One every day.

They say you learn something new every day. I think that perhaps for once, that the elusive "they" might just be right. Of course, perhaps it's not true for everyone, but if you define "something" broadly enough well.. yeah they probably have a point.

My thing that I learned on this day is a new word. Now, I don't know how well this word is and I might come across as horribly unlearned once you realize I didn't formerly know this word, but there you go, how educated or clever or whatever I am, I don't really know, I read stuff or find myself in conversations sometimes where everyone seems to just know stuff that they expect others to just know that I have no idea about, but sometimes I find myself being particularly erudite about a clever sort of thing, history for example, which might be something I just read or watched a documentary on because I'm intellectually curious like that, or that I just know because I did actually go to school once, and I find that people don't know it, so who knows. I know some stuff and I don't know other stuff. Anyway, one of the things I don't know (or at least didn't until I heard of it today) is the word algolagnia.

Do you know it? You know it? Yeah!

Well anyway, the def:

sexual pleasure derived from enduring or inflicting pain, as in masochism or sadism. 

 You perve!

Obviously I'd never heard of such a thing before, because I'm completely innocent of that sort of thing, and it took for me to read about sketchy underground societies in London in the late Victorian to find out about it. Of course, I wasn't expecting to come across quite that. Actually I sort of was, those posh cats, they could get pretty freaky.

Anyway now you know. If you didn't already.

Word o the other day

I'm being a dork today, and it's Monday so that means it's word time. Today's word is obscure which isn't really appropriate for the purposes of this post.. (hehe, there's a plethora of ps for you) I mean don't get me wrong, it's a great word and one I have reason to use often, it's just too common for Monday...

So I went back in time and found a word I like, narcolepsy. I know what you're thinking, I seem to be drawn to words that sound rude. Well you're right about that, but fortunately (or un depending on your opinion) it's not rude at all. It means sleeping sickness. In more detail:

narcolepsy \NAHR-kuh-lep-see\, noun:a disorder characterized by
uncontrollable bouts of sleepiness during the daytime, occasional loss of muscle
power and paralysis, and hallucinations during sleep

This story of Sleeping Beauty centers on the independent, headstrong Briar Rose, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty who suffers a persistent and seemingly incurable case of narcolepsy.-- Denver Post, 2008-02-08

Doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun. But I still like the way it sounds.

Have a happy Monday. Dork on!

Starting the week afresh..

It's Monday, the sun is shining, the birds are singing. Actually it looks like it might rain.. whatever, the main point is that it's a new week, so it would be time to start my new system a-proper if it wasn't for the fact that last Monday I was busy introducing my scheme and didn't actually include an idea for Monday itself.

So.. gimmick of the day for Monday shall hereby be... WORDS. A word.. Word o' the day if you like. I shall pick a one of the daily words I get daily.. (yes, I get them daily strange that) and will dissect them.. or whatever.

But today, in my what I can call a tradition if I like, of not following the rules I create for myself just yet because it's the first time, I'll just talk about a words, different words, a few particular words and their appropriateness to their function.

I will start with the word phonetic which troubles me. The entry says..

pho·net·ic - [fuh-net-ik, foh-]

–adjective
1. Also, pho·net·i·cal. of or pertaining to speech sounds, their production, or their transcription in written symbols.
2. corresponding to pronunciation: phonetic transcription.
3. agreeing with pronunciation: phonetic spelling.
4&5. etc etc etc.

So, in general, the word is to do with vocal sounds and such, but what I am concerned is with my interpretation of the word, which is no fault at all of the ancient Greeks or whoever originally meant the word to mean what it originally meant, but as I said, it troubles me. When I hear the word "phonetic", I usually think of definition #3, the one about spelling.

Do you see where I'm going here? Now, the word as it sounds, should have no effect it's suitability for a word which describes CORRESPONDING TO PRONUNCIATION, so I guess I'm incorrect in saying that the word itself troubles me, and once again, no disrespect to the ancient Greeks (or whoever) for if indeed this was one of the original meanings of the word.. I'm pretty sure they weren't the ones who decided to SPELL IT THAT WAY!!!

If you didn't get the irony before, I'm sure you do by now. A word, which spelling a word how it sounds, is spelt ABOUT AS UNLIKE HOW IT SOUNDS AS YOU CAN SQUEEZE INTO ONE SMALL WORD!! So.. in short, they fucked up. They being the deciders o' spelling with all their p,s and h,s and letters that don't sound like f, amongst others. Unless it's a joke in which case hardy fucking har har.

Ok enough about that How about a really cool word that is just perfect for it's intended meaning. I came across this one about a week ago, it is...

sesquipedalian

and can you guess what it means? Bet you can't, ok.. here it is:

adjective
1. Given to or characterized by the use of long words.
2. Long and ponderous; having many syllables.

noun:1.
A long word.

Isn't it brilliant? And so suitable! I totally have to figure out a way to work into conversation.

I shall have to find a reason to use this..

Word of the Day

bibulous \BIB-yuh-luhs\, adjective:

1. Of, pertaining to, marked by, or given to the consumption of alcoholic drink.

2. Readily absorbing fluids or moisture.
Vineyards are everywhere, especially when Felix approaches Paris, the most populous city in Christendom -- and the most bibulous too, since lousy local wine had to be drunk before it turned sour in a few months.
-- Eugen Weber, "Renaissance Men", New York Times, April 13, 1997

Ever since the joys of the fermented grape were discovered, the bibulous have been waking up feeling the worse for wear.
-- Sally Chatterton, "The Daily Website: www.hungover.net", Independent, September 3, 2001

Bibulous comes from Latin bibulus, from bibere, "to drink."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for bibulous