron says, "Yes, I’m positive." So this carton of yogurt walks into a bar. He goes up to the bartender and orders a beer. The bartender says, "Hey, buddy, we don’t serve yogurt in here." The yogurt says, "Why not? I’m a cultured individual." Etcetera, etcetera. Those are carriwitchets. (TWITO, page 29)
November 24, 2019
I heard you! Stop battologizing!
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today it's...
Battologize (verb) (TWITO, page 20)
To repeat oneself excessively
"But when we pray, let us not battologize (i.e., use vain repetitions), but theologize."
--Samuel Miller (quoting the early Christian theologian Origen), "Thoughts on Public Prayer" (1849)
It can be annoying when someone keeps repeating himself, but it can be amusing, too. Whenever you hear the word or catchphrase elsewhere, you think of that person. The verbal tic becomes symbolic of him or her, like a sonic monogram or an aural coat of arms. As the Beatles said, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here are some words and phrases I hear from battologizers (who shall be nameless) all the time:
circle back
close the loop
have a conversation about....
pretty much
exactly!
What's interesting is....
Can I ask you a question?
over to you
okay, okay, okay
Here's the thing...
whatcha got?
Battologize (verb) (TWITO, page 20)
To repeat oneself excessively
"But when we pray, let us not battologize (i.e., use vain repetitions), but theologize."
--Samuel Miller (quoting the early Christian theologian Origen), "Thoughts on Public Prayer" (1849)
It can be annoying when someone keeps repeating himself, but it can be amusing, too. Whenever you hear the word or catchphrase elsewhere, you think of that person. The verbal tic becomes symbolic of him or her, like a sonic monogram or an aural coat of arms. As the Beatles said, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here are some words and phrases I hear from battologizers (who shall be nameless) all the time:
circle back
close the loop
have a conversation about....
pretty much
exactly!
What's interesting is....
Can I ask you a question?
over to you
okay, okay, okay
Here's the thing...
whatcha got?
November 17, 2019
Please, no GD entheomania!
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today, it's...
ENTHEOMANIA (noun)
Abnormal belief that one is divinely inspired
"The king's entheomania was the root cause of his subjects’ general woe."
This is why we don't have a king. Right?
ENTHEOMANIA (noun)
Abnormal belief that one is divinely inspired
"The king's entheomania was the root cause of his subjects’ general woe."
This is why we don't have a king. Right?
November 10, 2019
DESIDERATUM? With cream and sugar?
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today, it's...
DESIDERATUM (noun) TWITO, page 16
= something considered necessary or highly desirable
"He was a man of simple tastes, and a cup of coffee--hot and black--was his only morning desideratum. Hers was a mocha coconut frappuccino."
DESIDERATUM (noun) TWITO, page 16
= something considered necessary or highly desirable
"He was a man of simple tastes, and a cup of coffee--hot and black--was his only morning desideratum. Hers was a mocha coconut frappuccino."
October 27, 2019
You're no fun -- you're ANTITHALIAN
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today, it's...
ANTITHALIAN (adjective) TWITO, page 16
= Opposed to fun
"Mr. Toobad described her as being fully impressed with the truth of his Ahrimanic philosophy, and being altogether as gloomy and antithalian a young lady as Mr. Glowry himself could desire for the future mistress of Nightmare Abbey."
--Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey (1818)
"Ahrimanic" refers to Ahriman, which in Zoroastrianism is the name for a devil or Satan. Would you describe Satan as antithalian? It depends on what kind of fun you’re into, I guess.
ANTITHALIAN (adjective) TWITO, page 16
= Opposed to fun
"Mr. Toobad described her as being fully impressed with the truth of his Ahrimanic philosophy, and being altogether as gloomy and antithalian a young lady as Mr. Glowry himself could desire for the future mistress of Nightmare Abbey."
--Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey (1818)
"Ahrimanic" refers to Ahriman, which in Zoroastrianism is the name for a devil or Satan. Would you describe Satan as antithalian? It depends on what kind of fun you’re into, I guess.
October 20, 2019
Have you heard enough rodomontades, lately?
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today it's...
rodomontade (noun)
Bragging or bluster, or a rant
"I put down the phone long before Donald finished his rodomontade." (TWITO, page 126)
Too many rodomontades in the news. Strange days indeed.
rodomontade (noun)
Bragging or bluster, or a rant
"I put down the phone long before Donald finished his rodomontade." (TWITO, page 126)
Too many rodomontades in the news. Strange days indeed.
October 12, 2019
Heard any psithurism lately?
Psithurism (noun) = the sound of rustling leaves or the wind in the trees
It's that time of year.
It's that time of year.
September 12, 2019
Somewhither?
"We wanted to get somewhither away from the furious winds blowing anywhither, but my bicycle was clearly going nowhither with two flat tires. 'Whither those cabins we heard about?' Elias asked. 'Those are elsewither,' I sighed."
That's five underused adverbs I just used!
You may find my sample sentences withering.
That's five underused adverbs I just used!
You may find my sample sentences withering.
August 12, 2019
Watch out for catachresis!
Yack, yack, yack.....
exordium = the beginning or introduction, especially of a discourse or treatise
peroration = the conclusion of a speech, usually intended to inspire enthusiasm
anacoluthon = a sentence with an unexpected grammatical sequence, for example "while in the kitchen, the phone rang."
catachresis = incorrect use of a word, for example, the use of mitigate for meditate
enthymeme = an argument in which a premise is not stated
metabole = a change or mutation
exordium = the beginning or introduction, especially of a discourse or treatise
peroration = the conclusion of a speech, usually intended to inspire enthusiasm
anacoluthon = a sentence with an unexpected grammatical sequence, for example "while in the kitchen, the phone rang."
catachresis = incorrect use of a word, for example, the use of mitigate for meditate
enthymeme = an argument in which a premise is not stated
metabole = a change or mutation
July 29, 2019
If you are a dipterist, you collect flies....
If you are a....
philatelist, you collect stamps
numismatist, you collect coins and banknotes
lepidopterist, you collect butterflies and moths
coleopterist, you collect beetles
dipterist, you collect flies (!)
arctophile, you collect teddy bears
oologist, you collect birds' eggs
deltiologist, you postcards (I know one!)
notaphilist, you collect banknotes (Don't we all?)
tegestologist, you collect beer coasters
phillumenist, you collect matchboxes or matchbook labels
scripophilist, you collect old bond and share certificates
philatelist, you collect stamps
numismatist, you collect coins and banknotes
lepidopterist, you collect butterflies and moths
coleopterist, you collect beetles
dipterist, you collect flies (!)
arctophile, you collect teddy bears
oologist, you collect birds' eggs
deltiologist, you postcards (I know one!)
notaphilist, you collect banknotes (Don't we all?)
tegestologist, you collect beer coasters
phillumenist, you collect matchboxes or matchbook labels
scripophilist, you collect old bond and share certificates
