Michael Gates's Blog, page 15
May 27, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts: Whodunit?
Do you prefer a "whodunit", a "howdunit", or a "howdhecatchem"? Those are all words associated with mystery stories. So is "gumshoe", another word for a detective. I've always wanted to write a detective story about a "gumshoe" whose favorite album is Rubber Soul.
~~~
So the word "artichoke" comes from the Arabic "al-khurshoof"? Gesundheit, I say!
~~~
Spy vs. phylactologist? A "phylactologist" is another word for a spy. (Coined by novelist Kingsley Amis in his 1966 book The Anti-Death League.)
~~~
By the way, my book isn't a dusty, moldering (seeming) "incunabulum" (TWITO, page 72) like the ones in this picture.
~~~
So the word "artichoke" comes from the Arabic "al-khurshoof"? Gesundheit, I say!
~~~
Spy vs. phylactologist? A "phylactologist" is another word for a spy. (Coined by novelist Kingsley Amis in his 1966 book The Anti-Death League.)
~~~
By the way, my book isn't a dusty, moldering (seeming) "incunabulum" (TWITO, page 72) like the ones in this picture.
May 20, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts: All You Need Is "Felechazo"?
Go here, there, and everywhere, thanks to "holoportation". That's virtual teleporting via 3-D videocams.
~~~
"Parlous" means full of risk or danger -- like in a cliffhanger.
~~~
All you need is..."felechazo"? It refers to being struck by Cupid's arrow -- in Spanish.
~~~
"Parlous" means full of risk or danger -- like in a cliffhanger.
~~~
All you need is..."felechazo"? It refers to being struck by Cupid's arrow -- in Spanish.
May 14, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts: Silly "Wabbit"?
Why toddle when you can "shoggle" or "warple"? Both are old-fashioned words for precarious ambling.
~~~
Is your dossier full of "kompromat"? That's a Russian word for information gathered for the purpose of blackmailing someone. Could be a useful word someday soon.
~~~
Is your rabbit "wabbit"? It means exhausted or sickly.
~~~
Is your dossier full of "kompromat"? That's a Russian word for information gathered for the purpose of blackmailing someone. Could be a useful word someday soon.
~~~
Is your rabbit "wabbit"? It means exhausted or sickly.
May 6, 2017
Talking to Ed about Trumpcare
Mr. Ed: Whoa, Wilburrr. You have a pre-existing condition?
Wilbur: Yes, I do.
Mr. Ed: I'm a bit surprised. What is it, Wilburrr?
Wilbur: Don't YOU know?
Mr. Ed: Neigh!
Wilbur: I'm talking to you aren't I? It's a mental health condition.
Mr. Ed: Can't you see a doctor about that, Wilburrrr? So you can be more...stable?
Wilbur: Not with Trumpcare. Not if the state gets a waiver to eliminate mental health coverage. I would have to pony up for it myself. I don't want to be saddled with that!
Mr. Ed: What a nightmare. But I'll be your shrink, Wilburrrr.
Wilbur: I guess you'll have to be, Ed.
April 26, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts: Firenado!
Here's wishing you a cwtch. Don't you just love those Welsh words that have no vowels? (It means a hug.)
~~~
No, "sharknado" is not an actual weather word. Aren't you glad? But firenado is. That's a vortex that rises from a fire, carrying smoke and flame.
~~~
If you don't want to call it a lie, you can at least describe it as twistical (meaning inclined to twist the truth).
~~~
Let's use more interjections, dagnabbit!
~~~
No, "sharknado" is not an actual weather word. Aren't you glad? But firenado is. That's a vortex that rises from a fire, carrying smoke and flame.
~~~
If you don't want to call it a lie, you can at least describe it as twistical (meaning inclined to twist the truth).
~~~
Let's use more interjections, dagnabbit!
April 17, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts
If you don't want to call it a lie, you can a least describe it as "twistical" (i.e., duplicitous).
~~~
Are you a "pochemuchka" (someone who asks too many questions)? Forget I asked!
~~~
You may think my blog is "floccinaucinihilipilification" (meaning worthless -- TWITO, page 55), but I don't.
~~~
Lord Cardigan led the Charge of the Light Brigade, but now he's known for a cozy sweater.
~~~
"Misodoctakleidist" (TWITO, page 89) means someone who hates practicing the piano. "Like me," I would have said at age 8.
~~~
Are you a "pochemuchka" (someone who asks too many questions)? Forget I asked!
~~~
You may think my blog is "floccinaucinihilipilification" (meaning worthless -- TWITO, page 55), but I don't.
~~~
Lord Cardigan led the Charge of the Light Brigade, but now he's known for a cozy sweater.
~~~
"Misodoctakleidist" (TWITO, page 89) means someone who hates practicing the piano. "Like me," I would have said at age 8.
April 6, 2017
Connecting the Dots: Trumpisms
Donald Trump keeps saying "I will tell you this" before he tells us something. I take it as an admonition to engage my skepticism. But maybe I should preface my own portentous utterances with a similar throat-clearing mini prologue, in case I say something stupid -- a fair warning. Something like "Let me say this about that" (another unpopular president's favorite preamble) or just "now hear this!"
April 3, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts
"Gumsuck me goodbye, honey!" Gumsuck is a 19th-century slang term for "kiss". Ewww....
~~~
To thine own ipseity be true. Ipseity is a word for "selfhood" or the ability to be oneself.
~~~
Any other epeolatrists out there? Epeolatry is the worship of words.
~~~
One of my favorite words is fulgent (meaning "shining brightly"). "Unable to sleep, he wandered the hills that night, under the fulgent moon." (TWITO, page 58)
~~~
Are you sesquipedalian? Then you like to use long words.
~~~
To thine own ipseity be true. Ipseity is a word for "selfhood" or the ability to be oneself.
~~~
Any other epeolatrists out there? Epeolatry is the worship of words.
~~~
One of my favorite words is fulgent (meaning "shining brightly"). "Unable to sleep, he wandered the hills that night, under the fulgent moon." (TWITO, page 58)
~~~
Are you sesquipedalian? Then you like to use long words.
March 18, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts
Are you "sesquipedalian"? If so, you like to use long words.
~~~
Is your bunny a "whorson glassegazing superfinicall rogue"? If so, you're rabbit is vain.
~~~
"Face-palm" about all the "train wrecks" in the news these days. And that Merriam-Webster has now added those words to its dictionary.
~~~
You're probably "chuffed" if you already know a lot of British phrases. Proud, that is.
~~~
Do you believe in "flechazo" at first sight? That's when you've been pricked by Cupid's (Spanish) arrow.
~~~
Is your bunny a "whorson glassegazing superfinicall rogue"? If so, you're rabbit is vain.
~~~
"Face-palm" about all the "train wrecks" in the news these days. And that Merriam-Webster has now added those words to its dictionary.
~~~
You're probably "chuffed" if you already know a lot of British phrases. Proud, that is.
~~~
Do you believe in "flechazo" at first sight? That's when you've been pricked by Cupid's (Spanish) arrow.
March 5, 2017
Wandering Word Thoughts
Haven't you always wanted to find a word that means "resembling an ostrich"? It's "ratite".
~~~
Do you have a "perfervid" imagination? Good, if you put it to good use. That means it's intense.
~~~
How about "dacoit" (TWITO, page 39)? You may want to steal that one. It refers to a bandit.
~~~
Quick, Scrabble fans, what's a five-letter word for "a type of Inuit parka"? Atigi!
~~~
If you're here, I assume you don't have "logophobia" (fear of words).
~~~
Do you have a "perfervid" imagination? Good, if you put it to good use. That means it's intense.
~~~
How about "dacoit" (TWITO, page 39)? You may want to steal that one. It refers to a bandit.
~~~
Quick, Scrabble fans, what's a five-letter word for "a type of Inuit parka"? Atigi!
~~~
If you're here, I assume you don't have "logophobia" (fear of words).
