IWL Word of the Day

[M. Montaigne]

This thread is to share interesting and obscure words -- I am particularly interested in the etymology of certain words, and I find linguistics to be a fascinating subject.

I'll start with a fun one:

"Pseudepigrapha (also Anglicized as "pseudepigraph" or "pseudepigraphs") are falsely attributed works, texts whose claimed author is represented by a separate author, or a work "whose real author attributed it to a figure of the past"."

For instance, the Homeric Hymns are usually recognized as pseudoepigraphical in that Homer is not considered to be the author.

And this leads us to yet another interesting word, deuterocanonical.

"Deuterocanonical books is a term used since the 16th century in the Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity to describe certain books and passages of the Christian Old Testament that are not part of the current Hebrew Bible."

[Chronopolitano]

I collect Greek and Latin rhetorical words, and they are all just wonderful.

A random example:

ANTHYPOPHORA
You know when you pose a question for dramatic effect and then immediately answer it yourself? That’s anthypophora.

[M. Montaigne]

That's awesome! I did not know that. Thank you for sharing that.

And bonus points for delivery style.

[geoffbot]

I love etymology. I like using the rare (or non-existent), positive versions of common, negative words, like 'I'm gruntled today, thanks!' M montaigne - he's a kempt chap'

Anyway - my word of the day is reasonably pedestrian, but I love how it must have happened so much they invented a term for it: 'defenestrate' - to throw someone out of a window.

[Der Amf]

I love etymology. I like using the rare (or non-existent), positive versions of common, negative words, like 'I'm gruntled today, thanks!' M montaigne - he's a kempt chap'

Anyway - my word of the day is reasonably pedestrian, but I love how it must have happened so much they invented a term for it: 'defenestrate' - to throw someone out of a window.

Next step: positive versions of things which aren't negative but just look it:

dulating (massively craggy)
redicated (generalised)
overstanding (heroically ignorant)
refecate (eat)

[pepperami]

Plámás /’plɔ:mɔ:s/ [‘plaw-mawse’] is an Irish noun and verb used in Hiberno-English; it means empty flattery, ingratiating talk, disingenuous praise.

Mr. M you start some fantastic threads! 😀

[Chronopolitano]

Plámás /’plɔ:mɔ:s/ [‘plaw-mawse’] is an Irish noun and verb used in Hiberno-English; it means empty flattery, ingratiating talk, disingenuous praise.

Mr. M you start some fantastic threads! 

DId you just engage in some pointless Plámás ? But of course you did... anthypophoraically.

[pepperami]

DId you just engage in some pointless Plámás ? But of course you did... anthypophoraically.

This thread is twisting in on itself..you aul plamaser

[M. Montaigne]

Y'all are fishing for compliments and likes. This is called a zeugma, which, along with syllepsis, are figures of speech that join two parts of a sentence.

And no post is complete without quoting both Star Trek and Cicero.

"You are free to execute your laws and your citizens as you see fit."
- William Riker, Star Trek: TNG

Vicit pudorem libido timorem audacia rationem amentia. ("Lust conquered shame; audacity, fear; madness, reason.")
- Cicero, Pro Cluentio, VI.15

[pepperami]

Thesaurus. com has crashed!