Recommended Read Kenneally, Christine. The First Word. Toronto: Viking, 2007. [ISBN-13: 978-0-670-03490-1] Who spoke the first word of human language? When was that first word uttered? What did that speaker say and why? Linguists outlawed these questions in 1866 when the Société de Linguistique of Paris declared a moratorium on the topic of how and […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Zetet’ic a. proceeding by inquiry; n. a seeker. Word in the Wild: I’ve been combing the classifieds with zetetic zeal, but I still haven’t found that special someone. Zetetic has a fascinating history of use beginning with the Zetetics who were followers of the sceptic school of philosophy in ancient Greece and extending […]
This past weekend on a visit to Chicago I stopped by Columbia College’s Center for Book & Paper Arts to see the current exhibit of Buddhist printing from the Derge Parkhang. The Derge Parkang (also known as the Derge Sutra Printing Temple) was established in 1729 and is home to more than 300,000 woodblocks used […]
Lexical Vexations altar n. a table on which sacrificial offerings are placed. alter v. to change a thing into something different or new. Words in the Wild: His experience worshipping at the altar of the ruined St. Luke’s Chapel had somehow changed him, altered him in ways he couldn’t verbalize. This week I saw these […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Yex, v. to have the hiccough. Word in the Wild: I just can’t seem to console little Lily. I’ve fed her and changed her, but she just keeps wailing and yexing. Poor girl. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that yex is onomatopoeic: yex…yex…yexyex! But be careful when you’re bandying this obsolete […]
Proofreaders’ Marks Uh-oh, that question ends with a period and you need to change it. Well, this proofreaders’ mark is one of the easiest. All you need to do is draw a question mark wherever it ought to be: In the example below the inserted question mark is clearly visible, but you can imagine how […]
Lexical Vexations censer n. a container in which incense is burned. censor n. one who decides which cultural products are fit for consumption and which ought to be altered or banned; v. to ban cultural products. censure n. disapproval; an official reprimand. sensor n. a device designed to detect a specific stimulus or stimuli. Words […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary Xen’ium, n. a gift to a stranger. Word in the Wild: A charitable donation is a xenium and a sign of true generosity. According to the OED xenium, at least in Greek and Roman antiquity, more accurately meant a gift to a guest or stranger, so in that sense there are still some […]
Yesterday, while many logophiles had a lovely time schmoozing with authors and publishers at Word on the Street, I and my adventurous parents chose instead to head out on one of Heritage Toronto‘s historic walking tours. They were able to lure me away from Word on the Street because this particular tour was led by […]
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary We’re not the only ones with questions about words.… In the movie 10 Things I Hate About You Chastity asks Bianca about the word whelm. Click here to listen to Chastity’s question. The answer? Whelm, v. to cover or bury. This is indeed the whelm you know so well from overwhelm. I’m sure you […]