Michael Gates's Blog, page 32
April 22, 2015
Random Sequence: matutinal
"Then came upon the scene of matutinal industry the invaluable Burley, to assume his share of house-wifely cares."
--Marion Harland, "Taking Boarders for Company", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, November 1864
(I found a bound copy of several issues of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
matutinal (adjective) = of or relating to the morning
I usually go for a long walk in the morning, on my way to the train. You might call in my matutinal constitutional.
--Marion Harland, "Taking Boarders for Company", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, November 1864
(I found a bound copy of several issues of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
matutinal (adjective) = of or relating to the morning
I usually go for a long walk in the morning, on my way to the train. You might call in my matutinal constitutional.
April 19, 2015
Brain Dump
The timeliness of all material existence transcends the functioning of the body, brain, and indeed, the mind of the knower, defined and experienced as an infinitely imploded but free-flowing point of cognition. Each mental object is perceived as an ideal system for closed-truths that must remain faithful to preconceived definitions if they are to be comprehended at all. On the other hand, any ideal system of possible psychical processes that are defined as truths will remain subject to potential cognitive epiphanies that may reconfigure the mental image, defined as the revelation of perception qua perception. Consequently, the unstable subject will "believe" himself to be engaged in "clear thinking", cogitating (and indeed, conjugating) all the essential moments of the absolutely immanent. How do you like them apples?
April 16, 2015
April 15, 2015
Word of the Day: gobemouche
What's the word I'm thinking of? Today it's...
gobemouche [GO-buh-moosh] (noun) [TWITO, page 61]
This word refers to someone who swallows flies. It can also refer to someone whose mouth is always open -- a silly, gullible person or a boor. It's also the name for a type of bird.
"You dunno nuffin. You nuffin but one big fool ob a Gobemouche. I spec you nebber heerd dat we win de battle ob Bunker Hill -- eh?"
--Albert Taylor Bledsoe, "The Gobemouchian Ideal of Government", in The Southern Review (1868)
A bug flew into my mouth once when I was a kid. I managed to spit it out, but the odd feeling stayed with me for a long time. "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly...."
gobemouche [GO-buh-moosh] (noun) [TWITO, page 61]
This word refers to someone who swallows flies. It can also refer to someone whose mouth is always open -- a silly, gullible person or a boor. It's also the name for a type of bird.
"You dunno nuffin. You nuffin but one big fool ob a Gobemouche. I spec you nebber heerd dat we win de battle ob Bunker Hill -- eh?"
--Albert Taylor Bledsoe, "The Gobemouchian Ideal of Government", in The Southern Review (1868)
A bug flew into my mouth once when I was a kid. I managed to spit it out, but the odd feeling stayed with me for a long time. "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly...."
April 13, 2015
Link Mania: It's the 'squircle' of life
Top Ten Impressive Words with Mundane Meanings
Including "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokon". But my favorite here is "circumloquacious", which refers to using a lot of big words to avoid answering a question. Useful if you're in politics.
~~~
Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes makes sense of his big vocabulary
Basketball player uses big words, including "catawampus" (TWITO, page 29). Sportswriters are forced to use dictionaries. One word I didn't know: "succedaneum".
~~~
Including "squircles". They're everywhere. It's the squircle of life.
~~~
12 Old Words that Survived by Getting Fossilized in Idioms
Do you ever "wend" without a way? Includes "shrift" (TWITO, page 135).
Including "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokon". But my favorite here is "circumloquacious", which refers to using a lot of big words to avoid answering a question. Useful if you're in politics.
~~~
Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes makes sense of his big vocabulary
Basketball player uses big words, including "catawampus" (TWITO, page 29). Sportswriters are forced to use dictionaries. One word I didn't know: "succedaneum".
~~~
Including "squircles". They're everywhere. It's the squircle of life.
~~~
12 Old Words that Survived by Getting Fossilized in Idioms
Do you ever "wend" without a way? Includes "shrift" (TWITO, page 135).
April 12, 2015
Photo of the Week (by me)
You may wish to meditate on this mandala. Click it for a closer view.
April 9, 2015
Random Sequence: encomiums of salubrity
"They heard an enthusiastic description of the beauty, salubrity, facilities for hunting, fishing, and other out-door sports of Roaring River, mingled with allusions to the refined hospitality they were to enjoy, and the high standing of their fellow beneficiaries of the present season; an account tallying so exactly in all particulars with Miss Jemima's written encomiums, that an unpleasant suspicion stole upon the minds of the auditors that he was a partner in the concern, and had had his instructions to puff it upon all convenient occasions."
--Marion Harland, "Taking Borders for Company", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, August 1864
(I found a bound copy of several issues of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
salubrity (noun) = the state of being healthful
encomiums (noun) = expressions of high praise
All encomiums are due to those whose sobriety leads to salubrity. Try saying that at your next AA meeting?
The weird thing about this bound copy of Godey's (an American magazine) is that the issues are all from the 1860s, and there is not a single unambiguous mention anywhere of the American Civil War.
--Marion Harland, "Taking Borders for Company", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, August 1864
(I found a bound copy of several issues of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
salubrity (noun) = the state of being healthful
encomiums (noun) = expressions of high praise
All encomiums are due to those whose sobriety leads to salubrity. Try saying that at your next AA meeting?
The weird thing about this bound copy of Godey's (an American magazine) is that the issues are all from the 1860s, and there is not a single unambiguous mention anywhere of the American Civil War.
April 8, 2015
April 7, 2015
Word of the Day: scobberlotcher
scobberlotcher [SKOB-er-LOT-cher] (noun) [TWITO, page 132]
An idle person
"We cannot tell which class was affected by your Mr. Beeston, but it is pretty clear that Aubrey himself was a Scobberlotcher."
--Charles Isaac Elton, William Shakespeare, His Family and Friends (1904)
I'm not a scobberlotcher, but I like the idea of having a few idle, serendipitous days. Something might happen. I might see something out of the ordinary. I might meet someone or go somewhere. I might stay up all night and sleep all day. I might have an adventure, or just hibernate. I might even stumble across something to write about. Weeeee!
(photo by me)
An idle person
"We cannot tell which class was affected by your Mr. Beeston, but it is pretty clear that Aubrey himself was a Scobberlotcher."
--Charles Isaac Elton, William Shakespeare, His Family and Friends (1904)
I'm not a scobberlotcher, but I like the idea of having a few idle, serendipitous days. Something might happen. I might see something out of the ordinary. I might meet someone or go somewhere. I might stay up all night and sleep all day. I might have an adventure, or just hibernate. I might even stumble across something to write about. Weeeee!
(photo by me)
April 6, 2015
Link Mania: Smell the 'petrichor'
Fiercety, Seriosity, Debonairity: 14 Abstract Nouns We Need to Bring Back
I like a "fewty" of these, especially "rigorosity". It sounds more rigorous than "rigorousness". Use these to inject some "outrageousty" into your conversation.
~~~
12 wonderful words from TED
Are you an introvert, an extrovert, or an "ambivert"? TED (not just my brother's name) stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design -- and yaking about them.
~~~
32 Totally Not Weird Non-Sexual Fetishes You Might Have
Including "logophile" -- which is what you are and why you fetishize my blog and Facebook page, right? (Leave it to Buzzfeed to find a way to include a picture of Beyoncé here.)
~~~
32 Of The Most Beautiful Words In The English Language
Not all of these are unusual, but there are some I didn't know. A few are in TWITO, including "bombinate" (page 23), "cromulent" (page 36), and "petrichor" (page 111). "Petrichor" shows up on so many of these lists. I wouldn't call it beautiful, but it's definitely, uh, redolent.
I like a "fewty" of these, especially "rigorosity". It sounds more rigorous than "rigorousness". Use these to inject some "outrageousty" into your conversation.
~~~
12 wonderful words from TED
Are you an introvert, an extrovert, or an "ambivert"? TED (not just my brother's name) stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design -- and yaking about them.
~~~
32 Totally Not Weird Non-Sexual Fetishes You Might Have
Including "logophile" -- which is what you are and why you fetishize my blog and Facebook page, right? (Leave it to Buzzfeed to find a way to include a picture of Beyoncé here.)
~~~
32 Of The Most Beautiful Words In The English Language
Not all of these are unusual, but there are some I didn't know. A few are in TWITO, including "bombinate" (page 23), "cromulent" (page 36), and "petrichor" (page 111). "Petrichor" shows up on so many of these lists. I wouldn't call it beautiful, but it's definitely, uh, redolent.
