AWADmail Issue 281
Nov 18, 2007
A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day
and Other Interesting Tidbits about Words and Languages
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From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
Subject: Interesting stories from the net
Vigil for the Vanishing Tongue:
http://nytimes.com/2007/09/23/weekinreview/23word.html?ex=1348200000&en=c11ab317f46ee18f&ei=5090
http://tinyurl.com/3dhy6h
Building a Nation of Polyglots, Starting With the Very Young:
http://nytimes.com/2007/11/14/education/14education.html?ex=1352696400&en=d5c179415e0dc64e&ei=5090
http://tinyurl.com/3c3hk2
Basque Inquisition: How Do You Say Shepherd in Euskera?:
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB119429568940282944-lMyQjAxMDE3OTA0NjIwOTY1Wj.html
http://tinyurl.com/2ktao4
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From: Korny Sietsma (korny sietsma.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--recalcitrant
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/recalcitrant.html
It's worth noting that this word is somewhat infamous in Australian politics.
In 1993, Paul Keating, then Prime Minister of Australia, described Mahatir
bin Mohamed, then Prime Minister of Malaysia, as "recalcitrant" for not
attending a regional summit. This caused some uproar in Malaysia, and they
threatened trade sanctions against Australia -- there was some suggestion at
the time that the Malaysian translation was rather more severe than the
English word, or maybe it's just that relations between the prime ministers
were never that good to start with.
These days the word just brings some vague nostalgia for the days when our
politicians were willing to use some "intellectual" words in public, without
fear of losing popularity with the "common man".
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From: Hector McDonnell (hector hectormcdonnell.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--patrician
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/patrician.html
Of course, as an Irishman I have to point out that this is the origin
of our patron saint's name. He was indeed a Roman patrician by birth,
as he and his father were Roman citizens and their family owned a villa
in Britain called Bannaventum Tabernae, staffed with both servants and
slaves. A real patrician indeed.
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From: Pauline Sarkar (pauline.sarkar planet.nl)
Subject: patrician
In the Netherlands, a patrician is not an aristocrat, because he does not
have a title of nobility. But, as you said, he is well-bred and has a lot
of culture. Nowadays he is often also wealthier than the aristocrat.
Therefore, the marriage between the two is much sought after, especially
the title of the nobleman with the money of the woman.
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From: Grant Barrett (gbarrett worldnewyork.org)
Subject: Nominations for 2007 words of the year
The American Dialect Society is a 118-year-old not-for-profit, noncommercial
academic organization, devoted to the study of the English language. I am a
vice president of the organization.
The American Dialect Society's word-of-the-year vote takes place in Chicago
in January at its annual meeting. The society is now accepting word-of-the-
year nominations at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Word of the Year is interpreted
in its broader sense as "vocabulary item"--not just words but phrases. Your
nominations do not have to be brand-new, but they should be newly prominent
or notable in the past year, and should have appeared frequently in the
national discourse. The word-of-the-year vote is not a formal induction of
words into the American language, but a whimsical affair. Nominate accordingly.
More information about the conference and the vote:
http://americandialect.org/Chicago_2008
Past words of the year:
http://americandialect.org/WOTY
............................................................................
A word in a dictionary is very much like a car in a mammoth motorshow --
full of potential, but temporarily inactive. -Anthony Burgess, author
(1917-1993)
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The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange
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