pterodactyl has looked up 5050 words, created 120 lists, listed 2710 words, written 1271 comments, added 46 tags, and loved 5 words.
Comments by pterodactyl
Comments for pterodactyl
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Yes, it's wight next to it.
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Is that the finger next to the pinkie?
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Yep! "Pterodactyl" literally means "wing-finger". (Or "finger-wing". Latin is not my strong suit.)
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I just found out about this: http://www.cognatarium.com/cognatarium/?K=pter (by which I mean that I just found out about the site, but also that there's such a lovely connection between pterodactyls, helicopters, and butterflies).
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Hearts are just cool.
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I heart you, pterodactyl.
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For a short time (after the latest switchover) your profile wasn't visible--I even went to the new feedback whatsit and made a "Where's the pterodactyl" topic.
I know some creatures (bilbies, bears, and even foxes) seem to be endangered, but with my (admittedly limited) knowledge of the fate of most pterodactyls... well... let's just say I was worried, but I'm much happier now. -
*giant reptilian hug* I missed you too, ruzuzu!
(Thinks: Oooh! I just typed five syllables in a row that have the same vowel sound!) -
I'm so glad you're back! I missed you.
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After several months of rejecting my password and giving me an error message, Wordnik has finally decided to allow me back in. Hurrah! Let the listing recommence!
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Thank you for your excellent comment on grocery. Your link was exactly what I was looking for!
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I'd love to--thanks, pt.
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No, ruzuzu, I don't -- would you care to do the honors? :-)
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Do you have a phonestheme list for the cranky, craisiny CR? (See cremains.)
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Just sent my email to you, gangerh! Let me know if you didn't get it.
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You cannot escape the charge that you have previously engaged in the amazing pastime that is IDENTIFY THE WORDIE.
You are therefore prime target material for inviting to IDENTIFY THE WORDIENIK.
The whole of the bit of Wordnik that joins in on this would be truly honoured should you participate this time round.
Easily find the right page right now because it is currently the most commented on list shown on the Community page. -
Hi, hernesheir! Hope you're having a wonderful day!
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Hi, ptero.
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Is FR- a phonestheme? See comments on fraught.
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Thanks, hernesheir! That's a beautiful discovery you've made. Now I can't help but wonder whether there are any collections of four letters that can form seven words...
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In your past comment for aril, you mentioned the four letters of that word can form six different words, and asked if any other 4 letters could form six words. O, P, S, T can be arranged to spell stop, post, opts, tops, spot, and pots.
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Yes, avocado is a beautifully rounded word.
avOcAdO -
Avocodo!
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Fine, thanks. How are you?
(See good) :-) -
Hi there!
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chthonian is a good word too,.
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Yea, nicely like bdellium and dleurotomarioidea.
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"pterodactyl has added 97 lists containing 2,324 words, 43 comments, 43 tags, 92 favorites, and 0 pronunciations."
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Thank you for the kind comments on my profile. I'm glad you're here. :-)
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Glad you like it. :-)
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Five seconds after learning the word "cnidarian", I started a new list to put it on. Thank you!
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“Pterodactyl”, with a “c”, as in cnidarian!
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Ptotally, dude
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Because I am not merely a gentleman, but also a pedant, I must point out that the phrase "icy vacuum of outer space" is just poetic license. A vacuum cannot be cold, any more than it can be hot, because heat is a property of matter, and a vacuum contains no matter (well, virtually no matter, anyway).
As for the aesthetic qualities of my underthings, well, a reptile's got to have some secrets, hasn't he? -
Well, I didn't think I knew the bear. I play by similar rules, myself, and am no stranger to disreputable cousins.
Wait, that sounds like I hang out with disreputable cousins, which is not the case.
I'll refrain from asking if you wear an enchanting thong, but be advised I'm dying to know. ;) -
So, let's see... I think that makes the bear-o-dactyl your first cousin once removed.
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Oh deary me. Well, I am in a bit of a pickle now, aren't I? The secret is out. However shall I live this down?
No, the truth is, the embarrassing antics described therein were perpetrated by one of my disreputable cousins. Personally, I strive to be a more civilized specimen of the order Pterosauria. While I do indulge in the occasional interspecies affaire d'amour, I always adhere strictly to the rules of gentlemanly conduct, such as removing my hat in the presence of ladies, laying down my jacket across any muddy patches in a lady's path, and never subjecting a lady to the icy vacuum of outer space. -
Ptero, if you're around... I found this and wondered... Do I know the bear?
(Caution: salty language therein.)
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Yes, now you are under the protection of the License to Err. And that’s an excellent idea by the way; I shall do the same.
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I'm covered by dint of having favorited License to Err. :-)
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Another content customer, what an honor. :-)
Yet strictly speaking you’re not yet covered by the License to Err since as of now—unless it’s a cache issue—you haven’t added it to any lists.
But that reminds me of an emendation I was planning to apply—an important emendation, at least for as long as we still have Time separating past and future. Thanks. -
For too long I have been treading gingerly through life, eschewing any risk for fear that I might somehow err. Well, no longer. Thanks to telofy and Wordie PRO!, I now have license to err. That's right, boys and girls -- if I screw up now, no big deal! I just laugh about it and get on with my life.
And I gotta say, its a wonderful feeling. :-) -
Don't forget this gem:
"What's now missing from the pterosaur picture is how these animals took off, but Padian already has some ideas.
'Two obvious choices are just jumping up and flapping, and running along and flapping,' Padian said, adding, 'I suspect both were possible.'"
Congratulations, ptero, on finally being recognized by us hairless monkeys for the flight genius you are. .... How's the real estate at Pterosaur Beach, by the way? ;)
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"The pterodactyl was likely a powerful flyer with highly maneuverable wings and a developed capacity for flight control."
*preens* -
At last, we've figured out how you land!
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I couldn't agree more.
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Truth is, pterodactyls are actually adorable. I mean, just look at those cute reptilian eyes!
pterodactyl commented on the word survenue
Reesetee made a list of words like this: http://www.wordnik.com/lists/it-has-a-name
May 30, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list words-in-which-u-is-pronounced-yu
Hi Ru2013! Some of these words have the "y" sound in some dialects but not in others. In my American dialect, "duke" does not have the "y" sound, but in a British dialect, it does. See the comments below for more. :-)
May 16, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
Just spotted this article on the Wordnik Twitter feed: http://mentalfloss.com/article/30810/why-are-there-different-names-same-country
Apr 11, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word exclamation mark
I just spotted this on the Wordnik Twitter feed: http://m.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/04/screamer-slammer-bang-and-15-other-ways-to-say-exclamation-point/274687/
Apr 6, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word exclamation mark
I opted for "exclamation mark" over "exclamation point" on the grounds that the symbol in question is more than just a point -- it's a point with a vertical line over it. But that's just me being fussy. Is there some more reasonable reason to choose "exclamation mark"?
Apr 4, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word livver
*sigh* If it only it were spelled "livver" -- then I could put it on this list
Apr 2, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word exclamation mark
I don't usually use more than one exclamation mark, but when I do, I use an odd number of them!!! For example, three exclamation marks, or five!!!!! Or even seven, if I'm feeling particularly maniacal!!!!!!!
For some reason, an even number of exclamation marks just looks wrong!!
Apr 2, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word breaks
http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=%22my+breaks+failed%22&word2=%22my+brakes+failed%22
Quotes added.
Apr 2, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word every potential Wordnik list is an existing Wordnik list
See every potential wordie list is an existing wordie list.
Mar 25, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list x-up-or-x-down
Holy cow, yarb! I didn't intentionally steal your list idea. I guess great minds think alike. And every potential Wordnik list is an existing Wordnik list. :-)
Mar 25, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list x-up-or-x-down
I'm not familiar with the phrase, 'zuzu, but then again, I'm not familiar with most cookery terms. I trust your judgment. Go for it. :-)
Mar 22, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list x-up-or-x-down
I've opened this list up to everyone. Any suggestions?
Mar 22, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype
It's 3/22/13, and Wordnik just picked this list as List of the Day! Thanks, Wordnik! A hat tip to you guys and the good work you do!
Mar 22, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word irregardless
Seanahan made a very good point, earlier in this thread. (Uh, six years earlier, actually. I'm kind of late to this discussion.) In some languages, double negatives are interpreted as negatives. In fact, some dialects of English do the same thing. You could say, for example, "That ain't no moon!" and it would mean the same thing as "That's no moon!"
There's a larger question, which is whether it's better for a language to interpret double negatives as positives or as negatives. The former is more logical; the latter is more natural. I wish we could come up with a rule that's both logical AND natural, but I don't know what that would be.
Feb 10, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the list archaic-placenames
Great ideas, everyone! I opened the list up, so feel free to add to your heart's content.
(Hi bilby!)
Jan 31, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word split infinitive
There's a poster in my workplace that says "The important thing is not to stop questioning". I agree with the sentiment, but the grammar drives me crazy. My brain parses it as "X is not Y", or "(The important thing) is not (to stop questioning)", and so every time I see it, I think "Well, then what is the important thing? Tell me! Don't leave me in suspense, you wretched poster!"
This is why it's important to give people the freedom to split infinitives. Using a split infinitive, you can reword the sentence as "The important thing is to not stop questioning", which is nice and tidy and clear.
Jan 9, 2013
pterodactyl commented on the word invoilable
Hi Jody -- you may be looking for inviolable, with the I and the O the other way around.
Dec 17, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word comball
Ruzuzu -- I read this as "cornball" at first, too. I had to read it over several times before I could see the actual spelling.
Dec 17, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word Dodge
According to one theory, the phrase comes from the TV series Gunsmoke.
Dec 17, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word floodgate
6:30 a.m.: Polls open in Ohio. Expect a floodgate of attention to surround this battleground state where the presidential candidates have invested enormous resources into winning its 18 electoral votes. --NPR
A "floodgate of attention"? I don't think that metaphor works.
Nov 6, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list pterodactyl-s-personal-phonetic-alphabet
I am older and wiser now, and I've realized that saying "p as in pterodactyl" exposes a person to relentless mockery. Thus, the penguin. :-)
Oct 25, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list mony-mony
kalayzich, I wasn't originally thinking of monys inside of words, but I'm just so darned impressed with your suggestion that I'm changing the rules. Please, add to your heart's content! :-)
Sep 12, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list mony-mony
Mony itself? Sure!
Sep 12, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word ogle
A quick informal poll: Do you pronounce this OH-gul, OGG-ul, or OO-gul? Or some fourth way?
I've always said OGG-ul. Today I heard OO-gul for the first time, and OO-gul made me giggle.
Aug 18, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word myrtle
If someone called me an "unimportant astringent", I would be sad. And also confused.
Aug 18, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word jinrikisha
The Century Dictionary says that jinrikishas are "provided with springs". How thoughtful! I wonder who provided them?
Aug 18, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word inexpressible
Time for me to put on a pair of inexpressibles and start my day!
Aug 11, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word daddle
And toddle.
Aug 11, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word 42
"While in London, Torres, 45, will make appearances as a global ambassador for McDonald's "Champions of Play" program."
Dara Torres is 45? I thought she was 42. She must have built up some momentum.
Jul 28, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list tunie-word-disassociation
Glad you like it! :-)
Jul 28, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list us-states-that-are-also-rivers
Can anyone help add to this list?
Jul 21, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list sick-animals
OncoMouse does electronica. Berzerk Llama Syndrome is a jam band that does twenty-minute improvisations. Cat Scratch Fever is a retro swing band. Duck Plague is one guy in a basement with a cheap synthesizer.
Jul 16, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list words-to-describe-bad-arguments
invalid, unsound
Jul 13, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list the-several-stages-of-wordie-addiction
You're not just talking to yourself, 'zuzu! :-)
Of course, I don't speak Latvian, so my attentiveness doesn't help you. But maybe it's the thought that counts?
Jul 13, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word Antarctica
Nonsense. You don't need formaldehyde to cook up a big ol' jar of marsupial preserves.
Jul 10, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word Antarctica
When I pronounce this word, my instinct is to leave out the C, and say"ant-AR-ti-cuh". But I know that that's not correct, so I have a little mental reminder that tells me to insert the C. Unfortunately, though, I tend to overcorrect and say "anct-ARC-ti-cuh", with an extra C before the first T.
Interestingly, the C that gives me so much trouble is a relatively recent addition. I figure that some priggish linguist in the 17th century decided that the word had to conform to its ancient Greek roots, and now we're stuck with the C. It's a shame, really. "Antartica" would be much more simple to pronounce and spell.
Jul 7, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word lectern
I find myself getting angry whenever I hear someone use the word "podium" to refer to a lectern. We already have a perfectly good word for lecterns, so why not just use it? Calling a lectern a podium seems so gratuitous and pointless.
But, on reflection, it's not gratuitous. In all likelihood, people just don't know the word "lectern", and so they're using the only word they do know that describes the object in question. We can't fault them for that, can we?
And I suppose I needn't worry that "podium" will soon have two meanings, because the original meaning of "podium" (an elevated platform for a public speaker to stand on) appears to be dead. Ask a typical English speaker what a "podium" is, and he or she will probably describe a lectern, not an elevated platform. And we have the word "dais" to describe elevated platforms, so I needn't worry that that particular concept will become nameless.
It all makes logical sense when I type it out like this, but nevertheless, I know I'm still going to fret about it. :-/
Jul 7, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word avuncular
I don't see why not. As best as I can tell, in order to be avuncular, all you have to do is behave like a stereotypical uncle. Anyone can do that, whether they're male or female.
Jul 4, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word mayhem
For a word that means chaos and violence, "mayhem" is actually a rather tidy and dignified pair of syllables. With a capital M, Mayhem looks to me like the name of a small village in the English countryside, the kind of place that where you'd find carefully-trimmed window boxes and an interesting selection of doilies.
Jun 8, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word codename
Ruzuzu, I've have that song stuck in my head for three days now, thanks to you! I hope you're happy! *mock glare*
Jun 6, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list a-_____-walks-into-a-bar
Thanks, ruzuzu! This was actually one of the first lists I ever created!
Jun 6, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the list names-of-national-capitals-that-are-often-but-incorrectly-pronounced-with-emphasis-on-the-penultimate-syllable
Thanks, ruzuzu! I adore the fact that bilby was able to think of additional cities for this list!
May 28, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Yes, it's wight next to it.
Apr 27, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Yep! "Pterodactyl" literally means "wing-finger". (Or "finger-wing". Latin is not my strong suit.)
Apr 26, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word what time
Is this a grammatical error?
"What time should I pick you up?"
Prescriptive grammarians would probably say yes, it is an error, because it's missing the word "at". It should be "What time should I pick you up at?" or "At what time should I pick you up?"
If these grammarians are also copy editors, they might suggest the phrasing "When should I pick you up?", which avoids the "what time" construction entirely. After all, English already has a perfectly good word for asking questions about time ("when"), so, the editors might say, why not just use it?
Actually, I think there's a jolly good reason to use "what time" instead of "when". I don't think they mean the same thing.
My idea is that people use "what time" to refer to time on a clock, as opposed to time on a calendar. For example, if you ask someone "When did you arrive in London?", they might answer "Last Thursday", which isn't helpful if what you're really inquiring about is the arrival time of their train. So, instead, you can ask "What time did you arrive in London?", a question to which "Last Thursday" is not a sensible response.
If I'm right about this, then "what time" is a two-word idiom that functions as one word, rather like "how much" or "how many" or the Spanish "por qué".
Huh. So, if it is an idiom, does this explain the absence of "at"?
Apr 13, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word Hawai'i
Good point. Yeah, that would probably explain the spelling. But it wouldn't explain the pronunciation. Why don't we pronounce the glottal stop?
Apr 13, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word emu
Great, thanks! I had been stricken with indecision about which pronunciation to use (they're both equally prevalent in American English), but this decides the issue. From now on, I shall emulate the elocutions of the emu experts.
Apr 10, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word second
Then our work here is done. *evil laugh*
Apr 10, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word spelt
This page is amazing. How did I not know about this before?
*laughing out loud*
Apr 10, 2012
pterodactyl commented on the word emu
How is this pronounced in Australian English? "ee-moo" or "ee-myoo"?
Apr 10, 2012