Michael Gates's Blog, page 49
June 2, 2014
Word of the Day: loganamnosis
"Loganamnosis" [LAHG-an-um-NOH-sis] (noun) is a word from my book, The Word I'm Thinking Of: A Devilish Dictionary of Difficult Words. TWITO is not a comic book; I'm just having some fun with stripcreator.com. The dialog, however, is from the book.
June 1, 2014
Photo of the Week (by me)
This is not my car.
My first thought was "urban driving is tough on cars."
A friend remarked: "At least the driver's thoughts can't be intercepted by the alien/CIA Axis."
It was parked in the lot next to an art gallery, so this may be someone's rather jokey art project. I kind of hope it is - and that no one is actually driving it.
(Maybe I should send this pic to Weird N.J. magazine.)
May 29, 2014
Link Mania: 'Your knaidel makes me verklempt'
12 Most Remarkable Words You Should Include in Your Daily Vocabulary
Kind of an easy list for TWITOnians. There's one word on it I didn't know, however: verklempt. Use it when you see a panda hugging a police officer -- or the equivalent.
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Words that win spelling bees
Do YOU know your knaidel from your kneydl?
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A great list that includes two of my favorite words: mondegreen (TWITO, page 90) and zarf (TWITO, page 168).
Kind of an easy list for TWITOnians. There's one word on it I didn't know, however: verklempt. Use it when you see a panda hugging a police officer -- or the equivalent.
~~~
Words that win spelling bees
Do YOU know your knaidel from your kneydl?
~~~
A great list that includes two of my favorite words: mondegreen (TWITO, page 90) and zarf (TWITO, page 168).
May 28, 2014
Random Sequence
"The poultry promised by Miss Jemima in her written bill of fare was very slow in coming. For three mortal weeks a crew of chattering hens, lordly roosters, and saucily piping chickens strutted and strolled unmolested in the barnyard, before the covetous eyes of the visitors, while upon the side table ox relieved sheep, and the porcine species contributed an occasional rasher or an unctuous chunk from the barrel of pickle in the cellar."
--from "The Departed Wife", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, October 1864
(I found a bound copy of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
"porcine" = of a pig or pig-like
"unctuous" = affected piousness or moralistic fervor; smooth, suave, or smug to an excessive degree
"rasher" = a thin slice of bacon or ham
I'm not sure how a "chunk" (of pickled pigs' feet?) from a barrel can be unctuous. Nice word, though, and one that should be used more often -- just not about pickles or pigs' feet.
--from "The Departed Wife", in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, October 1864
(I found a bound copy of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
"porcine" = of a pig or pig-like
"unctuous" = affected piousness or moralistic fervor; smooth, suave, or smug to an excessive degree
"rasher" = a thin slice of bacon or ham
I'm not sure how a "chunk" (of pickled pigs' feet?) from a barrel can be unctuous. Nice word, though, and one that should be used more often -- just not about pickles or pigs' feet.
May 22, 2014
Word of the Day: doolally
"Doolally" is a word from my book, The Word I'm Thinking Of: A Devilish Dictionary of Difficult Words, available here. TWITO is not a comic book; I'm just having some fun with stripcreator.com. The dialog, however, is from the book (slightly adapted).
May 21, 2014
Photo of the Week (by me)
The circus is in town! (The town of Newark, NJ, that is.) Yes, I work in a tall building.
Send in the clowns....but click the pic for a closer look first.
May 20, 2014
Link Mania: It's prestantious!
10 Words Every Book Lover Should Know
Including "ultracrepidarian" (TWITO, page 153!) and a variation of "incunabulum" (TWITO, page 72!).
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35 Classy Slang Terms for Naughty Bits from the Past 600 Years
It's the "staff of life". No, not a baguette....
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18 awesome ways to say awesome
Strangely missing from this otherwise eximious list: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. (Even though the sound of it is...oh never mind.)
Including "ultracrepidarian" (TWITO, page 153!) and a variation of "incunabulum" (TWITO, page 72!).
~~~
35 Classy Slang Terms for Naughty Bits from the Past 600 Years
It's the "staff of life". No, not a baguette....
~~~
18 awesome ways to say awesome
Strangely missing from this otherwise eximious list: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. (Even though the sound of it is...oh never mind.)
May 19, 2014
Random Sequence
"A shudder of indescribable terror ran over me, and though not cowardly by nature, a cold sweat stood on my forehead. I tried to speak, but could not utter a word; I tried to walk, but my limbs refused to obey my will. At last, imagining myself to be the object of some trick, I adjured the spirit to speak, threatening to fire upon it unless it answered my challenge."
--from "A Ghost Story", translated from the French by Mrs. Annie T. Wood, in Godey's Lady Book and Magazine, April 1864
(I found a bound copy of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
Interesting how the terror is "indescribable" and then the author proceeds to describe it. "Adjure" is a an interesting word, not much used these days. It means to command solemnly or to entreat earnestly. But try telling a ghost to do anything. They just won't listen! And I doubt they are afraid of guns.
--from "A Ghost Story", translated from the French by Mrs. Annie T. Wood, in Godey's Lady Book and Magazine, April 1864
(I found a bound copy of Godey's in my basement and have been flipping through the dusty pages.)
Interesting how the terror is "indescribable" and then the author proceeds to describe it. "Adjure" is a an interesting word, not much used these days. It means to command solemnly or to entreat earnestly. But try telling a ghost to do anything. They just won't listen! And I doubt they are afraid of guns.
May 18, 2014
Word of the Day: empery
"Empery" is a word from my book, The Word I'm Thinking Of: A Devilish Dictionary of Difficult Words, available here. TWITO is not a comic book; I'm just having some fun with stripcreator.com. The dialog, however, is from the book.
May 13, 2014
TWITO is "the Opposite of Atrabilious!"
Here is one of my favorite reviews of my book on Amazon, by someone named "Grampy", who made a verified purchase (bless him!):
The Opposite of Atrabilious!
"The Word I'm Thinking Of" by Michael Gates is a foudroyant, often gelastic lexicography of polysyllabic perspicacity. I don't wish to obnubilate, nor do I want to be rebarbative, but "The Word I'm Thinking Of" will remedy your hebetudinous nescience, allowing you to be the sciolist your Mother always thought you should be.
Allow me to enucleate. Michael Gates is no blatherskite. Au contraire, Mon ami. Nor does he bloviate like a common blatteroon. And "The Word I'm Thinking Of" is neither gasconade nor glaikery. No longer will you feel threatened by an invidious, gormless gowk or peccant killcow. This luciferous tome will help you peregrinate from stultiloquence to puissance in short order.
Do not think I am ultracrepidarian, or spouting ugsome tushery. Nor am I a mendacious makebate. If ataraxia is your goal, "The Word I'm Thinking Of" provides an anfractuous desideratum. I recommend it for your personal edification, or just for jocularity. Eschew obfuscation! Kthxbye.
The Opposite of Atrabilious!
"The Word I'm Thinking Of" by Michael Gates is a foudroyant, often gelastic lexicography of polysyllabic perspicacity. I don't wish to obnubilate, nor do I want to be rebarbative, but "The Word I'm Thinking Of" will remedy your hebetudinous nescience, allowing you to be the sciolist your Mother always thought you should be.
Allow me to enucleate. Michael Gates is no blatherskite. Au contraire, Mon ami. Nor does he bloviate like a common blatteroon. And "The Word I'm Thinking Of" is neither gasconade nor glaikery. No longer will you feel threatened by an invidious, gormless gowk or peccant killcow. This luciferous tome will help you peregrinate from stultiloquence to puissance in short order.
Do not think I am ultracrepidarian, or spouting ugsome tushery. Nor am I a mendacious makebate. If ataraxia is your goal, "The Word I'm Thinking Of" provides an anfractuous desideratum. I recommend it for your personal edification, or just for jocularity. Eschew obfuscation! Kthxbye.
