A Word With You
March 1st, 2010
ich·thy·ol·o·gy
ɪk θiˈɒl ə dʒi [ik-thee-ol-uh-jee]
noun
the branch of zoology dealing with fishes.
Origin:
1640–50; ichthyo- + -logy
[Latin, from Greek ikhthuo-, from ikhthūs, fish.]
You’ve gotta love a word that simply means what it means. This is a great word to know when it comes to trivia games and watching Jeopardy. The study of fish. That’s it, that’s what that big old word means. An ichthyologist is a person who is involved in the study of fish. Yet how much more important, interesting, even exotic does it sound to say, “I’m an ichthyologist!” It’s a great word to add to your vocabulary arsenal.
Grammar Punk Sentence
G I 2 ; Adv. Ichthyologist
Marching up to the podium, Clyde eagerly reached for the diploma; finally, he was an official ichthyologist, proving them all wrong.
Share your sentence with us. Make sure it contains 3 words with the letters G and I and the word ichthyology or one of its derivatives.
A Word With You
January 25th, 2010
Dra⋅co⋅ni⋅an
dreɪˈkoʊ ni ən,drə- [drey-koh-nee-uh n, druh-]
–adjective
|
1. |
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Draco or his code of laws. |
|
2. |
(often lowercase ) rigorous; unusually severe or cruel: Draconian forms of punishment. |
Also, Draconic.
Origin: < L < Gk drákōn dragon
draconian
What a cool word, to say aloud as well as write. Yet another word that looks and sounds like its meaning. And this one has an interesting little history all its own. Named after Draco, a
late 7th-century b.c. Athenian statesman noted for the severity of his code of laws. Apparently, old Draco favored the death penalty for pretty much anything above jaywalking. According to Plutarch, It is said that Drakon himself, when asked why he had fixed the punishment of death for most offences, answered that he considered these lesser crimes to deserve it, and he had no greater punishment for more important ones.
Draco is also Greek for dragon, a constellation in the northern part of the sky, a dwarf galaxy orbiting our galaxy, the Milky Way, and a genus of gliding lizards. Pretty cool for a word that isn’t used all that often. And should be.
Share your sentence with us. Make sure it contains 5 words with the letters D and A and the word draconian or one of its derivatives.
Grammar Punk Sentence
D A 5 Adj.
Gathering in an angry knot of discontent, the hedgehogs prepared to protest the draconian attitude demonstrated by the aardvarks.
A Word With You
January 5th, 2010
an⋅te⋅di⋅lu⋅vi⋅an
–adjective
|
1. |
of or belonging to the period before the Flood. Gen. 7, 8. |
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2. |
very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive: antediluvian ideas. |
–noun
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3. |
a person who lived before the Flood. |
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4. |
a very old or old-fashioned person or thing. |
Origin:
1640–50; ante- + L dīluvi(um) a flood, deluge + -an
I thought I would begin the new year with an old word. This is another one of those words that is not often used in everyday conversation. And should be. It’s a useful little word, that in and of itself is the very definition of old. But how much more effective is antediluvian than just old. It also makes a cool insult. “Still using dial-up instead of high-speed? How antediluvian of you.”
Like most cool words, it’s a Ante word that is an interesting taken apart as it is in its entirety. It literally means what its components mean. You gotta love a word that is so self-contained.
Grammar Punk™ Sentence:
N I 5 ? Adverb | antediluvian
Write a Grammar Punk™ sentence that contains 5 words that contain the letters N and I, a question mark, an adverb and the word antediluvian.
With a little shriek of horror, Veronica stared at her reflection in the beauty salon window; how had her hairstyle become so insidiously antediluvian?
A Word With You
December 29th, 2009
sang-froid
–noun
|
coolness of mind; calmness; composure: They committed the robbery with complete sang-froid. |
Origin:
1740–50; < F: lit., cold blood
(säɴ-frwä’)
n. Coolness and composure, especially in trying circumstances.
[French : sang, blood (from Old French, from Latin sanguis) + froid, cold (from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *frigidus, alteration of Latin frīgidus; see frigid).]
Synonyms:
self-possession, poise, equanimity, self-control, nerve, courage, steadiness.
I do so love a cool word that happens to mean something cool. Literally “cold blood”. Seemed appropriate for this time of year. I’ll admit to having never heard this particular word used in everyday conversation, mores the pity. There is a multitude, a bevy, a positive throng of fabulous words that are just sitting on the shelf unused and unloved.
In the coming year I will be unearthing some of these amazing words to share with you. Let’s bring back vocabulary, style in speech, oratory.
Grammar Punk Sentence: S A 2 ;
Elated at the sense of sangfroid winning the cupcake bakeoff gave her, Nanette clutched the trophy closer; she didn’t like the look of avarice from her competitors, cupcakes and tempers bristling.
Write a Grammar Punk sentence that includes 2 words with the letters S and A and one semicolon, and implements the word sangfroid.
Share!
A Word With You!
December 14th, 2009
Yes, it’s been a while and I’ve been woefully remiss, but I will do better. I promise. I have missed you and your words. So send in your sentences!
mis⋅tle⋅toe
mɪs əlˌtoʊShow Spelled Pronunciation [mis-uh l-toh]
–noun
|
1. |
a European plant, Viscum album, having yellowish flowers and white berries, growing parasitically on various trees, used in Christmas decorations. |
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2. |
any of several other related, similar plants, as Phoradendron serotinum, of the U.S.: the state flower of Oklahoma. |
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME mistelto, appar. back formation from OE misteltān (mistel mistletoe, basil + tān twig), the -n being taken as pl. ending;
Mistletoe
Let’s forget the fact that it’s kind of a funny word. A funny compound word. One of those compound words where the compounded words have absolutely nothing to do with each other or the final product. And okay it’s probably not an “official” compound word but it looks like one. Kind of like the plant itself, which looks innocuous enough, but appearances can be deceiving. Anyway, we’ll just dwell on the mythology of this rather prosaic little plant.
One interesting aspect of mistletoe is that it is a parasitic plant, a common name for a group of hemi-parasitic plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.
Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, though such use was rarely alluded to until the 18th century. Viscum album is used in Europe whereas Phoradendron serotinum is used in North America. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas; it may remain hanging through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve. The tradition has spread throughout the English-speaking world but is largely unknown in the rest of Europe.
Grammar Punk Dice roll: L I 5 , Adv.
For those new to the concept, the Grammar Punk Dice roll represents one vowel, one consonant, the number die (which dictates the number of words formed with the vowel and consonant must be used in the sentence) one punctuation symbol, one part of speech and one topic. The dice words (formed with vowel and consonant rolled) are underlined and the part of speech is bolded.
Dangling the twig of mistletoe tantalizingly in front of him, Cecil trolled the office party looking for fresh meat.
A Word With You
September 1st, 2009
vi⋅tu⋅per⋅a⋅tion
vaɪˌtu pəˈreɪ ʃən,-ˌtyu-,vɪ-Show Spelled Pronunciation [vahy-too-puh-rey-shuh n, -tyoo-, vi-]
–noun
|
verbal abuse or castigation; violent denunciation or condemnation. |
Origin:
1475–85; < L vituperātiōn- (s. of vituperātio), equiv. to vituperāt(us) (see vituperate ) + -iōn- -ion
I’ll bet you didn’t know that the last time you let someone have it verbally you were being vituperative, did you? That’s what I love about the English language, we can take the meanest impulses and give them a nice polysyllabic name and it all seems so much more civil.
Grammar Punk Sentence: V E 3 “ ”
With a spate of vituperative vexation Glenda made her opinion of the vegetarian lasagna known; “I want meat, you nitwits!
A Word With You
July 13th, 2009
sa⋅lu⋅bri⋅ous
səˈlu bri əs [suh-loo-bree-uh s]
–adjective
|
favorable to or promoting health; healthful: salubrious air. |
Origin:
1540–50; < L salūbr(is) promoting health (akin to salūs health) + -ious
Grammar Punk Sentence: S A 3 ( ) Adj.
Though the salubrious salutations of the Have A Nice Day Coalition were hard to appreciate at the moment, (Cecily really hated going to the dentist) she knew the intent was well-meant.
Give it a try!
A Word With You
June 29th, 2009
re⋅ver⋅ber⋅ate
v. rɪˈvɜr bəˌreɪt;adj. [v. ri-vur-buh-reyt; adj. ri-vur-ber-it
adjective
–verb (used without object)
|
1. |
to reecho or resound: Her singing reverberated through the house. |
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2. |
Physics. to be reflected many times, as sound waves from the walls of a confined space. |
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3. |
to rebound or recoil. |
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4. |
to be deflected, as flame in a reverberatory furnace. |
–verb (used with object)
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5. |
to echo back or reecho (sound). |
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6. |
to cast back or reflect (light, heat, etc.). |
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7. |
to subject to reflected heat, as in a reverberatory furnace. |
–adjective
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8. |
Origin:
1540–50; < L reverberātus (ptp. of reverberāre to strike back). See reverberant, -ate 1
We’ve arrived at the letter R. My, how the time flies. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s another of my favorite type of words, the “how the sound coincides with what it means” type. This one’s even better. Revvverrrberrrate. It comes with it own R’s ready to roll. But the question is, how often do you use a word like reverberate? Would you not as soon use a word like echo? Mores the pity. Use the lovely long words that convey what you really wish to say. Fight the urge to simplify, monosyllabize everything. Reverberate!
Grammar Punk Sentence: R E 4 :
With a lovely reverberating roar, the opera singer reacted volubly to the change in the night’s program: Disco Night, indeed!
A Word With You
June 22nd, 2009
quix⋅ot⋅ic
kwɪkˈsɒt ɪkShow Spelled Pronunciation [kwik-sot-ik] Show IPA
–adjective
|
1. |
(sometimes initial capital letter ) resembling or befitting Don Quixote. |
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2. |
extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable. |
|
3. |
impulsive and often rashly unpredictable. |
Also, quix⋅ot⋅i⋅cal.
Origin:
1805–15; ( Don ) Quixote + -ic
I’m sorry but I had to do another Q. Q’s are woefully neglected and oft forgotten. Besides, quixotic is one of my all time favorite words. And I do so love a literarily inspired word. Good old Don Quixote, windmill tilter of old. Like the Q, the man was oft-misunderstood. According to Wikipedia:
Even faithful and simple Sancho is unintentionally forced to deceive him at certain points. The novel is considered a satire of orthodoxy, truth, veracity, and even nationalism. In going beyond mere storytelling to exploring the individualism of his characters, Cervantes helped move beyond the narrow literary conventions of the chivalric romance literature that he spoofed, which consists of straightforward retelling of a series of acts that redound to the knightly virtues of the hero.
Again quixotic is another one of those great veiled insult words. To be labeled quixotic is, in a word, to be called a flake. Not that I’m trying to give you insult words, still, they go down so much easier if they have literary backing. And begin with a Q.
Grammar Punk Sentence. T O 4 Adv. ,
Notoriously quixotic and unreliable, Jezebel was no longer included in the planning sessions for the Annual Cartographers Correction of the World’s Atlases Conference.
A Word With You
June 15th, 2009
quer⋅u⋅lous
ˈkwɛr ə ləs,ˈkwɛr [kwer-uh-luh s, kwer-yuh-] –adjective
|
1. |
full of complaints; complaining. |
|
2. |
characterized by or uttered in complaint; peevish: a querulous tone; constant querulous reminders of things to be done. |
Origin:
1490–1500; < L querulus, equiv. to quer(ī) to complain + -ulus -ulous
Ah, we’ve reached the dreaded Q. Actually I like Q words, they are often distinctive, tricky, and fun to pronounce, everything I love in a word. As you’ve probably noticed, Q words don’t like to travel solo, always with that trusty U tagging along to complete them. I haven’t decided if that is endearing or pathetic.
Grammar Punk Sentence Example: Querulous | S O 4 Conj. ?
Feeling cross and querulous and out of sorts, the librarian re-shelved all of the misplaced volumes; whatever happened to alphabetical order?
Now you try a sentence!