"I had been trying to figure out how the strawberries got there after my frequent blackouts, and this book answered that question for me AND told me where to hide the bodies. Thanks Vanessa!
It would have been a five star rating, but it fails to explain the smell of brimstone whenever I open this book, or the man in clown makeup tied up in my basement. (Was the makeup there before I tied him up, or did I apply it? This question keeps me up at night) Still: if you have similar problems, this book is for you."
I'm sorry, I've hosted monsters before, and I just can't recommend it. The last time I hosted a monster, it crushed my guest bed, tracked ichor across my carpets, clogged the shower drain with its beastly fur, and repeatedly left the lid off of the jam jar.
According to this page from the ever-helpful TVTropes.org, this phrase comes from US car ads in the 70s and 80s. It indicates that "...the customer might not get as much fuel efficiency as the ad claimed. The phrase has since been adopted to mean 'you may not get the same thing out of this as me'. The kids' show Beakman's World made the actual phrase into a mini-Catch Phrase as well."
New... a juicy tell-all behind-the-scenes memoir! Relive the heady days of the first Miss Wordie pageant! The lists! The tags! The swimsuit competition! Available now at a bookstore near you!
Don't fret, Wordie PRO users! At least one Wordie PRO feature has successfully transferred over to Wordnik. Those of you who prefer an automatically cute Wordnik can try your free sample here.
I know you guys are swamped with stuff to do, but I want to add something else to your to-do list. Could we please have the personal "Recent Activity" feature back? On Wordie Emeritus, I used that feature to keep track of my recent comments, so I knew which threads I should be watching. Also I used other people's Recent Activity to stalk them. I would love to see this feature imported to Wordnik!
Well, gee, guys, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling down about Wordnik. Personally, I'm feeling great about it, despite the rough transition. I think we're in a great situation here, for two reasons:
1. As John said, even though Wordnik has an overarching goal, the culture and spirit of it are up to us. In fact, pretty much everything about it is up to us.
2. The Wordnik team have proven that they're willing to work their tails off to accommodate our requests. If there's something you don't like about Wordnik, all you have to do is mention it and it gets changed.
I agree with P_ that patience is the way to go (patience and constructive feedback, that is). In the meantime, I think I'll go joyriding with uselessness as he swerves around those potholes... it looks like fun!
One of my teachers at the university used this word in an assignment description. I'm not sure how I should feel about this. On the one hand, it's either an awkward coinage or an error, but on the other hand, it does include the sequence "pthly", which I can't help but respect.
Hey, Wordniks -- how do you pronounce this word? Is it just beau + regard? If so, then don't you think it's weird that the first vowel sound is not the same as in "bore", "core", "door", and so on? Frankly, I can't think of any other word in which this particular vowel comes directly before an R. Can you?
I agree with Prolagus -- I miss the one-entry-per-thread layout of the "active threads" page, and I'd love to see the Zeitgeist page adopt the same layout.
(Incidentally, this is my first comment on Wordnik. Hi everyone!)
Oh my stars and garters... this phrase (in CAPITAL LETTERS!) is the title of a book. A real book! And you absolutely must read its reviews on Amazon.
"I had hoped this would have advise for handling situations where one finds strawberries on various parts of their anatomy. I've had strawberries on my buttocks for some time now and don't know what to do. Unfortunately this book focuses solely on the nipples. Hopefully the author will pen a followup."
A European explorer is on safari in deepest Africa, and one night, he hears the sound of drumming off in the distance. "What does the drumming mean?", he asks his native guide. The guide says "It means that the natives are restless."
The next night, they hear the drumming again. It's louder, and closer. Fearfully, the explorer asks again "What does the drumming mean?", and again, the guide replies "It mean that the natives are restless."
The third night, the drumming is even louder and closer, and the explorer, now shaking in his boots, asks a third time "What does the drumming mean?". Again the guide replies "It means that the natives are restless."
"But WHY?!", screams the explorer. "Why are the natives so restless?!"
"Because," the guide says, "they can't stand all this drumming."
Oh, now I understand! Theta doesn't represent /θ/, it represents an aspirated /t/... so the "Th" in "Thomas" also represents an aspirated /t/... but English doesn't distinguish between aspirated and non-aspirated consonants, so we pronounce it with a standard English /t/ (which probably gets aspirated anyway, because it's word-initial).
Huh, good point. I always interpreted the "h" in "Thomas" as a silent letter, which doesn't represent any phoneme in the word, but it could very well be part of a digraph representing /t/. I suppose that, to resolve this question, we'd have to go into the name's etymology.
Let me just take a moment to express my love for Wordnik's new Zeitgeist page, especially the tagline. "Watch your language." It's brilliant, and elegant. Thank you, John!
Mollusque, I doff my cap to you, and bow to your prowess with words. How lovely it is to have you on Wordie!
Bilby, I'm pretty sure that abscondent is French, not English, which means that you get double bonus points for (a) noticing that I forgot to specify English, and (b) using this loophole to add a ten-letter word. Well done!
Has anyone else noticed that "encourage" has lost the meaning of "give courage to" and is now just a synonym for "urge"? I don't understand this trend. Why change the meaning of "encourage", thus losing the original utility of the word, just to create a cumbersome synonym (two extra syllables!) for a word that's perfectly fine on its own?
What exactly does it mean to bust a gut? After you bust a gut, are you then down a gut, like a hockey team might be "down a man"? Must you then carry on with your remaining unbusted guts?
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.
Well, I guess it depends on your dialect, Milos. Personally, I have a schwa for the "o" in "encyclopedic", but if you don't, I'll cheerfully add it to the list.
John just plugged this list on Twitter (thanks John! I like it too!), so I'm going to return the favor. If you guys aren't following Wordie on Twitter, you should be. It's like John's panning for gold in our stream of consciousness. :-)
This story falls into the category of Horrifying But True: today at work I heard a customer call her young daughter "Lucifer". I remember it with dreadful clarity. It wasn't Lucy. It wasn't Jennifer. It was Lucifer.
I searched the customer's face for any sign that it might be a joke, or a slip of the tongue, but no -- she was totally deadpan, and the daughter didn't seem at all surprised. I'm forced to conclude, against my will, that the girl's name was actually "Lucifer".
When my friends and I formed an a cappella group, I wanted to call us either "The Smithereens" or "Tequila Mockingbird", but then I found out that both of those bands already exist. (Darn.) Our little singing group eventually settled on "The Doomed Petunias", in reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
As much as I love this list, I can't seem to find a good title for it. Currently it's called "Alternative Names for Baby Girls", which, while descriptive, is hopelessly bland.
My two cents, John, is that your idea is perfect. A zeitgeist page, where we can go for the full firehose of current activity, would fit the bill nicely.
In upstate New York, highway names in Buffalo take "the" (as in "Take the one-ninety to get to the falls") but not in Rochester ("Take five-ninety to get to the lake"). I'd always wondered about that, and now Milos has provided a possible solution -- maybe Buffalo's aberration is the result of its proximity to Canada...
Oh my gourd... that's really, actually ERIN MCKEAN. Here! On our page! The only person, other than Nancy Pearl, who I want an action figure of!
I am starstruck. I am weak at the knees. You could knock me over with a, a, one of those long fluttery things that grow on birds. Thingies. Feathers! Yes!
From skipvia and reesetee: Make sure that Wordnik allows fart jokes.
From yarb... well, I'll just quote him: "What makes wordie fun is having the majority of the 'homepage' devoted to comments, and the rest to other recent activity. Commenting and perpetual motion is the lifeblood of it - you've got to keep that interface as the default, not just tuck it away as an option."
No suggestions yet? Come now, good Wordies. Surely we have some suggestions for this new Wordnikie venture. We can't all be suffering from some kind of Wordnikie's aphasia.
Oh, John, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! I can't wait to see what you and the Wordnik people cook up. :-)
Now, a question: How involved would you like us regulars to be in this process? Are you looking for suggestions from us? If so, we might want to start a Wordnikie Suggestion Box, just to keep all our suggestions in one place.
That's my tag, and I'm sticking to it. Golf and wolf don't rhyme, and Rolf doesn't count, because... because it doesn't have a flag. No flag, no rhymic recognition. You can't have it! That's the rule that I've just made up. And I'm backing it up with this gun that was lent from the National Rifle Association...
When I spoke of country names allowing citizens to hold up their heads with pride, it was mostly a rhetorical flourish that came upon me in the heat of my passion, like an attack of the vapours. Of course one can take pride in the phrase "United States of America" -- it is, as you say, a good expression of our national ideals.
However, this lovely phrase is not suited to be a name, in much the same way that a lovely humuhumunukunukuapua'a is not suited to play the alpenhorn. In order to play the alpenhorn, you need to have certain attributes, such as alpenlegs, alpenarms, and a good alpenpucker. Even a very gifted humuhumunukunukuapua'a will not have these things. Far better to leave the poor little fish in the water, don't you think? And remove that tiny lederhosen, too. It's not at all fetching.
When something needs to be referred to frequently and unambiguously, we give it a name. (For example, this is why we name hurricanes. We're not being cutesy, we just need a fast and accurate way to distinguish them from each other.) In order to be a good name, a word or phrase must have certain attributes. It should be should be fairly short, and it should be a proper noun. A descriptive phrase, even an excellent descriptive phrase like "The United States of America", will not have these things.
If we grant that the states are, in fact, united, what are they united into? When the Constructicons united, they formed Devastator, a single unified entity. Clearly, the same is true of the United States. We've created a single big something out of many little somethings. And, this something needs to be referred to frequently and unambiguously. In short, it needs a name.
Oh, lordy. I love my country, but I really, really hate its name.
Imagine a nice young couple who get married and start a family. These doting parents love their children, so they name them "Girl #1", "Girl #2", and "Boy #1".
Wait, what?! These aren't names, they're descriptions! Those poor kids deserve more than descriptions -- they deserve names. Same goes for countries. Citizens ought to be able to hold up their heads with pride and say "I come from X", where X is a NAME of a PLACE, like "Canada" or "Hungary", or "Kyrgyzstan".
And then there's us. You know those states? In North America? How they're all united and everything? Yeah, them. Well, we don't have a name for them, so let's just call them the "united states" of America.
Gosh darn it. We are going to BEAT this! And in the meantime, if you're looking for us, we'll be over in the corner, commiserating with the United Arab Emirates and the Central African Republic.
Oh, you should totally follow that link. It includes such gems as this:
“I am not attempting this record for the money,�? he said before his quest. “It is enough for me to know that I can inspire an entire generation of young people, mostly boys, to grow long body hairs and achieve their own dreams.�?
Afterwards, Williams posed proudly.
“This is more or less the most attention my nipple has ever received,�? he noted.
Bilbo is fine, but I have problems with the other two. "Charo" is not her first name, so we can't say she's "commonly known by her first name". And while "Socrates" is technically the man's first (and last) name, the fact that we call him "Socrates" is neither interesting nor surprising. (What else would we call him?)
As I originally conceived it, the list was restricted to real people, but I hereby cheerfully open it up to fictional people, because why should real people have all the fun?
Hi, SoSheShall -- you can view the list in alphabetical order, if you want. The sorting options are at the top of the page, just to the right of "comment feed" and "cloud". Just click on the little arrows next to "alpha".
This list will prove useful the next time I chat up an end table.
"Ah, my dear, your design is sophisticated and elegant. I hope you don't think me too forward, but I must ask -- are you a fusion of classic and modern styles?"
I was just about to leave a comment on this page, involving a lame pun on the coincidental similarity between the name "Oliver Heaviside" and the "Heaviside Layer" (from the musical Cats), but first I googled "Heaviside Layer", and discovered, to my shock and delight, that there actually is a Heaviside Layer. It's part of Earth's ionosphere, and it was named after our man Oliver. T.S. Eliot just borrowed the term to describe his mystical feline heaven.
Wikipedia also gives the following interesting information (without any citations to support it):
"In later years... Heaviside would sign letters with the initials "W.O.R.M." after his name though the letters did not stand for anything. Heaviside also reportedly started painting his fingernails pink and had granite blocks moved into his house for furniture."
Regarding the relationship of brevity and wit: Contrast the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest to the Lyttle Lytton, and tell me which tickles your personal funny bone the most...
Teeth is indeed an excellent page, but it's also quite long, and this list is made up mostly of short little gems that I've found (including you don't beep at a polar bear match, which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE WORDIE PAGE EVER). Brevity is, for me, the soul of wit.
By the way, does anyone have any idea what "hot the bottle" refers to? Apparently it's a typo of yarb's, but I have no idea where this typo originally appeared.
Regarding dontcry's question about New Zealand: There is a Zealand (in Denmark), but it's not the source of the name "New Zealand". That honor goes to a province in the Netherlands.
There's something strange and troubling about this word. In modern usage, "purpose" is a noun, and yet it take affixes as if it were some other part of speech.
Example 1: "Purposely". The suffix "-ly" is supposed to take an adjective and turn it into an adverb. But "purpose" is not an adjective.
Example 2: "Repurpose". The prefix "re-" is supposed to take a verb and turn it into another verb. But "purpose" is not a verb.
This is really creepy. "Purpose" is some kind of uncanny monster. I'm getting the cold shivers just thinking about it.
Me, I use "you guys". I used to think it was sexist, but I've come to the conclusion that, in this particular phrase, "guys" is gender-neutral. I use "you guys" even when everyone I'm referring to is female, and I've seen women do the same thing.
I think the phrase has become gender-neutral out of necessity; we needed a plural "you", and "you guys" was just too convenient.
Bear in mind, folks, that "birdo" is not pronounced "bird-oh", but rather "BEERrdo". In Esperanto, i sounds like "ee", r is slightly trilled, and o is short, without any trace of a w at the end.
Perhaps the person who uses this phrase is using Michael Pollan's definition of "food":
"...You’re much better off eating whole fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation to eat “food.�? Once, food was all you could eat, but today there are lots of other edible foodlike substances in the supermarket. These novel products of food science often come in packages festooned with health claims, which brings me to a related rule of thumb: if you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid food products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a good indication that it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat."
-- "Unhappy Meals", as published in the New York Times.
Using this definition of "food", the phrase "food advocate" makes sense (it has roughly the meaning that chained_bear gave, below). The problems start, though, when you assume that your listeners are using the same definition of "food" that you are.
Plenty of info about this issue at these pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Reading this new info, I'm surprised to learn that Armstrong came up with the line himself, and that he did so only a few hours before he spoke it. I'd always assumed that the historic line was planned well in advance by NASA.
Holy flapjacks, yarb -- that's brilliant! I think we should immediately begin building beacons. Also, I think the beacon-builders should be given bacon, so that they may breakfast beside their beacons.
Also, you've just given me an idea for a new list. :-)
Chained_bear, I love that you included the missing "a". You know, the sentence makes no sense without it, but yet most people don't even notice that it's missing. I guess we're just so used to hearing it without the "a" that we've gotten used to the awkward construction.
I know it's all Neil Armstrong's fault for flubbing his line, but I don't blame him. He was understandably distracted at the time. :-)
Hi c_b! My concept for this list is very broad, and also rather vague, so feel free to include both of your examples.
I guess the only thing I don't want to see is quotations that happened to have been transmitted, but aren't really "messages". Everything's transmitted these days, so including them all would flood the list with every famous line since the start of the Information Age. So, for example, you can't add "Ask not what your country would do for you, ask what you can do for your country", even though it was certainly transmitted. It's a quotation, not a message.
"'England expects that every man will do his duty' was a signal sent by Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from his flagship HMS Victory as the Battle of Trafalgar was about to commence on 21 October 1805..."
I saw this word in a newspaper article today. I presume it means something like "the political philosophy of Barack Obama", but it's not the meaning that interests me, it's the construction of the word.
Adding the suffix "ism" to a word that ends in a vowel, such as "Obama", seems intuitively wrong. I'd definitely prefer "Obamism", or possibly "Obamatism". I'm not sure why I feel this way, but I suspect it has something to do with the way English handles adjacent vowels.
I want to second Prolagus's thanks for the "Most active threads" page, and I also want to thank John (again) for the "Most commmented on" section on the front page. Between those two features, I'm actually able to keep a handle on the great roiling mass that is Wordie.
(Also I really like the idea of a quick and easy way to make links to people's profiles. It'd be nice to not have to type out the HTML tags and URL every time!)
My favorite feature of Wordie PRO is the way it automatically cutifies all the words, by displaying each one as the caption to a random picture of a cat.
I'll add my vote to the growing North American consensus -- here in upstate New York, "Geezer" refers to someone who's really, really old. The word is informal, comical, and slightly pejorative.
I keep saying "neurotic" over and over again, trying to figure out what vowel I have for the first syllable. The problem is that the vowel is colored by the r that follows it. It could be a schwa, but honestly, I can't really tell.
Perhaps I should stop repeating "neurotic" to myself. I don't want the other people in this computer lab to worry...
It occurs to me, mollusque, that I surrounded my IPA transcription with slash marks (/), which refer to phonemes. This was a mistake. I was actually talking about phones, so I should have used square brackets, like this: dɪsən'hɪbəɾɪŋ.
As far as phonemes go, well, you're right. I only have ɪ's for you.
Thank you all for your effusive response! I love you guys. :-)
That said, I must note that most of your submissions do, in fact, have schwas, at least in my dialect. Per my own rules, I'll still add them if you can give me an example of a dialect that pronounces them without schwas.
In the meantime, special gold stars go to yarb and sionnach for "judaize" and "grotesquely", both of which fit the bill nicely.
VHEMT's website offers lots of interesting information, including the pronunciation of the acronym ("vehement") and their official slogan ("May we live long and die out.")
Rolig and I had opposite impressions -- in the first part of the video, all I could determine was that your voice isn't American. Then you said "carnage", and I thought "Aha! Irish!".
I know this meme as the Pants Game -- my friends and I used to play it in college. We took turns inventing lines such as these, not just from Star Wars but from any film.
My favorite online dictionary, OneLook, offers not only wildcards but also a "search by meaning" tool (the colon). For example, if you wanted to find words that start with M and mean "smooth", you could go to OneLook and type in "m*:smooth". It's useful not only for finding spellings but also for finding words you don't know.
I first discovered OneLook by way of Wordie, so let me just pause and say a hearty "Thanks, John!".
Normally, I would not let reesetee's petty transgressions disturb my serene countenance. But nobody -- NOBODY -- fires a banana peel at a pterodactyl!!
Reesetee: I am highly offended by your claim of copyright for the entire Roman alphabet. The record clearly shows my claim to the letter P, lodged well before your meretricious claims ever surfaced. I take umbrage at this pernicious action, and I remind all who read this that in order to use MY LETTER, they must provide me with either silly poetry or cold hard cash.
In this article, Steven Pinker argues that John Roberts's "inner copy editor" caused him to flub Obama's oath of office. I'm not sure I agree, but it's a good read either way.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think what we have here is a cultural divide. Here in the US, the word is commonly understood to have the meaning that rolig described (dithering, repeatedly changing one's mind, failing to take a steady stance on an issue). Clinton was one famous target of this word; another was John Kerry, who was accused of both "waffling" and "flip-flopping".
I also want to say that the "be verbose" meaning is completely unknown here -- certainly it's unknown to me -- but before I make such a strong statement, I need some unscientific confirmation from my fellow American Wordies.
Help me out, guys. Do you find bilby's definition as alien as I do?
(Edit: while I was typing this, sionnach came along and defended both meanings, which leads me to suspect that he's not merely a gentleman, but also a world traveler and a global citizen.)
Cheese contains rennet, and a lot of cheeses (especially in Europe) use animal rennet. According to Wikipedia, this kind of rennet is made from deep-frozen calf stomachs.
Wikipedia also lists several non-animal sources of rennet.
"A geometry implies the heterogeneity of locus, namely that there is a locus of the Otter. Regarding this locus of the Otter, of one sex as Otter, as absolute Otter, what does the most recent development in topology allow us to posit?"
It amuses me that this list has sat quiet and unnoticed for six months, only to see a flurry of comments over the space of 24 hours. :-) I live in hope that some of my other unnoticed lists will someday attract the attention of my fellow Wordies (hint hint).
*
And, for the record, while I favor "Yorkian" to refer to upstaters, I think the phrase "Nork-Nork" is just adorable. :-)
The placement of the word "not" makes a difference, yet this difference is almost universally ignored. Consider these two hypothetical titles of books:
"How To Not Eat Dinner"
"How Not To Eat Dinner"
They don't mean the same thing. The first sounds like it's about fasting or dieting (avoiding dinner) -- the second sounds like it's about table etiquette (the manner in which you eat dinner).
I think they're both useful constructions, but I notice that there's a great taboo against the construction "to not". For example, we say "I told you not to come", even though we mean "I told you to not come".
Isn't this a shame? Such a useful distinction we could have available to us, and we throw it all away, just because we're afraid to split one lousy infinitive.
Reading the (excellent) analysis on this page, I see a parallel between the usage of "only" and the usage of "not". I'm heading over to not to post my thoughts. Care to join me?
Yarb and dc -- I've never played Guitar Hero, but my understanding is that the goal of the game is to match the notes on the guitar to the notes on the screen, in real time.
I've never really liked the construction "There is..." to indicate existence. I love English, but I think of this as one of English's little foibles. Indicating the existence of something by constructing a meaningless subject and relegating the actual subject of your sentence to being the object? Please. Give me a break. :-)
But now, I'm beginning to expect that English is evolving a more elegant solution. "There's" is now being used not as a grammatical subject, but rather as a rough equivalent to the existential quantifier of symbolic logic, ∃, which means "there exists".
This suggests that "There's" does not (necessarily) equal "There is".
If my hypothesis turns out to be correct, then I see no reason why "There's" should be forced to agree with the number of the subject it's describing.
Hey, quinn, thanks for making this list! It's funny how lyrical these words are, given their meanings.
I keep a similar, but broader list: New baby names for girls. If you guys come up with any words that aren't diseases but would nevertheless make lovely names for girls, well, here's a place for them.
Mollusque -- what about those things which are just barely too large too fit through the available windows? Might they be quasifenestrated, and if so, would Crisco help?
Given that all physical objects are causal, and that the permissive period at reesetee's office expires at the end of the year, does this mean that 2009 will be spent in the nude?
I have evaluated the samples offered by bilby and sionnach and found that they are indeed very rigorous. They are also aesthetic, cogent, cromulent, and (in sionnach's case) practically libelous. ;)
In light of this, I declare that any royalties they may owe shall be waived in perpetuity.
In accordance with the privileges granted by Wordie Pro, this letter, in all its forms, is declared to be the property of pterodactyl, who is entitled to compensation for any use thereof. Said compensation may take the form of either silly poetry or cold hard cash.
See dog's letter. And mind your (pterodactyl's letter)'s and q's!
(Note: To demonstrate that he is not unkind, and to maintain the honor of the pterosaurs, Pterodactyl would like to announce that the mandatory 3-cent royalties will be waived for any applicant who can provide a rigorous example of silly poetry.)
Hi Pro! I want to thank you -- after reading all your comments about Belle & Sebastian, I finally went and got two of their albums out of the library, and I'm really enjoying the music. Thanks!
Well, if this page is a good example of what happens when I post the details of weird dreams, then I should definitely start hitting the applesauce every night. Bilby, I love the way you limn chained_bear, and your bilby-babble fills me with joy... strange, slightly worried joy.
I just had my first Wordie dream last night. In the dream, I read a certain peculiar comment, and upon waking, I wrote it down. Here it is:
about 1 hour ago bilby said:
Chained_bear is my mother?! Well, tie me to the mall with a malt of third!
I've reproduced every jot and tittle just as I dreamt it. Now, the big question: is this a case of oneiromanticprophecy, or just an effect of the badapplesauce I ate before bed?
I've been watching in fascination as this word acquires a new meaning. It's now in common use as a synonym for "very" and "extremely" (as in the phrase "Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = crazy delicious"), and I love the new meaning. I use it myself.
The only other word I can think of that's undergone such a process within my lifetime is "random" (as in "boy, that was a random comment").
A phrase I picked up in college. It refers to a situation in which the number of elements is small, but the number of combinations of these elements is unmanageably vast.
I've opened the list, so feel free to jump in with your suggestions.
But please, only post names used by natives of that place! (For example, don't post the Chinese names for places in France -- just for places where they speak Chinese.) It may seem draconian, but I think we need this rule to keep the list from undergoing a combinatorial explosion.
Hey, Pro-- you're referring to Sardinia, right? I want to add your suggestions, but first let me ask: which of the names you posted is the common name used by Sardinians?
Well, I'm American, and I'd definitely call biscotti "cookies", based on the following reasoning: Biscotti are sweet. Cookies are sweet. Biscuits are savory.
Actually, I'd argue that in the US, we draw a three-way distinction:
Cookie: small, flat, sweet
Biscuit: fluffy, savory, good with butter and jam
Scone: not fluffy but not flat. Dry. Kind of like a triangular brick made of flour. Often sweetened.
Wikipedia agrees with me. "In the United States, scones are drier, larger and typically sweet. Those sold by coffee shops often include fillings such as cranberries, blueberries, nuts, or even chocolate chips."
Some years ago, there was a fad for kilts among my (male) friends. I think they thought it would drive the girls wild. I asked the girls about it, and as it turned out, absolutely none of them liked the idea of guys in kilts.
C_b, you're the exception that proves the rule. :-)
I have to agree with the Chicago Manual. There are some constructions that just don't allow you to use "different from", and in these cases, "different than" is the only possible substitute.
In response to VanishedOne: I'd argue that the choice of "than" to follow rather, other, and different is not based just on syntax, but also on semantics. To my ear, the word than gives a sense of differentiation, of distinguishing between two things. Likewise, the meanings of rather, other, and different all have to do with distinguishing two things, setting them apart from each other. The meaning of similar is quite the opposite: calling two things "similar" makes them less distinguishable, draws them closer together.
The overwhelming sentiment on this page seems to be against "different than", so let me play devil's advocate for a moment: what about "other than" and "rather than"? Are they acceptable? And if they are, what's the relevant difference between them and "different than"?
Wow... some excellent analyses on this page -- thanks, guys!
Yes, qroqqa, I can confirm from experience that most American speakers do not have "different to", and of the two options we do have, "different than" is by far the most popular. I rarely hear "different from", and when I do, it's usually in formal settings only.
I ask because I'm considering switching my personal usage from "different from" to "different than", in order to allow constructions such as "The situation is different than it used to be." (The equivalent construction using "from" is "The situation is different from how it used to be", which sounds clumsy.)
I'm especially interested in "different to", which I never hear in the US, but which presents itself as a tantalizing third option. How would "to" fit into the above example?
I suspect that cyclones and typhoons would get more press in the US if they were called hurricanes, because I really think that Americans don't understand that these different words refer to the same sort of storm.
Adoarns -- I can think of at least nine off the top of my head (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, proprioception, balance/gravity, temperature, and pain).
A concept from the Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett. According to phrenology, you can learn about a person's personality by studying certain bumps on the skull. Retrophrenology, therefore, is the practice of altering a person's personality by creating certain bumps on the skull (by means of a selection of differently-sized mallets).
A unit of magical energy, as featured in the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett.
Wikipedia says this: "The Thaum is a measuring unit used in quantifying magic on the disk. It equals the amount of mystical energy required to conjure up one small white pigeon, or three normal-sized billiard balls. Several SI-modifiers have been applied to it (e.g. millithaum, kilothaum) in the books. Magic can be measured with a thaumometer, which looks like a black cube with a dial on one side."
Thank you all! Your suggestions are lovely, and they're going to be darned useful as I assemble this presentation.
Frindley, I loved the TED video you posted. I think every Wordie should watch it (and be prepared to see the geek needle go all the way into the red...).
Plethora, why the heck wouldn't they let you read the dictionary? If I found a kid sitting quietly and reading the dictionary, I'd shower him or her with praise.
(I once started reading an encyclopedia cover to cover. I think I got about a quarter of the way through before I lost interest.)
In one of the classes I'm taking this semester, I've just volunteered to do a 10-minute presentation about dictionaries. It's a topic that's near and dear to my heart, but I'm still a bit anxious about it.
So I'm asking for suggestions. What are the best and worst dictionaries out there (print or online)? Do you have any favorites? Any dictionaries that have let you down? What about fancy bells and whistles (like those sites where you can hear words pronounced)?
Away from your computer for a while? No internet access on your mobile phone? Don't fret -- you can still keep up on all the hip chatter. Just call 1-900-I-WORDIE, and John will read you the site over the phone. For an additional fee, he'll do all the different voices!
Hi mollusque -- good list! I'm happy that I'm not the only one out there with retronyms on his mind. :-)
Now that I know that a retronym list already exists, I think I'd rather contribute to your list than maintain a list of my own. (Actually, my inclination is to just add the whole contents of my list to your list, but then all those words would have my name on them, and I don't want to steal credit from the other contributors here...)
I am trying to imagine a way in which cross and sauce could NOT rhyme, but I'm failing. I mean, whether you pronounce them "KROSS" and "SOSS" (as I do), or "KRORSE" and "SORSE", they still rhyme, right?
I've come here to repeat a question that jennarenn first raised, over at features:
In the phrase "with knobs on", what, exactly, are the knobs?
I really like the sound of the phrase, but before I start going around appending knobs to all the cool things in my life, I have to know what I'm dealing with here.
I am delighted to discover that there's a name for these peculiar beasties. "Stormy petrel" -- what an excellent phrase! It makes me want to spring from my seat with an astonished cry of "It Has a Name??"
Moist doesn't make me gag. It makes me giggle. It just seems inherently ridiculous, and for that I love it.
Rolig -- I think part of the reason why moisten is sexier than dampen is that dampen doesn't just mean "make wet". It also means something like suppress or reduce.
No, it sure isn't unique to our family. I've met quite a few people who do the same thing. There's even some folkloric variation: some people say rabbits, some people say rabbit rabbit.
In fact, I bet Google will back me up on this one...
There's a family tradition that if, on the first of the month, the first word out of your mouth is rabbits, you'll have good luck that month. Around my house, every time a new month begins, you'll see my family stumbling out of bed and greeting each other with a mumbled "Rabbits?".
I've known since about age 5 -- my dinosaur phase -- that pterodactyls are not dinosaurs. (And being 5, I would go around telling this to everyone. Five-year-olds are masters of the non sequitur).
What I didn't find out until recently is that, while some pterosaurs were quite large, pterodactylus was fairly small.
Quoting Wikipedia:
"Pterodactylus was a relatively small pterosaur genus, with adult wingspans ranging from 50 centimeters (1.5 ft) in P. kochi to 2.4 meters (8 ft) in P. grandis."
I feel diminished. I feel inadequate. I feel like I need to go out and buy a huge prehistoric SUV to compensate.
When I was younger I had an enormous collection of Legos, and when I wanted to play with them I'd start by spreading them all out across the living room floor. This made it easier to find specific pieces, but it also meant that crossing the floor, especially in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom, became a Dance of a Thousand Agonies.
Worse, perhaps, is kneeling on a Lego. To this day, if I look closely at my knees, I fancy that I can see dots of scar tissue in tidy 2x4 lines.
1. I totally missed the irony of your original post.
2. I posted a comment that, in hindsight, reads as a personal attack.
I do think that people who use "gaytarded" in an unironic way come off sounding like idiots. But I don't think you're an idiot -- in fact, I quite like you -- and I'm sincerely sorry that I implied otherwise.
I'm not so sure about Step 3. You say that such people "act smug and surprised that anyone would be offended", but what if they honestly are surprised?
I'm sure there are plenty of message boards out there on which slurs are used regularly. (I don't frequent such boards, because they bother me, but they do exist.) If you're in the habit of posting to such boards, and you show up at Wordie, and you're so excited that you jump right in without stopping to check the tone of the comments here, well... it's easy to see how a person might be honestly surprised by the reception that their words get here.
I don't see these folks as malicious. I see them as needing to acclimate to our standards. Rather than treating them as trolls (i.e. ignoring them), maybe we could just explain to them, in a calm and orderly way, what the Wordie standards for civility and decency are?
Perhaps there are plenty of movie directors who want to depict the destruction of Olney, Illinois, but they can't find a way to make it seem plausible enough, because every potential audience knows that the albino squirrels would rise up, like a demonic monochromatic strike force from Illinois, and save the city from its otherwise certain destruction.
I'm pleasantly surprised by the positive response to my little list. It started with me sitting in my chair thinking "why do we use an ugly word like Finland when a pretty word like Suomi already exists?", and it sort of grew from there.
I'm limiting the list to well-known places, defined as "places that I, pterodactyl, have heard of". :-) Unfortunately, this excludes Makassar, but I did spend an interesting couple of minutes at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makassar. Check it out, y'all!
Also, even though I didn't specify it in the title, I intended to list only the native names for places. What does a native Dubliner call his/her city? I read somewhere that the Irish language is used more in the west of Ireland than in the east, which makes me suspect that a native Dubliner, while knowing the Irish name for the city, probably doesn't use it that much.
I agree with c_b and rt that one's profile should remain under one's control.
I also want to point out that I can delete comments made on any of my lists, no matter who the commenter is. As far as I can recall, it's always been this way. I don't really have a problem with it.
"People are offended by 'gay' and 'retarded', even when you don't mean them in their literal sense, so this word neatly gets around that."
No. I disagree. Gaytarded is a awful word, with its double whammy of casual hatred. If you use it in conversation, you probably won't avoid offense -- you'll more likely come off as a sniggering idiot.
"...given the paucity of ethnic slurs for Americans, I think we should take whatever we can."
The existence of ethnic slurs is a bad thing. A paucity of ethnic slurs is not a problem to be fixed, it's a cause for celebration. Rather than trying to come up with more slurs, I think we should be trying to bury the ones we already have.
Like yarb, I've spent many an afternoon wielding medieval weaponry against fearsome monsters (er... pretending to, at least), and it's a bit of a shock to discover that I've been using these terms wrong all this time.
Wikipedia doesn't totally clear up the issue for me, but it does include some helpful pictures in all three articles: Flail, Morning Star, and Mace.
A note to the various and sundry Wordies: I shall be in California until 8/14, and as we all know, there's no internet in California. Ergo, I shall probably be incommunicado until then.
Well, I haven't the time for the deep detective work I wanted to do, as I'm leaving for California tomorrow. My guesses will instead be based on hasty, vague associations.
Ah, I get it now. In fact, I should have gotten it earlier, as I just finished reading Terry Pratchett's Witches Abroad, in which a pumpkin coach features prominently.
Hi, frogapplause -- you're welcome to use whatever you like from 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, or indeed from any of my lists. I prefer to remain anonymous, though, so if you do credit me, credit me as pterodactyl, not as...
Hi, frogapplause -- you're welcome to use whatever you like from 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, or indeed from any of my lists. I prefer to remain anonymous, though, so if you do credit me, credit me as pterodactyl, not as...
Sionnach: How, exactly, does one travel by pumpkin? I would be intrigued to see this happen. Does the pumpkin roll? Or does the pumpkin vine just grow really, really fast?
Excellent suggestions, my people! Thank you! I'm especially impressed by giant peach -- bilby, it appears that you and I read the same books when we were growing up. :-)
I'm just stopping by to thank John, sincerely and enthusiastically, for the "Most commented on" list on the main page. It's just what I had in mind, and I think it's going to prove very useful.
You know, when I first joined Wordie, I thought that "Most Wordied" meant "Most Commented On". Now I know that it doesn't, I find myself wishing that there were a "Most Commented On" list for the last 7 days. It'd be nice to be able to see at a glance which words are getting all the action this week.
Anyone else feel the same way? If so, I'll nip on over to features and submit it for John's consideration.
Oh, and bilby -- your antipodean wrath is truly glorious. Marsupiale enragé, indeed! I've half a mind to deliberately provoke your wrath right now, just so I see your cute little nose twitch in fury and hear your frenzied invective one more time.
Every time I hear this word, I remember a piece of music, with a very particular rhythm:
"Chaparral!" (pause, pause, pause)
"Chaparral!" (pause, pause, pause)
Until today, I had no idea why this was. I mean, who would write a song about Californian shrubbery? But now, I've figured it out. It's a distorted relic of my childhood, and you can view it here, if you've no aversion to bagpipes.
I think seanahan is talking about the Samoa cookie that Girl Scouts sell in the US. There's a picture of a Samoa on this page -- it's the chocolate striped cookie in the lower left, above the phrase "Craving Cookies?"
Wikipedia says that Samoas, together with the similar Caramel deLites, account for 19% of Girl Scout cookie sales in the US, making them the second most popular variety (after Thin Mints, of course).
And here I have to agree with seanahan -- Samoas are so tasty as to be downright addictive. With all that caramel and chocolate, they're more like candies than cookies.
I agree with chained_bear -- it's wonderful to hear people with British accents try to pronounce an American R. I once heard a guy on the BBC try to do a George Bush impression, and boy, that was downright hilarious.
And how about the opposite situation? When an American tries to do a British accent, is it amusing to British ears?
I woke up this morning and found myself unable to deny. It's not just me -- several of my home-boys are having the same problem. What's causing this epidemic of candor? Are there any medications I can take to restore my usual glib insincerity?
I agree with reesetee. Wordie is what you make of it, whatever that may happen to be.
But I do believe that Wordie is at least two years old. I remember using it when I was still working on my B.A., and I graduated from that college in May 2006.
(My memory is notoriously unreliable, though. I could easily be confused about this.)
I spent two years on this site, and listed several hundred words, before I ever paid any attention to the comments. Did this behavior make me an unwordie user? I don't think so. I wasn't looking to chat, back then -- I just needed a place to keep my words.
But I do wish I'd paid attention to the comments right from the start. I missed so many lovely conversations!
I've known for some years now that aubergine and courgette are the British English words for what we Americans call eggplant and zucchini. But I can never seem to remember which American word goes with which British word. Mention aubergines to me, and I'll know you're talking about some sort of garden vegetable, but my comprehension ends there.
I'm trying out the question mark in the title, and I find that if I rotate my screen 180 degrees, the list's new title looks like a cartoony face drawn in three-quarters angle.
(I have a CRT monitor, so I'm not actually rotating my screen 180 degrees. I'm standing up from my chair and craning my head wayyyyy over to the left. As the blood rushes to my head... pop! It appears! Like some bulbous-nosed gremlin out of the cathode ray depths!)
As for the asterisk, the truth is I couldn't figure out a simple way to distinguish between "any one character" (which is what the second asterisk means) and "any character or characters, or no character" (which is what the first asterisk means).
So, by analogy, could you use "credible" as a synonym for "not very"? As in "this is a credibly good idea", or "this will be credibly good for the language"?
John, I did think of New York City. I live in upstate New York, and I'm forced to think of NYC every time I have to explain to someone that I'm not from there. (Yes, world, it's possible to be a New Yorker without being from that particular city!)
But as far as I know, the official name of NYC is "New York", not "New York City". If this is true, then the name doesn't quite fit on this list. :-(
Wow, some beautiful suggestions here! Thanks, everybody!
I've decided to include all the English hyphenated towns, because I think they're curious, and I like curiosities.
Bilby, you have some truly excellent names there (I will always have a special place in my heart for Head-Smashed-In, ever since reading Dave Barry's account of the place), but unfortunately, they're not cities or towns, so I don't think they really fit what I had in mind.
How about e.g. and i.e.? When reading aloud, I'm always forced to substitute "for example" and "that is", because it sounds stupid to actually say "E G" or "I E".
I'm American, too, and I always hear buoy pronounced to rhyme with phooey. Reesetee, I think you're right about regional variations, and I have to ask -- did you grow up in Pennsylvania, or are you a transplant?
Whatever else it may mean, weenus is also a slang term meaning "the loose skin over your elbow". There's an article here, and a listing on Urban Dictionary here.
I see Chad in the news pretty regularly, and unfortunately it's never good news. They have all those refugees to deal with, and there was that Zoe's Ark problem last year... I really hope that life in Chad is better than the American media depicts.
I like the idea for this list, and I think it's fascinating to see the meanings translated from Italian.
I want to mention that in English (at least, the English of my idiolect), most of these words are innocuous. "Professional woman", for example -- in my mind, just means a woman with a profession (doctor, lawyer, or whatnot). Is this a clear difference between English and Italian?
No, bilby, it just means that I didn't read the list thoroughly before posting my ideas. Nevertheless, I think we can all agree that you shouldn't use Montezuma's revenge twice on a first date.
From Wikipedia: "The smoot is a nonstandard unit of length created as part of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot (class of 1962), an MIT fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 was used by his fraternity brothers to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts... the bridge's length was measured to be 364.4 smoots (620.1 m) plus or minus one ear."
According to this site, which I found via Google and can't really vouch for, the words of the title come from Gaelic: moine mus(g)ach, or "nasty, filthy bog."
My father and his friends have a sport that they call "competitiveporch-sitting", which consists of sitting out on the porch. My father is a champion porch-sitter; he can shoot the breeze out there for hours and hours, long after a lesser man would have given up and retired to the kitchen.
Dontcry, it sounds like your house would be the perfect place for a tournament!
I rise in opposition to the tag "auto-antonym" being applied to this word. Good sirs and madams, I ask you: can we in good conscience allow "literally" to mean "figuratively"?
Certainly the general public uses the word this way. And under most circumstances, I am all for following the general usage. In this case, though, I say that we must put up a fight. A fight, I tell you!
If "literally" no longer means "literally", then what shall we use in its place? And even if suitable substitutes can be found, why should we allow ourselves to lose a perfectly good word in the first place?
Fight the trend, good people. Refuse to define "literally" as "figuratively"! Posterity will thank you.
Comments by pterodactyl
Show previous 200 comments...
pterodactyl commented on the word what are these strawberries doing on my nipples i need them for the fruit salad
Well, on behalf of my stars and my garters, you're welcome. :-)
And again, I urge everyone to read the book's reviews on Amazon. Here's another tidbit for you:
December 13, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user feedback
Sorry for the repeat post, but I still can't see the Most Commented On words. Am I the only one experiencing this problem?
December 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user feedback
Bug report: On the Zeitgeist page, I'm not seeing the Most Commented On words. There isn't even an empty space where they should be.
I can see the Most Commented On lists just fine, just not the words.
I'm using Firefox 3.5.5 on a Mac.
December 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list robots--famous
Karel Čapek not a robot? Well, sure, that's what he wants you to think...
December 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user hostmonster
I'm sorry, I've hosted monsters before, and I just can't recommend it. The last time I hosted a monster, it crushed my guest bed, tracked ichor across my carpets, clogged the shower drain with its beastly fur, and repeatedly left the lid off of the jam jar.
Might I recommend a puppy, instead?
December 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word eleven
Good question, Milos. I'd like to know, too.
Right now, all I know is that ELEVEN PLUS TWO is an anagram of TWELVE PLUS ONE.
December 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user feedback
Thank you, Wordnik team, for the "Past Comments" feature you just implemented!
*hugs you all*
December 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word YMMV
According to this page from the ever-helpful TVTropes.org, this phrase comes from US car ads in the 70s and 80s. It indicates that "...the customer might not get as much fuel efficiency as the ad claimed. The phrase has since been adopted to mean 'you may not get the same thing out of this as me'. The kids' show Beakman's World made the actual phrase into a mini-Catch Phrase as well."
December 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hyphen
I imagine that, for an underscore, the experience of becoming a hyphen would be very uplifting.
December 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bootlegger
Strikingly similar: "He was the best laxative salesman in the country, but he was just a regular guy."
December 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bootlegger
Oh, bilby, I almost spat out my tea. Thank you!
(...wait, why am I thanking him for almost wasting good tea?)
December 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word I, Miss Wordie
New... a juicy tell-all behind-the-scenes memoir! Relive the heady days of the first Miss Wordie pageant! The lists! The tags! The swimsuit competition! Available now at a bookstore near you!
December 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word i miss wordie
See also I, Miss Wordie.
December 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word automatic cutification
Don't fret, Wordie PRO users! At least one Wordie PRO feature has successfully transferred over to Wordnik. Those of you who prefer an automatically cute Wordnik can try your free sample here.
December 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word synesis
As, for example, in the phrase "My family are all coming home for Thanksgiving." See the Wikipedia entry for a full description.
November 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnik
Oooh, I just realized that I used synesis in that last comment. Synesis makes me happy. :-)
November 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user feedback
Dear Wordnik development team,
I know you guys are swamped with stuff to do, but I want to add something else to your to-do list. Could we please have the personal "Recent Activity" feature back? On Wordie Emeritus, I used that feature to keep track of my recent comments, so I knew which threads I should be watching.
Also I used other people's Recent Activity to stalk them.I would love to see this feature imported to Wordnik!Lots of love,
pterodactyl
November 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnik
Well, gee, guys, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling down about Wordnik. Personally, I'm feeling great about it, despite the rough transition. I think we're in a great situation here, for two reasons:
1. As John said, even though Wordnik has an overarching goal, the culture and spirit of it are up to us. In fact, pretty much everything about it is up to us.
2. The Wordnik team have proven that they're willing to work their tails off to accommodate our requests. If there's something you don't like about Wordnik, all you have to do is mention it and it gets changed.
I agree with P_ that patience is the way to go (patience and constructive feedback, that is). In the meantime, I think I'll go joyriding with uselessness as he swerves around those potholes... it looks like fun!
November 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word silence
Ooh, bilby, what a nice pronunciation! You enunciate this word perfectly.
November 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word waxed paper
Two years later, our migration to Wordnik has finally settled this issue once and for all. See? Just click on "Definitions"...
November 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cuttlefish
*listens to pronunciation*
Oho, so that's how you differentiate "cuttlefish" from "cuddlefish" -- you aspirate the T's! Oooooh, sionnach, you sly fox!
November 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word indepthly
One of my teachers at the university used this word in an assignment description. I'm not sure how I should feel about this. On the one hand, it's either an awkward coinage or an error, but on the other hand, it does include the sequence "pthly", which I can't help but respect.
November 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word beauregard
Hey, Wordniks -- how do you pronounce this word? Is it just beau + regard? If so, then don't you think it's weird that the first vowel sound is not the same as in "bore", "core", "door", and so on? Frankly, I can't think of any other word in which this particular vowel comes directly before an R. Can you?
November 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cuttlefish
In my dialect, "cuttlefish" and "cuddlefish" are homophones, and I'm having trouble imagining a dialect in which they aren't.
I'm also having trouble imagining what kind of meeting would warrant repeated uses of the word "cuttlefish".
November 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user feedback
Oh, wow, "Most Commented On" is back! THANK YOU!!!!
November 23, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word Kansas City
Or, as they say in nebraksa, an internatile airpot and a bus despot.
November 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word suggestions
Hip hip hooray! John, thank you for all the blood, sweat, and tears you're putting into this. We really appreciate it. :-)
November 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word suggestions
I agree with Prolagus -- I miss the one-entry-per-thread layout of the "active threads" page, and I'd love to see the Zeitgeist page adopt the same layout.
(Incidentally, this is my first comment on Wordnik. Hi everyone!)
November 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user chained_bear
"Spawn II" is a catchy name, but it clearly needs a subtitle. For example:
November 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word what are these strawberries doing on my nipples i need them for the fruit salad
Oh my stars and garters... this phrase (in CAPITAL LETTERS!) is the title of a book. A real book! And you absolutely must read its reviews on Amazon.
November 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wookieepedia
See also Wickerpedia.
October 30, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word laneway
I'm with mollusque. I've never heard this word used, except in the lyrics to this song (written by a Torontonian).
What's the difference between a street and a laneway?
October 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word studnet
What usually comes out when I try to type "student" on my QWERTY keyboard. Perhaps my subconscious is trying to tell me something...
October 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word drummer
A European explorer is on safari in deepest Africa, and one night, he hears the sound of drumming off in the distance. "What does the drumming mean?", he asks his native guide. The guide says "It means that the natives are restless."
The next night, they hear the drumming again. It's louder, and closer. Fearfully, the explorer asks again "What does the drumming mean?", and again, the guide replies "It mean that the natives are restless."
The third night, the drumming is even louder and closer, and the explorer, now shaking in his boots, asks a third time "What does the drumming mean?". Again the guide replies "It means that the natives are restless."
"But WHY?!", screams the explorer. "Why are the natives so restless?!"
"Because," the guide says, "they can't stand all this drumming."
October 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list looks-like-a-digraph-but-isn-t
Oh, I see. Yeah, that makes sense.
I'm opening up the list to anyone. Dive right in!
October 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list looks-like-a-digraph-but-isn-t
Milos, I'm with you on hothead and upheaval, but you've lost me with lunkhead and packhorse. Is kh a digraph?
October 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list looks-like-a-digraph-but-isn-t
Oh, now I understand! Theta doesn't represent /θ/, it represents an aspirated /t/... so the "Th" in "Thomas" also represents an aspirated /t/... but English doesn't distinguish between aspirated and non-aspirated consonants, so we pronounce it with a standard English /t/ (which probably gets aspirated anyway, because it's word-initial).
Fascinating. Thanks, rolig!
October 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list looks-like-a-digraph-but-isn-t
Huh, good point. I always interpreted the "h" in "Thomas" as a silent letter, which doesn't represent any phoneme in the word, but it could very well be part of a digraph representing /t/. I suppose that, to resolve this question, we'd have to go into the name's etymology.
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word digraph
While we're on the subject of digraphs, perhaps I should mention my list of false digraphs...
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list pterodactyl-s-game-of-postal-abbreviations
Yeah! Just so long as it isn't the Marineland in Florida -- then he'd have to deal with all the Floridians.
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word zeitgeist
Let me just take a moment to express my love for Wordnik's new Zeitgeist page, especially the tagline. "Watch your language." It's brilliant, and elegant. Thank you, John!
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list pterodactyl-s-game-of-postal-abbreviations
Mollusque, I doff my cap to you, and bow to your prowess with words. How lovely it is to have you on Wordie!
Bilby, I'm pretty sure that abscondent is French, not English, which means that you get double bonus points for (a) noticing that I forgot to specify English, and (b) using this loophole to add a ten-letter word. Well done!
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word mp
This is the official postal abbreviation for the Northern Mariana islands, because obviously, "Mariana" is spelled with a silent P.
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list pterodactyl-s-game-of-postal-abbreviations
I will doff my cap to the first person who can add an eight-letter word to this list.
October 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list crash-blossoms
Yes! I want more!
October 19, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word least resistance
Hee hee!
October 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word tread
So, bilby has a thing for water striders, does he?
*raises a meaningful eyebrow*
Does anyone have a "What exactly is a bilby, anyhow?" list that we could add this to?
October 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word lasso
I've heard both /læˈsu�?/ and /'læsoʊ/.
October 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word encourage
Has anyone else noticed that "encourage" has lost the meaning of "give courage to" and is now just a synonym for "urge"? I don't understand this trend. Why change the meaning of "encourage", thus losing the original utility of the word, just to create a cumbersome synonym (two extra syllables!) for a word that's perfectly fine on its own?
October 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word imperial shag
I just stumbled across this on Wikipedia, and immediately thought of reesetee.
(...no, because it's a BIRD.)
September 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word falkland islands
What exactly does it mean to bust a gut? After you bust a gut, are you then down a gut, like a hockey team might be "down a man"? Must you then carry on with your remaining unbusted guts?
And what about when you bust a move, or bust a rhyme?
(Also: that site is hilarious, c_b. Thanks! :-) )
September 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word sarah
Sorry, Prolagus -- I can't hear the difference between your two Forvo links. Could you spell it out for us?
September 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wanker
Nope, no punchline. Just an honest question.
September 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word marathon of gratuitous sarcasm
Well, clearly we all have better things to do than just sit around commenting on Wordie. :-)
September 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word marathon of gratuitous sarcasm
Oh, sure. This page is totally original.
September 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wanker
From my American point of view, "wanker" seems much more tame (and silly) than "jerk", and even a bit sillier than "tosser".
Hey, what is the difference between "wanker" and "tosser", anyway?
September 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
I'm covered by dint of having favorited License to Err. :-)
September 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word schwa man
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
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. :-)
September 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Well, I guess it depends on your dialect, Milos. Personally, I have a schwa for the "o" in "encyclopedic", but if you don't, I'll cheerfully add it to the list.
September 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
John just plugged this list on Twitter (thanks John! I like it too!), so I'm going to return the favor. If you guys aren't following Wordie on Twitter, you should be. It's like John's panning for gold in our stream of consciousness. :-)
September 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pilot
Oooh, good idea! (I assume you're referring to this list?)
September 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word senator charles rangel
(Sorry to quibble, but Rangel isn't a senator. He's a representative -- hence the congressional district. I'm with you on the voice, though!)
September 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pilot
Talk Like A Pilot every 19th of May! (If you need help, refer to this video.)
September 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word adze
"Go Nadz"?
September 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word lucifer
This story falls into the category of Horrifying But True: today at work I heard a customer call her young daughter "Lucifer". I remember it with dreadful clarity. It wasn't Lucy. It wasn't Jennifer. It was Lucifer.
I searched the customer's face for any sign that it might be a joke, or a slip of the tongue, but no -- she was totally deadpan, and the daughter didn't seem at all surprised. I'm forced to conclude, against my will, that the girl's name was actually "Lucifer".
Sheesh. That poor girl!
September 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list little-miss-different
Thanks, gangerh!
September 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word jason and the golden fleas
Brilliant!
September 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word panties
*whispers to you*
Manties...
September 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list words-that-are-also-excellent-band-names-if-the-rules-below-are-correctly-applied
When my friends and I formed an a cappella group, I wanted to call us either "The Smithereens" or "Tequila Mockingbird", but then I found out that both of those bands already exist. (Darn.) Our little singing group eventually settled on "The Doomed Petunias", in reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Now, I want to start a band just so I can name it "St. Vincent and the Grenadines". (I would, of course, be St. Vincent.) But instead of starting a band, I'm just going to start another list.
September 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pamphlet
Me too. :-)
September 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list little-miss-different
As much as I love this list, I can't seem to find a good title for it. Currently it's called "Alternative Names for Baby Girls", which, while descriptive, is hopelessly bland.
Any suggestions, guys?
September 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list people-commonly-known-by-their-first-names
I don't think such a list exists, bilby -- want to start one? I'll throw in Lenin to get the party started...
September 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnikie suggestion box
My two cents, John, is that your idea is perfect. A zeitgeist page, where we can go for the full firehose of current activity, would fit the bill nicely.
September 13, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word dispeopler
If I said you had a beautiful penguin, would you hold it against me?
September 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word burnt toast and a slab of old cheddar
A nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat!
September 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word frommage
The act of rubbing up against cheese for sexual pleasure (thank you, Yarb!). See femmage.
September 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the
In upstate New York, highway names in Buffalo take "the" (as in "Take the one-ninety to get to the falls") but not in Rochester ("Take five-ninety to get to the lake"). I'd always wondered about that, and now Milos has provided a possible solution -- maybe Buffalo's aberration is the result of its proximity to Canada...
September 11, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnik
Oh my gourd... that's really, actually ERIN MCKEAN. Here! On our page! The only person, other than Nancy Pearl, who I want an action figure of!
I am starstruck. I am weak at the knees. You could knock me over with a, a, one of those long fluttery things that grow on birds. Thingies. Feathers! Yes!
*waves madly* Hi, Erin!
September 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnikie suggestion box
Well, I'll start things off by compiling some of the suggestions from the Wordnik page.
From seanahan: Keep the minimalist approach.
From Milosrdenstvi: Don't lose the Wordie spirit.
From skipvia and reesetee: Make sure that Wordnik allows fart jokes.
From yarb... well, I'll just quote him: "What makes wordie fun is having the majority of the 'homepage' devoted to comments, and the rest to other recent activity. Commenting and perpetual motion is the lifeblood of it - you've got to keep that interface as the default, not just tuck it away as an option."
September 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnikie suggestion box
No suggestions yet? Come now, good Wordies. Surely we have some suggestions for this new Wordnikie venture. We can't all be suffering from some kind of Wordnikie's aphasia.
September 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordnik
Oh, John, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! I can't wait to see what you and the Wordnik people cook up. :-)
Now, a question: How involved would you like us regulars to be in this process? Are you looking for suggestions from us? If so, we might want to start a Wordnikie Suggestion Box, just to keep all our suggestions in one place.
September 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word big fuck off-yellow underwater light transformer
See big fuck-off yellow underwater light transformer. And this list.
September 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word fuck-off
As opposed to, say, a big fuck off-yellow underwater light transformer?
September 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word golf
That's my tag, and I'm sticking to it. Golf and wolf don't rhyme, and Rolf doesn't count, because... because it doesn't have a flag. No flag, no rhymic recognition. You can't have it! That's the rule that I've just made up. And I'm backing it up with this gun that was lent from the National Rifle Association...
September 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the united states of america
Usa! I love it! (Does that make us Usans?)
September 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the united states of america
Hi chained_bear! Thanks for bracketing history dork out -- it lead me to yeta, a truly excellent page. Yeta helped helped me realize that, no matter what They Might Be Giants say about James K. Polk, he was not a nice man. No siree bob. I hope we can incite many more history dork outs out of you!
Now, to the arguing!
*dons special sparkly Argument Cap*
When I spoke of country names allowing citizens to hold up their heads with pride, it was mostly a rhetorical flourish that came upon me in the heat of my passion, like an attack of the vapours. Of course one can take pride in the phrase "United States of America" -- it is, as you say, a good expression of our national ideals.
However, this lovely phrase is not suited to be a name, in much the same way that a lovely humuhumunukunukuapua'a is not suited to play the alpenhorn. In order to play the alpenhorn, you need to have certain attributes, such as alpenlegs, alpenarms, and a good alpenpucker. Even a very gifted humuhumunukunukuapua'a will not have these things. Far better to leave the poor little fish in the water, don't you think? And remove that tiny lederhosen, too. It's not at all fetching.
When something needs to be referred to frequently and unambiguously, we give it a name. (For example, this is why we name hurricanes. We're not being cutesy, we just need a fast and accurate way to distinguish them from each other.) In order to be a good name, a word or phrase must have certain attributes. It should be should be fairly short, and it should be a proper noun. A descriptive phrase, even an excellent descriptive phrase like "The United States of America", will not have these things.
If we grant that the states are, in fact, united, what are they united into? When the Constructicons united, they formed Devastator, a single unified entity. Clearly, the same is true of the United States. We've created a single big something out of many little somethings. And, this something needs to be referred to frequently and unambiguously. In short, it needs a name.
August 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the united states of america
Oh, lordy. I love my country, but I really, really hate its name.
Imagine a nice young couple who get married and start a family. These doting parents love their children, so they name them "Girl #1", "Girl #2", and "Boy #1".
Wait, what?! These aren't names, they're descriptions! Those poor kids deserve more than descriptions -- they deserve names. Same goes for countries. Citizens ought to be able to hold up their heads with pride and say "I come from X", where X is a NAME of a PLACE, like "Canada" or "Hungary", or "Kyrgyzstan".
And then there's us. You know those states? In North America? How they're all united and everything? Yeah, them. Well, we don't have a name for them, so let's just call them the "united states" of America.
Gosh darn it. We are going to BEAT this! And in the meantime, if you're looking for us, we'll be over in the corner, commiserating with the United Arab Emirates and the Central African Republic.
August 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word any last words
Shoot, coward. You are only going to kill a man.
August 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word ყ
*wants a hat like that*
August 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word nipple hair
Oh, you should totally follow that link. It includes such gems as this:
August 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list people-commonly-known-by-their-first-names
Bilbo is fine, but I have problems with the other two. "Charo" is not her first name, so we can't say she's "commonly known by her first name". And while "Socrates" is technically the man's first (and last) name, the fact that we call him "Socrates" is neither interesting nor surprising. (What else would we call him?)
August 23, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list people-commonly-known-by-their-first-names
As I originally conceived it, the list was restricted to real people, but I hereby cheerfully open it up to fictional people, because why should real people have all the fun?
August 23, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word nuked lunch
I don't think fast food really counts as food. It's a Faked Lunch.
August 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list people-commonly-known-by-their-first-names
Help me out, guys... there must be more names we can put on this list!
August 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word arlo guthrie
The Motorcycle Song.
August 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
"The pterodactyl was likely a powerful flyer with highly maneuverable wings and a developed capacity for flight control."
*preens*
August 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list hecko-reesetee
Ah! I hear music! It's that old Beatles tune, Micheckle!
August 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list pickle-and-such
Hey, no worries. Welcome to Wordie!
August 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list pickle-and-such
Hi, SoSheShall -- you can view the list in alphabetical order, if you want. The sorting options are at the top of the page, just to the right of "comment feed" and "cloud". Just click on the little arrows next to "alpha".
And thank you for your contributions!
August 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list words-that-positively-describe-furniture
This list will prove useful the next time I chat up an end table.
"Ah, my dear, your design is sophisticated and elegant. I hope you don't think me too forward, but I must ask -- are you a fusion of classic and modern styles?"
August 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wild ass
Onager?
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word person of the forest
No, wait... orangutan?
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word person of the forest
Sasquatch?
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word testicle
Is the other one avocado?
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word baling
I think that's a reasonable assumption.
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word electret
Why I love Wordie, reason #817:
I was just about to leave a comment on this page, involving a lame pun on the coincidental similarity between the name "Oliver Heaviside" and the "Heaviside Layer" (from the musical Cats), but first I googled "Heaviside Layer", and discovered, to my shock and delight, that there actually is a Heaviside Layer. It's part of Earth's ionosphere, and it was named after our man Oliver. T.S. Eliot just borrowed the term to describe his mystical feline heaven.
Wikipedia also gives the following interesting information (without any citations to support it):
August 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word yod-dropping
*sees a chance to promote own list*
If you're interested in yod-dropping, why not check out this list? You'll love it! (Or your money back!)
July 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word mature
Garrison Keillor pronounces it "mah-tour", which sounds very sophisticated to my ear.
I think most people around here (including me) pronounce it "mah-chur".
July 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word vladimir putin
It's so true!
July 19, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word spindle cell
I think bears evolved from untonsured monks.
July 19, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list why-i-spend-so-much-time-on-wordie
Regarding the relationship of brevity and wit: Contrast the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest to the Lyttle Lytton, and tell me which tickles your personal funny bone the most...
July 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list why-i-spend-so-much-time-on-wordie
Teeth is indeed an excellent page, but it's also quite long, and this list is made up mostly of short little gems that I've found (including you don't beep at a polar bear match, which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE WORDIE PAGE EVER). Brevity is, for me, the soul of wit.
Teeth is definitely a Conversation for the Ages, though. (And something you would find Only on Wordie.)
July 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word conversations
You guys are why I spend so much time on Wordie. :-)
July 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word long john silver
In a large number of today's value- and health-conscious consumers Long John Silver's is well positioned to reel.
Oh no! I'm a value- and health-conscious consumer! Does this mean that soon there will peg-legged pirates prancing about inside my pancreas?
July 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list bad-guys
Evildoer!
July 13, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word lack of swing mystifies england
Chained_bear, if you're right, then England don't mean a thing.
July 11, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hot the bottle
By the way, does anyone have any idea what "hot the bottle" refers to? Apparently it's a typo of yarb's, but I have no idea where this typo originally appeared.
July 11, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word go from me, you are black hole
Oh dear. A pants situation. We've got to get a reading on that.
July 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word reeseteeless days
*shudder*
Dark days indeed.
July 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user reesetee
Sound the trumpets, good Wordies -- our reeseteeless days are over!
July 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word chimpanzee
Oooh! Has anyone else noticed that "chimpanzee" is a three-syllable schwa-free word?
*happy grin*
July 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hot the bottle
Yes, it's true. I failed to bracket "typographical goodness in a crunchy meat snack".
*hangs head in shame*
However, some good has come of this. With your contribution of "crunchy meat sack", this page is rapidly becoming a Typo Hall of Fame. :-)
July 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word xer
I'm with rolig. The hyphen has to be there, else it doesn't make sense.
July 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hot the bottle
Mmm... bacon of fine typing. Typographical goodness in a crunchy meat snack!
July 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list a-dram-too-many
Three sheets to the wind?
June 30, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word old south
Regarding dontcry's question about New Zealand: There is a Zealand (in Denmark), but it's not the source of the name "New Zealand". That honor goes to a province in the Netherlands.
(Full story here.)
June 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word mnemonic
Mousescout -- I love your idea, but I tried it and couldn't make the letters fit the music. Could you please post instructions?
June 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word purpose
There's something strange and troubling about this word. In modern usage, "purpose" is a noun, and yet it take affixes as if it were some other part of speech.
Example 1: "Purposely". The suffix "-ly" is supposed to take an adjective and turn it into an adverb. But "purpose" is not an adjective.
Example 2: "Repurpose". The prefix "re-" is supposed to take a verb and turn it into another verb. But "purpose" is not a verb.
This is really creepy. "Purpose" is some kind of uncanny monster. I'm getting the cold shivers just thinking about it.
June 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list you-plural
Thanks, c_b, for mentioning the discussion on y'all -- rereading it let me rediscover this map, which is the perfect illustration for this list.
I can place myself on the map without any problems -- upstate New York is overwhelmingly a "you guys" zone, and I follow the local usage.
What about you guys? Where are you on that map? Do you match the local usage?
June 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list you-plural
Me, I use "you guys". I used to think it was sexist, but I've come to the conclusion that, in this particular phrase, "guys" is gender-neutral. I use "you guys" even when everyone I'm referring to is female, and I've seen women do the same thing.
I think the phrase has become gender-neutral out of necessity; we needed a plural "you", and "you guys" was just too convenient.
June 19, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word birdo
Bear in mind, folks, that "birdo" is not pronounced "bird-oh", but rather "BEERrdo". In Esperanto, i sounds like "ee", r is slightly trilled, and o is short, without any trace of a w at the end.
June 19, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list words-without-a-rhyme
My favorites are "wolf" and "else", because they're so common.
I've collected some more on this list.
June 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word matrices
What's the correct way to pluralize "dominatrix"? My college friends and I used "dominatrices", but that may have just been wishful thinking.
And what about "aviatrix"?
June 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word food advocate
Perhaps the person who uses this phrase is using Michael Pollan's definition of "food":
Using this definition of "food", the phrase "food advocate" makes sense (it has roughly the meaning that chained_bear gave, below). The problems start, though, when you assume that your listeners are using the same definition of "food" that you are.
That's my theory, anyway.
June 13, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word that's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind
Plenty of info about this issue at these pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Reading this new info, I'm surprised to learn that Armstrong came up with the line himself, and that he did so only a few hours before he spoke it. I'd always assumed that the historic line was planned well in advance by NASA.
June 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word gondor calls for aid
Holy flapjacks, yarb -- that's brilliant! I think we should immediately begin building beacons. Also, I think the beacon-builders should be given bacon, so that they may breakfast beside their beacons.
Also, you've just given me an idea for a new list. :-)
June 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word that's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind
Chained_bear, I love that you included the missing "a". You know, the sentence makes no sense without it, but yet most people don't even notice that it's missing. I guess we're just so used to hearing it without the "a" that we've gotten used to the awkward construction.
I know it's all Neil Armstrong's fault for flubbing his line, but I don't blame him. He was understandably distracted at the time. :-)
June 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list famous-transmitted-messages
Hi c_b! My concept for this list is very broad, and also rather vague, so feel free to include both of your examples.
I guess the only thing I don't want to see is quotations that happened to have been transmitted, but aren't really "messages". Everything's transmitted these days, so including them all would flood the list with every famous line since the start of the Information Age. So, for example, you can't add "Ask not what your country would do for you, ask what you can do for your country", even though it was certainly transmitted. It's a quotation, not a message.
June 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the horse does not eat cucumber salad
First words spoken into the Reis telephone.
June 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word england expects that every man will do his duty
"'England expects that every man will do his duty' was a signal sent by Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from his flagship HMS Victory as the Battle of Trafalgar was about to commence on 21 October 1805..."
--Wikipedia
June 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word u-ie
I've heard this in the States, too, but only as "pull a u-ie" or "hang a u-ie", not "chuck a u-ie".
May 31, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bamf!
thwip!
May 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word carrefour
I agree with rolig. I'm a native English speaker, and I've never heard this word before.
May 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word ghungroo
About a meter, bilby. About a meter.
May 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word woodwose
France may have had a king who dressed up as a woodwose, but we elected Woodwose Wilson president! This makes us better than the French.
May 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wildermess
Reminds me of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
May 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word obamaism
I saw this word in a newspaper article today. I presume it means something like "the political philosophy of Barack Obama", but it's not the meaning that interests me, it's the construction of the word.
Adding the suffix "ism" to a word that ends in a vowel, such as "Obama", seems intuitively wrong. I'd definitely prefer "Obamism", or possibly "Obamatism". I'm not sure why I feel this way, but I suspect it has something to do with the way English handles adjacent vowels.
How do you guys feel about it?
May 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word boutros boutros ghali
See also Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
May 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word heteronormative
I'm with bilby. This one's new to me.
May 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word sandwich generation month
I read it as referring to the spontaneous generation of sandwiches.
Wouldn't that be nice?
May 2, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word national accordion awareness month
Bilby, I think the effects of lack of accordion awareness pale in comparison to the effects of an 11-month year.
*has epiphany* Oh, so that's why your seasons don't match ours! Our years have different periods, and we're out of phase right now!
May 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list palabrarium
Oooh, ooh, yarb, pick me, pick me! Mi nur parolas iomete da Esperanto (kaj tio malbone), sed mi vere estas strangulo!
May 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word führer
Rolig, I'm impressed that you already knew the word furor at such a young age.
Impressed, but not surprised. :-)
April 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list double-dactyl-words
See also this list.
April 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list double-dactyls
See also this list.
April 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
When I say "kleptomaniac", the second vowel is an o in my mind, but it comes out of my mouth as a schwa.
Nevertheless, I know that some people pronounce the o as an o, so onto the list it goes!
April 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list double-dactyls
Indianapolis!
April 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word features
I want to second Prolagus's thanks for the "Most active threads" page, and I also want to thank John (again) for the "Most commmented on" section on the front page. Between those two features, I'm actually able to keep a handle on the great roiling mass that is Wordie.
(Also I really like the idea of a quick and easy way to make links to people's profiles. It'd be nice to not have to type out the HTML tags and URL every time!)
April 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cutify
Yeah -- like something the Butcher would say: "I will cutify you if you don't hand over a tonnage of money."
(But I was originally thinking 'kjutəfaɪ.)
April 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word automatic cutification
My favorite feature of Wordie PRO is the way it automatically cutifies all the words, by displaying each one as the caption to a random picture of a cat.
For a limited time, users of regular, non-PRO Wordie can try a free sample of this feature.
(Grateful thanks to chained_bear for the magnificent source material.)
April 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cutify
To make cute.
April 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word ursus horribilis
As often happens, the true Wordie action is on the misspelling: ursus horribilus.
April 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Truth is, pterodactyls are actually adorable. I mean, just look at those cute reptilian eyes!
April 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word chiasmus
♩I might be drunk, but at least I'm not insaaaaaane! ♩
April 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
*clicks link*
*starts to grin*
Gosh. I could really get into that kind of propaganda.
(Even though it it's technically false.)
April 23, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word last page
What happens if I go sideways?
April 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word monkey
If you watch this video over and over and over, you will definitely become hypnotized.
April 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word charging baby tapirs!
See also charging baby tapirs! what are you doing here, if you like things a bit more surreal.
April 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
*stares open-mouthed*
It's... it's...
It's too much for the human mind to comprehend.
*faints*
April 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
*applauds*
Mollusque, you're amazing. Radioassaying! I had to look it up to be sure -- you've found a SIX SYLLABLE word that's pronounced without schwas!
*very impressed indeed*
April 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word geezer
I'll add my vote to the growing North American consensus -- here in upstate New York, "Geezer" refers to someone who's really, really old. The word is informal, comical, and slightly pejorative.
April 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
I keep saying "neurotic" over and over again, trying to figure out what vowel I have for the first syllable. The problem is that the vowel is colored by the r that follows it. It could be a schwa, but honestly, I can't really tell.
Perhaps I should stop repeating "neurotic" to myself. I don't want the other people in this computer lab to worry...
April 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
It occurs to me, mollusque, that I surrounded my IPA transcription with slash marks (/), which refer to phonemes. This was a mistake. I was actually talking about phones, so I should have used square brackets, like this: dɪsən'hɪbəɾɪŋ.
As far as phonemes go, well, you're right. I only have ɪ's for you.
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Disinhibiting, in my dialect, is /dɪsən'hɪbəɾɪŋ/. How do you guys pronounce it?
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Why, thank you, chained_bear! As an incorrigible pedant myself, I felt I needed to accommodate my nitpicking brethren. :-)
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word schwa
I'm gaga for schwas, but sometimes even I can't take any more. For those times, there is a place for me.
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Sweet Buddha on a bicycle, that was fast, sionnach!
*applauds*
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Now, how about a four-syllable word?...
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
Thank you all for your effusive response! I love you guys. :-)
That said, I must note that most of your submissions do, in fact, have schwas, at least in my dialect. Per my own rules, I'll still add them if you can give me an example of a dialect that pronounces them without schwas.
In the meantime, special gold stars go to yarb and sionnach for "judaize" and "grotesquely", both of which fit the bill nicely.
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the user chained_bear
Hi c_b! I think I just stumbled across you on another site. Wow -- small Internet!
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list schwa-free
WORDIE CHALLENGE:
Find me a word for this list that's three or more syllables long.
Proper nouns don't count.
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word soapy
Kudos to sionnach for his scrupulous adherence to the -cky rule (as seen in "picnicking" and "panicky"), even in silly contexts like this one. :-D
April 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bumfuck nowhere
You can read more of these in the "Places" section of the "Placeholder name" article on Wikipedia.
April 11, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word uav
How is this pronounced?
April 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word raccoons in space
*hums theme song*
April 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word schmuck
Perhaps it's used the same way dick is, as in "That guy's a dick".
April 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word schmo
I remember hearing that this word is a minced oath version of schmuck. Can anyone confirm or disconfirm?
April 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bilbao
Gangerh -- I'll catch up with you at the Verbal Arms later. I haven't yet finished with Grace. :)
April 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list johntgraham-s-list
John T. Graham:
Lousy, stinking stupid verminous cock-sucking sons of bitches!
pterodactyl:
What? I came here for Wordie banter!!
John T. Graham:
OH! Oh! I'm sorry! This is abuse!
pterodactyl:
Oh! Oh I see!
John T. Graham:
Aha! No, you want room 12A, next door.
pterodactyl:
Oh...Sorry...
John T. Graham:
Not at all!
(under his breath) stupid git.
April 5, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word disgruntled employee benefits
*kvetches*
April 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word frankly my deer
Doe!
April 2, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pianistan
*puts bread in your jar*
April 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word elk
You know I need someone's... ELLLLLLK!
March 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word twt
A Welsh fart.
March 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word flemish
Reminds me of a joke I just heard:
Q. What's the difference between a French kiss and a Belgian kiss?
A. A Belgian kiss is like a French kiss, but with more Flem.
March 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the exception that proves the rule
Here's an interesting article about this phrase.
March 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word vhemt
VHEMT's website offers lots of interesting information, including the pronunciation of the acronym ("vehement") and their official slogan ("May we live long and die out.")
March 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word sit-down
I find bilby quite striking indeed. It's those ears!
(See shaken baby syndrome, of all places.)
March 25, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word come by
*considers this page for almost a minute, then suddenly gets sionnach's point*
Hee hee hee hee hee!
March 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cheesed off
You know what cheeses me off? The fact that no one has yet lauded bilby for the phrase "a bucket of ricotta going all aurora borealis at the back of the fridge".
Man, that is one vivid image. I can almost smell it.
Ewwwwwww.
March 21, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the giving tree
The Muffin Tree!
March 18, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word catholicism
Hah! Yes! Gotta get me some of that cathol!
March 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the giving tree
Sionnach, I believe reesetee is asking you this: Do you know the Muffin Tree, the Muffin Tree, the Muffin Tree?
March 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word bizarre spheniscidine confectionery dispenser videorama
Rolig and I had opposite impressions -- in the first part of the video, all I could determine was that your voice isn't American. Then you said "carnage", and I thought "Aha! Irish!".
March 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hershey
Issue? You take issue? When there's perfectly good umbrage to be taken?!?
March 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word dooties
Perhaps it's an Americanism, but it's certainly widespread here. I think every American would understand the humor of this song.
As the composer says, "you will probably find this funny if you have the mind of an 8-year-old boy."
March 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pants
Meerkat? What is Meerkat (other than a cute animal)?
March 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word pants
I know this meme as the Pants Game -- my friends and I used to play it in college. We took turns inventing lines such as these, not just from Star Wars but from any film.
Some I still remember:
"Drop your pants!"
--The Princess Bride
"Gondor has no pants. Gondor needs no pants!"
--The Lord of the Rings
March 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word l'esprit de l'escalier
Oh yeah? Oh yeah?? Well, remember what you said, because in a day or two, I'll have a witty and blistering retort. You'll be devastated then, I promise!
-- Calvin & Hobbes, Feb 8, 1994
March 1, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word febuary
I have to agree with Nycanthro. I try to pronounce the first R every time, but you can barely hear it -- the B and the U tend to crowd it out.
Most people I know say "Feb-yoo-erry".
February 28, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word dictionary
My favorite online dictionary, OneLook, offers not only wildcards but also a "search by meaning" tool (the colon). For example, if you wanted to find words that start with M and mean "smooth", you could go to OneLook and type in "m*:smooth". It's useful not only for finding spellings but also for finding words you don't know.
I first discovered OneLook by way of Wordie, so let me just pause and say a hearty "Thanks, John!".
February 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word rufkm
*gestures indignantly at ground*
Reesetee, do you not see this hatchet that I've buried?
Well, okay, I guess you can't, it being underground and all.
*unearths hatchet, then pointedly reburies it*
February 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word umbrage
You're welcome! And let me just mention marathon of phony umbrage taking, a triumph of the Wordie art and one of my favorite pages on the site.
February 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word rufkm
Peace is breaking out? Dear me. Here I've just discovered a new and exciting way to take umbrage, and now I've no reason to take it!
Oh well. *buries hatchet*
February 26, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word rufkm
You would bemute me, sir? Then you are no gentleman.
February 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word rufkm
Normally, I would not let reesetee's petty transgressions disturb my serene countenance. But nobody -- NOBODY -- fires a banana peel at a pterodactyl!!
GRRAAAARRRRRR!!! I am UMBRAGE ON WINGS!!!!!
*bombs reesetee with fresh squid*
February 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list spam--2
Got this today:
It has been long time since we did not meet.
Doesn't that sound like it means "let's stop seeing each other"?
February 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word rufkm
Reesetee: I am highly offended by your claim of copyright for the entire Roman alphabet. The record clearly shows my claim to the letter P, lodged well before your meretricious claims ever surfaced. I take umbrage at this pernicious action, and I remind all who read this that in order to use MY LETTER, they must provide me with either silly poetry or cold hard cash.
February 22, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word hatetriotism
Sounds rather like nationalism. Blecch!
Anyway, I first read it as "hot-to-trot-ism", which sounds a good deal nicer.
February 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word laissez-faire
Hey, Gexe, don't worry. You're doing great. You posted a good citation of an interesting word. That's what Wordie was originally created for!
February 12, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word gray
For a discussion of "grey" vs. "gray" (among other things), see they.
February 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word grey
For a discussion of "grey" vs. "gray" (among other things), see they.
February 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word they
What I think:
- Grey is cooler than gray, because it's phonetic. Phonetically-spelled words are the chocolate chips in the gorp of life.
- People have been using they as a singular gender-neutral pronoun for centuries now. If centuries of use doesn't make a word legitimate, what does?
- Browsing Wordie while a cat sits in your lap and washes itself is a lovely way to spend a cold winter evening. :-)
February 7, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list how-to-write-seo-friendly-articles
I LOVE IT!
*loves it*
February 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word frink
Also the name of a Simpsons character (but I like the definitions on this page better).
February 4, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word new caledonian bumpy gecko
*clicks VO's link*
*stares in horrified fascination at video*
January 31, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word whichbe likes ponies and demons
Ponies and demons? Then surely, whichbe, you'll like this half-pony, half-monkey monster. I made it to please you. :-)
January 31, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
Sorry, bilby -- I tried to come up with a witty and fitting title for this new list, but I think my Muse must be on her coffee break.
January 30, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word keystone state
Keystone robberies? Call the Keystone Cops!
January 30, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word faithfully
In this article, Steven Pinker argues that John Roberts's "inner copy editor" caused him to flub Obama's oath of office. I'm not sure I agree, but it's a good read either way.
January 30, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word capacity
I would say "in its capacity as", but I would never say "in the capacity as".
*curious now* Where did you see this one, qroqqa?
January 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
That's a good idea, bilby -- would you like to have the honor of making such a list?
January 29, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word waffle
Ladies and gentlemen, I think what we have here is a cultural divide. Here in the US, the word is commonly understood to have the meaning that rolig described (dithering, repeatedly changing one's mind, failing to take a steady stance on an issue). Clinton was one famous target of this word; another was John Kerry, who was accused of both "waffling" and "flip-flopping".
I also want to say that the "be verbose" meaning is completely unknown here -- certainly it's unknown to me -- but before I make such a strong statement, I need some unscientific confirmation from my fellow American Wordies.
Help me out, guys. Do you find bilby's definition as alien as I do?
(Edit: while I was typing this, sionnach came along and defended both meanings, which leads me to suspect that he's not merely a gentleman, but also a world traveler and a global citizen.)
January 27, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word monadnock
I once spent a fascinating three hours scouring Google Earth for monadnocks -- most of them look spectacular with the 3D terrain feature turned on.
January 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word to kill a mockingbird
Hey, cool... my college friends and I used to joke about starting a band called the Tequila Mockingbirds.
Great minds think alike, I guess. Or twisted minds, perhaps. :-)
January 24, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word gubbeen
Expanding on what hernesheir said:
Cheese contains rennet, and a lot of cheeses (especially in Europe) use animal rennet. According to Wikipedia, this kind of rennet is made from deep-frozen calf stomachs.
Wikipedia also lists several non-animal sources of rennet.
January 20, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word p implies q
Hee hee hee!
January 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word lutraphobia
"A geometry implies the heterogeneity of locus, namely that there is a locus of the Otter. Regarding this locus of the Otter, of one sex as Otter, as absolute Otter, what does the most recent development in topology allow us to posit?"
--Jacques Lecan
January 17, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list what-time-is-it-2
Oh dear. Well, this sort of thing happens all the time. I'm used to it by now.
Thanks for the heads up, VO!
January 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word stupid o'clock
Congratulations, fellow Wordies -- you've inspired a new list:
What Time Is It?
January 16, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list alternative-names-for-new-yorkers
It amuses me that this list has sat quiet and unnoticed for six months, only to see a flurry of comments over the space of 24 hours. :-) I live in hope that some of my other unnoticed lists will someday attract the attention of my fellow Wordies (hint hint).
*
And, for the record, while I favor "Yorkian" to refer to upstaters, I think the phrase "Nork-Nork" is just adorable. :-)
January 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word morris dancing hero
I must see this!
(Grateful credit to chained_bear, over on guitar hero.)
January 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word not
Excuse me a moment while I mount my soapbox...
The placement of the word "not" makes a difference, yet this difference is almost universally ignored. Consider these two hypothetical titles of books:
They don't mean the same thing. The first sounds like it's about fasting or dieting (avoiding dinner) -- the second sounds like it's about table etiquette (the manner in which you eat dinner).I think they're both useful constructions, but I notice that there's a great taboo against the construction "to not". For example, we say "I told you not to come", even though we mean "I told you to not come".
Isn't this a shame? Such a useful distinction we could have available to us, and we throw it all away, just because we're afraid to split one lousy infinitive.
January 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word only
Reading the (excellent) analysis on this page, I see a parallel between the usage of "only" and the usage of "not". I'm heading over to not to post my thoughts. Care to join me?
January 15, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word guitar hero
Yarb and dc -- I've never played Guitar Hero, but my understanding is that the goal of the game is to match the notes on the guitar to the notes on the screen, in real time.
Here's an example.
January 14, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list quirks-of-grammar
Qroqqa, I love this list. I hope you expand it!
January 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word there's
I've never really liked the construction "There is..." to indicate existence. I love English, but I think of this as one of English's little foibles. Indicating the existence of something by constructing a meaningless subject and relegating the actual subject of your sentence to being the object? Please. Give me a break. :-)
But now, I'm beginning to expect that English is evolving a more elegant solution. "There's" is now being used not as a grammatical subject, but rather as a rough equivalent to the existential quantifier of symbolic logic, ∃, which means "there exists".
This suggests that "There's" does not (necessarily) equal "There is".
If my hypothesis turns out to be correct, then I see no reason why "There's" should be forced to agree with the number of the subject it's describing.
Thoughts?
January 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list whichbe-hosts-the-2008-wordie-awards
List is open now. Do with it as you will!
January 10, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word carp diem
"Fish of the day"?
January 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word mallet
The Cold War was fought with silly animals? Gosh. The things I've missed by being born in the '80s...
January 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list whichbe-hosts-the-2008-wordie-awards
Consider it a tribute, whichbe, as well as a thank-you gift for all your hard work. :-)
January 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word wordie word of the year 2008
Fantastic!
In joyful celebration of whichbe's skills as an MC, I offer this list: Whichbe hosts the 2008 Wordie Awards.
January 9, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word the verbal arms
See Drinks Menu at the Verbal Arms, Jukebox @ The Verbal Arms, and Propose a Toast @ The Verbal Arms.
January 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the list diseases-that-make-lovely-baby-girls-names
Hey, quinn, thanks for making this list! It's funny how lyrical these words are, given their meanings.
I keep a similar, but broader list: New baby names for girls. If you guys come up with any words that aren't diseases but would nevertheless make lovely names for girls, well, here's a place for them.
January 8, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cloaker
Also a monster in Dungeons and Dragons.
January 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word unfenestrated
Mollusque -- what about those things which are just barely too large too fit through the available windows? Might they be quasifenestrated, and if so, would Crisco help?
January 6, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word cheesemite
Anyone else thinking of the femmage discussion right now?
January 3, 2009
pterodactyl commented on the word ladle
If the loony with the ladle
Eats the noodle from the middle,
Can a hobbit and a rabbit
Build a model of the moon?
--a scrap of half-remembered poetry
December 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word watch batteries
*chuckle*
December 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word the day that one wishes the whole christmas season was over
My people! You understand the word "were"!
*gives heartfelt hugs to chained_bear and reesetee*
December 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word pyxis
Oh, I get it.
*grin* That is funny!
December 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word expressions for merry christmas in various languages
Gajan Kristnaskon! (Esperanto) (I don't know IPA well, but I think it's spelled the same: /gajan kɹistnaskon/.)
December 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word pyxis
*thinks hard*
Possibly unguent?
December 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wordie list of the year 2008
I'd like to nominate sionnach's Dale counting sheep.
Also, though I know it's terribly gauche of me, I want to nominate one of my own lists: Nicknames you shouldn't give to an axe-wielding, loincloth-wearing barbarian warrior with bulging thews.
December 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wordie polar challenge
intrepid, zeppelin, sos
December 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word punnery
I like puns, but even I have to admit that puns are the lowest form of pastry.
December 23, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word orifact
See orifacture.
December 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word orifacture
So, a thing that was made with the mouth would be an orifact? This allows for some useful phrases:
December 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user Prolagus
Hi Pro... I saw this and thought of you. :-)
December 20, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word causal dress
Me too, c_b!
*sings with you*
December 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word causal dress
Given that all physical objects are causal, and that the permissive period at reesetee's office expires at the end of the year, does this mean that 2009 will be spent in the nude?
December 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word viagra spill
When I first clicked the link to this page, I half expected to find a reference to this song.
(The YouTube video is not very good, but at least it lets you listen to the music.)
December 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word mores
*adopts faux-Italian accent, squeezes accordion*
When societies say you should act just one way,
That's a-more!
December 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dog's letter
I have evaluated the samples offered by bilby and sionnach and found that they are indeed very rigorous. They are also aesthetic, cogent, cromulent, and (in sionnach's case) practically libelous. ;)
In light of this, I declare that any royalties they may owe shall be waived in perpetuity.
As for the rest of you...
December 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word p
In accordance with the privileges granted by Wordie Pro, this letter, in all its forms, is declared to be the property of pterodactyl, who is entitled to compensation for any use thereof. Said compensation may take the form of either silly poetry or cold hard cash.
See dog's letter. And mind your (pterodactyl's letter)'s and q's!
December 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dog's letter
(Note: To demonstrate that he is not unkind, and to maintain the honor of the pterosaurs, Pterodactyl would like to announce that the mandatory 3-cent royalties will be waived for any applicant who can provide a rigorous example of silly poetry.)
December 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dog's letter
And don't you forget it! I'm entitled to a 3-cent royalty anytime any of you use My Letter, and some of you are wayyyyyy behind on your payments!
December 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word every potential wordie list is an existing wordie list
And here.
Gosh -- it seems like every time I make a list, I discover that someone else has already made it!
December 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word every potential wordie list is an existing wordie list
Oh, and also here.
December 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word every potential wordie list is an existing wordie list
And here.
December 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list the-wordie-armada
Wow, you're right!
*doffs cap to Ravages, and reflects on the fact that every potential Wordie list is an existing Wordie list*
December 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word earworm
And bring your knees in ti-i-iight!
December 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user Prolagus
Hi Pro! I want to thank you -- after reading all your comments about Belle & Sebastian, I finally went and got two of their albums out of the library, and I'm really enjoying the music. Thanks!
December 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dance of a thousand agonies
See kiddie caltrops.
December 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word glip
A glib quip.
December 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cryptoamnesia
More commonly spelled cryptomnesia, but a fascinating phenomenon either way.
December 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word adelops
From where I'm sitting, you're all adelops.
December 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dream a little dream of lists
Plethora, I have to say that I recognized the names of several of the Adelaide landmarks you mentioned, but only by way of this Ben Folds song.
December 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dream a little dream of lists
*loves whoever came up with tag*
December 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dream a little dream of lists
Well, if this page is a good example of what happens when I post the details of weird dreams, then I should definitely start hitting the applesauce every night. Bilby, I love the way you limn chained_bear, and your bilby-babble fills me with joy... strange, slightly worried joy.
December 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list looking-words-up-is-time-consuming-dangerous-and-leads-to-too-many-lists
I love this list! It reminds me of this cartoon.
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word tie me to the mall with a malt of third
See dream a little dream of lists (and my cryptic subconscious mind).
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list •-this-is-the-story-of-the-hurriclone
*raises hand politely*
What about typhoons?
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thunderbird
*is second in line*
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word unbirdly
Yes! A new word for my list "Words that look like adverbs but aren't"!
And trivet -- I adore your interrobang!
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word grizzle
Reading this page led me to look up queue, which lead me to the Wikipedia page, which was fascinating. Thank you!
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word oneiromantic
See oneiromancy.
And, while you're at it, see dream a little dream of lists.
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dream a little dream of lists
I just had my first Wordie dream last night. In the dream, I read a certain peculiar comment, and upon waking, I wrote it down. Here it is:
about 1 hour ago bilby said:
Chained_bear is my mother?! Well, tie me to the mall with a malt of third!
I've reproduced every jot and tittle just as I dreamt it. Now, the big question: is this a case of oneiromantic prophecy, or just an effect of the bad applesauce I ate before bed?
Only time will tell.
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word bugs
*cheering and clapping*
December 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word crazy
I've been watching in fascination as this word acquires a new meaning. It's now in common use as a synonym for "very" and "extremely" (as in the phrase "Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = crazy delicious"), and I love the new meaning. I use it myself.
The only other word I can think of that's undergone such a process within my lifetime is "random" (as in "boy, that was a random comment").
December 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word combinatorial explosion
A phrase I picked up in college. It refers to a situation in which the number of elements is small, but the number of combinations of these elements is unmanageably vast.
December 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
I've opened the list, so feel free to jump in with your suggestions.
But please, only post names used by natives of that place! (For example, don't post the Chinese names for places in France -- just for places where they speak Chinese.) It may seem draconian, but I think we need this rule to keep the list from undergoing a combinatorial explosion.
December 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
Hey, Pro-- you're referring to Sardinia, right? I want to add your suggestions, but first let me ask: which of the names you posted is the common name used by Sardinians?
December 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word c-o vs care of vs in care of
C/O gets my vote.
December 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word octopus straps
Is this the same thing as the bungee cord?
November 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ongoing
Ooh, I like these poems! I'd heard of Spike Milligan, but only through the Goon Show. Thank you all for enlightening me!
November 28, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cookie vs biscuit
Skip, that's awesome!
My support for you is unwafering.
November 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word spurrier
Sounds like it should "more spurious", doesn't it?
November 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cingulairity
Refers to Cingular Wireless, an American cellphone company now owned by AT&T (and renamed AT&T Mobility).
November 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cookie vs biscuit
Well, I'm American, and I'd definitely call biscotti "cookies", based on the following reasoning: Biscotti are sweet. Cookies are sweet. Biscuits are savory.
Actually, I'd argue that in the US, we draw a three-way distinction:
Cookie: small, flat, sweet
Biscuit: fluffy, savory, good with butter and jam
Scone: not fluffy but not flat. Dry. Kind of like a triangular brick made of flour. Often sweetened.
Wikipedia agrees with me. "In the United States, scones are drier, larger and typically sweet. Those sold by coffee shops often include fillings such as cranberries, blueberries, nuts, or even chocolate chips."
November 23, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list spin-trick-ham-road-game-for-shy-huck
People who like this list may also be interested in my similar (but more draconian) list: Steroids.
November 20, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word binary
01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01111010 01100101 01110010 01101111 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000
November 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word kiltsman
Some years ago, there was a fad for kilts among my (male) friends. I think they thought it would drive the girls wild. I asked the girls about it, and as it turned out, absolutely none of them liked the idea of guys in kilts.
C_b, you're the exception that proves the rule. :-)
November 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word auk
The auk
Is awkward
When it walks --
And when it talks
It talks
In squawks.
November 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user bilby
*is full of love for bilby*
November 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word mirimiri
If it were pronounced "muh-RIM-uh-ree", it would almost rhyme with periphery.
Almost.
November 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different from v different than v different to
See different.
November 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word i roll over and try to dream of wordie, but then they noodle me again
See snooze button.
November 12, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user dontcry
Happy birthday, dontcry! Many happy returns of the day!
November 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word tree-
And, what, no love for hyphalutin?
November 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word tree-
Frindley: amen!
November 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word yins
See also yinz.
November 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word tree-
hyphalutin?
November 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list countries-the-united-states-has-bombed-invaded
You can add the United States of America to this list -- we've bombed our own land plenty of times.
November 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-that-almost-rhyme-with-electric-chair
Of COURSE the bear is named Ursula.
*shakes head in admiration*
November 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
I think you're probably right, VO:
- there is a symmetrical/asymmetrical distinction that's worth preserving, and
- it is definitely time for something completely different.
November 8, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word something completely different
Mmmmmmmmm.
November 8, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
I have to agree with the Chicago Manual. There are some constructions that just don't allow you to use "different from", and in these cases, "different than" is the only possible substitute.
In response to VanishedOne: I'd argue that the choice of "than" to follow rather, other, and different is not based just on syntax, but also on semantics. To my ear, the word than gives a sense of differentiation, of distinguishing between two things. Likewise, the meanings of rather, other, and different all have to do with distinguishing two things, setting them apart from each other. The meaning of similar is quite the opposite: calling two things "similar" makes them less distinguishable, draws them closer together.
So, "similar than" is a contradiction.
What do you think?
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word enjoy your reduplicated circumflexes
See ^^.
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word deer god
Are you implying that Bambi is some sort of cervine messiah?
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wasilla hillbillies
*stands and applauds*
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
The overwhelming sentiment on this page seems to be against "different than", so let me play devil's advocate for a moment: what about "other than" and "rather than"? Are they acceptable? And if they are, what's the relevant difference between them and "different than"?
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
Wow... some excellent analyses on this page -- thanks, guys!
Yes, qroqqa, I can confirm from experience that most American speakers do not have "different to", and of the two options we do have, "different than" is by far the most popular. I rarely hear "different from", and when I do, it's usually in formal settings only.
November 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word fused relative
An in-law?
(For actual meaning, see different.)
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user elgiad007
Welcome, elgiad! Good to have you!
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word bugs
Hi John -- I went to delete a list today and got 404'd instead. Now I can't figure out any way to delete the list.
(Not a big deal, obviously, but I figured you might want to know.)
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ^^
Yes! And anyone who is ^^^ is obviously three tense.
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
I ask because I'm considering switching my personal usage from "different from" to "different than", in order to allow constructions such as "The situation is different than it used to be." (The equivalent construction using "from" is "The situation is different from how it used to be", which sounds clumsy.)
I'm especially interested in "different to", which I never hear in the US, but which presents itself as a tantalizing third option. How would "to" fit into the above example?
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word different
A quick poll: which of the following do you use?
- "different from"
- "different than"
- "different to"
November 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word sky v blue vault of heaven
Neither. Why miss a perfectly good opportunity to use the word welkin?
November 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hurricane v cyclone
I suspect that cyclones and typhoons would get more press in the US if they were called hurricanes, because I really think that Americans don't understand that these different words refer to the same sort of storm.
November 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word when the revolution comes
When the revolution comes, pterodactyl will...
probably be first against the wall.
Share and Enjoy!
November 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word grey vs gray
ZEE-bruh or ZEB-ruh?
(And my vote's for grey, because it's phonetic.)
November 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word marathon of phony umbrage taking
Hey! Who took all my umbrage?!
October 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hospitalized
I just heard a newscaster pronounce this word "hoss-PIT-uh-lyzd", which sounded bizarre to my ears. I've always heard it "HOSS-pit-uh-lyzd".
How do you folks pronounce it?
October 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word bugs
"Most Active Threads" has gone all 500 Application Error on me. :-(
October 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word suck
"Remember: if the world did not suck, we would all fall off."
--posted in a coworker's cubicle
October 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word nebraska
See also Nebraksa.
October 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list looks-like-a-digraph-but-isn-t
Digraphs are one of the many exceptions to phonetic spelling. I guess that makes these words exceptions to the exceptions?
October 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word osseocarnisanguieoviscericartilaginnervomedullary
*helps chained_bear make the problem worse*
October 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ducky
I think this word is just ducky.
October 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word proprioception
There's a good article about proprioception here.
October 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word proprioception
Adoarns -- I can think of at least nine off the top of my head (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, proprioception, balance/gravity, temperature, and pain).
October 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word retrophrenology
A concept from the Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett. According to phrenology, you can learn about a person's personality by studying certain bumps on the skull. Retrophrenology, therefore, is the practice of altering a person's personality by creating certain bumps on the skull (by means of a selection of differently-sized mallets).
October 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word verbal component
A spoken phrase. In Dungeons & Dragons, one of the three things that may be required to cast a spell.
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word material component
An object. In Dungeons & Dragons, one of the three things that may be required to cast a spell.
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word somatic component
A gesture of some sort. In Dungeons & Dragons, one of the three things that may be required to cast a spell.
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thaumometer
See thaum.
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thaum
A unit of magical energy, as featured in the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett.
Wikipedia says this: "The Thaum is a measuring unit used in quantifying magic on the disk. It equals the amount of mystical energy required to conjure up one small white pigeon, or three normal-sized billiard balls. Several SI-modifiers have been applied to it (e.g. millithaum, kilothaum) in the books. Magic can be measured with a thaumometer, which looks like a black cube with a dial on one side."
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list nicknames-you-shouldn-t-give-to-an-axe-wielding-loincloth-wearing-barbarian-warrior-with-bulging-thews
Thank you, dc! Of all the lists I've created, this is my favorite. And I love the contributions you guys have made!
But I am genuinely puzzled. What are the 10 "you-know-whats"?
October 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list that-could-have-gone-better
See also arcadia's Pretty words for when things get ugly.
October 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word shepherd's pie
A bit of dialog from the Goon Show:
October 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list that-could-have-gone-better
Thank you all for the suggestions!
October 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list distinctions-that-used-to-be-unnecessary
On second thought, let's keep 'em both going. I'll just hang a big sign on mine that says:
SEE ALSO MOLLUSQUE'S RETRONYMS LIST.
October 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Thank you all! Your suggestions are lovely, and they're going to be darned useful as I assemble this presentation.
Frindley, I loved the TED video you posted. I think every Wordie should watch it (and be prepared to see the geek needle go all the way into the red...).
Plethora, why the heck wouldn't they let you read the dictionary? If I found a kid sitting quietly and reading the dictionary, I'd shower him or her with praise.
(I once started reading an encyclopedia cover to cover. I think I got about a quarter of the way through before I lost interest.)
October 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Hello, fellow Wordies. I need your help...
In one of the classes I'm taking this semester, I've just volunteered to do a 10-minute presentation about dictionaries. It's a topic that's near and dear to my heart, but I'm still a bit anxious about it.
So I'm asking for suggestions. What are the best and worst dictionaries out there (print or online)? Do you have any favorites? Any dictionaries that have let you down? What about fancy bells and whistles (like those sites where you can hear words pronounced)?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
October 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cosmic grind
Would also be a good name for a trendy coffeeshop.
October 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word telephone wordie
Away from your computer for a while? No internet access on your mobile phone? Don't fret -- you can still keep up on all the hip chatter. Just call 1-900-I-WORDIE, and John will read you the site over the phone. For an additional fee, he'll do all the different voices!
October 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word beetroot
So, what do root and rooting mean in Australia?
*quite curious now*
October 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-i-would-be-were-i-a-word
Seconded. Great list!
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list stuffie-poetrie-tunie-listings
No, c_b, your impression is not false. I, for one, give a sh*t. It's nice to have these all collected on one page.
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word chrono-displacement disorder
I enjoyed that book.
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word christmas
I pronounce the T. I suspect I'm the only one who does.
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wikipedia
See also Wickerpedia.
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word modesty be damned
See chained_bear's comment on fuck.
October 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list distinctions-that-used-to-be-unnecessary
Hi mollusque -- good list! I'm happy that I'm not the only one out there with retronyms on his mind. :-)
Now that I know that a retronym list already exists, I think I'd rather contribute to your list than maintain a list of my own. (Actually, my inclination is to just add the whole contents of my list to your list, but then all those words would have my name on them, and I don't want to steal credit from the other contributors here...)
September 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word mannequin
*loves dontcry for her magnificent pun*
September 29, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word backronym
I'm not a photic sneezer, but I enjoyed this article.
September 29, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word criss-cross applesauce
I am trying to imagine a way in which cross and sauce could NOT rhyme, but I'm failing. I mean, whether you pronounce them "KROSS" and "SOSS" (as I do), or "KRORSE" and "SORSE", they still rhyme, right?
September 29, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lizardbreath
It shows up in real life, too. One of my friends used to get called this in middle school. Now she goes by her middle name instead.
September 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word superette
A Kryptonian chorus girl, perhaps?
September 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word knobs
I've come here to repeat a question that jennarenn first raised, over at features:
In the phrase "with knobs on", what, exactly, are the knobs?
I really like the sound of the phrase, but before I start going around appending knobs to all the cool things in my life, I have to know what I'm dealing with here.
September 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word maize
Q. How much does it cost to buy corn from a pirate?
A. A buck an ear.
September 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word very
A rattling good quote, sir.
September 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word muffineer
I think it would be more Palin-esque to say that everything should taste like spam.
September 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word crunchy edges
Yes! Crispy brownies!
*goes off in search of glass of milk*
September 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word crunchy edges
Ooh, reesetee, reesetee... pick me, pick me!
September 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word yod
A name for the palatal approximant, or Y-sound.
September 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-in-which-u-is-pronounced-yu
My goodness, yarb -- your dialect is simply awash in yods! Tuna, tune, nuance, deduce, seduce, tulip, duke... even stupid?
Now I wish we were having this conversation in person. I'd love to hear you say these words!
September 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word decadent
Boisterous roistering oysters?
September 20, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word temptacious
Also an anagram of "moist teacup".
September 20, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word your goodselves
Oh yeah! Get down with the aforementioned parcel!
September 17, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word googly eyes
One of my coworkers sticks googly eyes to our office supplies. Now I have to work with the knowledge that my stapler is staring at me.
September 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word googly
See also googly eyes.
September 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word stormy petrel
I am delighted to discover that there's a name for these peculiar beasties. "Stormy petrel" -- what an excellent phrase! It makes me want to spring from my seat with an astonished cry of "It Has a Name??"
September 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word moist
Moist doesn't make me gag. It makes me giggle. It just seems inherently ridiculous, and for that I love it.
Rolig -- I think part of the reason why moisten is sexier than dampen is that dampen doesn't just mean "make wet". It also means something like suppress or reduce.
September 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word higgs boson
Hee hee!
September 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word curiousity
Did you mean wordy?
oh, wait...
September 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word greek rural postmen and their cancellation numbers
This book just won Oddest Book Title of the Past 30 Years (or "Diagram of Diagrams"). See story here. It beat out some impressive contenders.
September 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word inverness
Also, a female invern.
September 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word help!!
Won't you please, please help her?
September 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ipodocus
Hah! Love the name. :-)
September 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word rabbits
Well, lookie here -- it has its own Wikipedia page.
*grins smugly*
September 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word rabbits
No, it sure isn't unique to our family. I've met quite a few people who do the same thing. There's even some folkloric variation: some people say rabbits, some people say rabbit rabbit.
In fact, I bet Google will back me up on this one...
*runs off to check*
September 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word monodactyl
I can't speak for how it spoke, but I do know how it gestured...
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word monodactyl
A very rude animal indeed.
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word rabbits
There's a family tradition that if, on the first of the month, the first word out of your mouth is rabbits, you'll have good luck that month. Around my house, every time a new month begins, you'll see my family stumbling out of bed and greeting each other with a mumbled "Rabbits?".
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word fraughttage
For Wordieternity: see conversation on fraught.
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word shite
I was just over at mandals, and now I find myself wondering... what's the difference between shit and shite?
Normally I would turn to our resident expert for help on such matters, but in this case I think I need to consult some non-Americans.
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word pterodactyl
I've known since about age 5 -- my dinosaur phase -- that pterodactyls are not dinosaurs. (And being 5, I would go around telling this to everyone. Five-year-olds are masters of the non sequitur).
What I didn't find out until recently is that, while some pterosaurs were quite large, pterodactylus was fairly small.
Quoting Wikipedia:
I feel diminished. I feel inadequate. I feel like I need to go out and buy a huge prehistoric SUV to compensate.
September 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word kiddie caltrops
When I was younger I had an enormous collection of Legos, and when I wanted to play with them I'd start by spreading them all out across the living room floor. This made it easier to find specific pieces, but it also meant that crossing the floor, especially in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom, became a Dance of a Thousand Agonies.
Worse, perhaps, is kneeling on a Lego. To this day, if I look closely at my knees, I fancy that I can see dots of scar tissue in tidy 2x4 lines.
August 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word calgary, canadia
Yeah, you know, Canadia. Where the Canadans live.
August 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hayastan
Known in English as Armenia.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word aotearoa
Known in English as New Zealand.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word sakartvelo
Known in English as Georgia.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word druk yul
Known in English as Bhutan.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lëtzebuerg
Known in English as Luxembourg.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word alba
Known in English as Scotland.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word eesti
Known in English as Estonia.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word euskal herria
Known in English as the Basque Country.
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word saltodiskoj
Literally, "jump-disks".
August 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
♩ Every gal in Constantinople lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople / Been a long time gone, Constantinople, why did Constantinople get the works? ♩
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
♩ People just liked it better that wayyyyyyyyy! ♩
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word gaytarded
Seanahan --
I apologize. I've done two things wrong:
1. I totally missed the irony of your original post.
2. I posted a comment that, in hindsight, reads as a personal attack.
I do think that people who use "gaytarded" in an unironic way come off sounding like idiots. But I don't think you're an idiot -- in fact, I quite like you -- and I'm sincerely sorry that I implied otherwise.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word the pattern
I'm not so sure about Step 3. You say that such people "act smug and surprised that anyone would be offended", but what if they honestly are surprised?
I'm sure there are plenty of message boards out there on which slurs are used regularly. (I don't frequent such boards, because they bother me, but they do exist.) If you're in the habit of posting to such boards, and you show up at Wordie, and you're so excited that you jump right in without stopping to check the tone of the comments here, well... it's easy to see how a person might be honestly surprised by the reception that their words get here.
I don't see these folks as malicious. I see them as needing to acclimate to our standards. Rather than treating them as trolls (i.e. ignoring them), maybe we could just explain to them, in a calm and orderly way, what the Wordie standards for civility and decency are?
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list towns-with-sizeable-albino-squirrel-populations
Perhaps there are plenty of movie directors who want to depict the destruction of Olney, Illinois, but they can't find a way to make it seem plausible enough, because every potential audience knows that the albino squirrels would rise up, like a demonic monochromatic strike force from Illinois, and save the city from its otherwise certain destruction.
Right?
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list cities-i-am-sick-of-seeing-destroyed-in-disaster-movies
There are lots of examples of this over at TV Tropes -- see here and here.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list cities-i-am-sick-of-seeing-destroyed-in-disaster-movies
GODZILLA DESTROYS ALBUQUERQUE!
That would be an excellent headline.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
Oh, c_b, I'll sing with you!
*wraps arm around chained_bear's shoulders and raises mug of root beer*
Why thy changed it I can't say... people just liked it better that way!
So take me back to Constantinople!
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
Uluru is one of my favorite examples of a native name that's much prettier than the European name. (Other good examples are Denali and Tennessee.)
Happily, usage of Uluru is becoming pretty common, enough that I think it's no longer accurate to say that people have "never heard of" Uluru.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list well-known-places-youve-never-heard-of
I'm pleasantly surprised by the positive response to my little list. It started with me sitting in my chair thinking "why do we use an ugly word like Finland when a pretty word like Suomi already exists?", and it sort of grew from there.
I'm limiting the list to well-known places, defined as "places that I, pterodactyl, have heard of". :-) Unfortunately, this excludes Makassar, but I did spend an interesting couple of minutes at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makassar. Check it out, y'all!
Also, even though I didn't specify it in the title, I intended to list only the native names for places. What does a native Dubliner call his/her city? I read somewhere that the Irish language is used more in the west of Ireland than in the east, which makes me suspect that a native Dubliner, while knowing the Irish name for the city, probably doesn't use it that much.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list passport-to-upstate-new-york
Excellent list! How about Greece? It's a suburb of Rochester.
August 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word gobbledygook
Wait, what?
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word features
I agree with c_b and rt that one's profile should remain under one's control.
I also want to point out that I can delete comments made on any of my lists, no matter who the commenter is. As far as I can recall, it's always been this way. I don't really have a problem with it.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cymru
Known in English as Wales.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word zh�?ngguó
Known in English as China.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word miṣr
Known in English as Egypt.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word bod
Known in English as Tibet.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word krung thep mahanakorn
Often called just Krung Thep. Known in English as Bangkok.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word magyarország
Known in English as Hungary.
August 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
I've been watching the discussion that's currently going on at gaytarded and americunt, and something's just occured to me:
Could it be that nouns are (slightly) more offensive than adjectives?
Consider:
- "she's a Jew" versus "she's Jewish"
- "he's a gay" versus "he's gay"
Perhaps the difference is that nouns define you, but adjectives only describe you.
Hmm.
Can you folks think of any more examples to confirm or disconfirm my theory?
August 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word gaytarded
about 1 year ago seanahan said:
"People are offended by 'gay' and 'retarded', even when you don't mean them in their literal sense, so this word neatly gets around that."
No. I disagree. Gaytarded is a awful word, with its double whammy of casual hatred. If you use it in conversation, you probably won't avoid offense -- you'll more likely come off as a sniggering idiot.
August 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word americunt
about 17 hours ago renumeratedfrog said:
"...given the paucity of ethnic slurs for Americans, I think we should take whatever we can."
The existence of ethnic slurs is a bad thing. A paucity of ethnic slurs is not a problem to be fixed, it's a cause for celebration. Rather than trying to come up with more slurs, I think we should be trying to bury the ones we already have.
August 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word corn
Good heavens, bilby and reesetee -- how is it that NEITHER of you bracketed vibra-twang snozzwhanger?
August 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word mace
Like yarb, I've spent many an afternoon wielding medieval weaponry against fearsome monsters (er... pretending to, at least), and it's a bit of a shock to discover that I've been using these terms wrong all this time.
Wikipedia doesn't totally clear up the issue for me, but it does include some helpful pictures in all three articles: Flail, Morning Star, and Mace.
August 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
A note to the various and sundry Wordies: I shall be in California until 8/14, and as we all know, there's no internet in California. Ergo, I shall probably be incommunicado until then.
July 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list identify-the-wordie-2
Well, I haven't the time for the deep detective work I wanted to do, as I'm leaving for California tomorrow. My guesses will instead be based on hasty, vague associations.
asativum - bababada...thingy
bilby - yarb
chained_bear - clinchpoop
darqueau - inexorable
dontcry - sunflower
frogapplause - sigh
gangerh - cred-herring
john - pluripotent
oroboros - thoughtful
palooka - goodbye
plethora - ingenue
prolagus - relaxed
rolig - esemplastic
seanahan - quixotic
sionnach - wabe
skipvia - mojo
whichbe - gravlax
yarb - groovin'
July 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word nair
John -- greetings from a fellow Rochesterian! You and I sure picked a fine place to grow up, didn't we?
Oh, and, uh, something about Nair.
July 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word the personality of a bin liner
Ah, peritonitis... that fine old British tradition.
July 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word depeach
Hee hee!
July 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list you-know-what
Silly dontcry. Pieholes are for pie!
July 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word crispy skin-poppers
I wish that neither bilby nor I had read this page.
July 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Unfortunately, I still can't get the pumpkin coach link to work.
July 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Ah, I get it now. In fact, I should have gotten it earlier, as I just finished reading Terry Pratchett's Witches Abroad, in which a pumpkin coach features prominently.
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user frogapplause
Hi, frogapplause -- you're welcome to use whatever you like from 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, or indeed from any of my lists. I prefer to remain anonymous, though, so if you do credit me, credit me as pterodactyl, not as...
..whoops! Almost let my real name slip, there!
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the user pterodactyl
Hi, frogapplause -- you're welcome to use whatever you like from 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, or indeed from any of my lists. I prefer to remain anonymous, though, so if you do credit me, credit me as pterodactyl, not as...
..whoops! Almost let my real name slip, there!
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Sionnach: How, exactly, does one travel by pumpkin? I would be intrigued to see this happen. Does the pumpkin roll? Or does the pumpkin vine just grow really, really fast?
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Excellent suggestions, my people! Thank you! I'm especially impressed by giant peach -- bilby, it appears that you and I read the same books when we were growing up. :-)
(And self-defenestration is making me laugh even as I type this.)
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Yes! Keep 'em coming!
(thinks: Yay! After four months of sitting quiet and unnoticed, this list is finally seeing some action!)
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word coitus-à-la-vache-qui-rit
Chickens are female?
*confused*
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word i'm forbidden to believe it's not butter
"I'm Forbidden to Believe it's not Butter"?
AHAHAHAHA hee hee hee hee!
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list 50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
Thanks! It sure was fun putting this list together. My favorite is continental drift.
Any suggestions for further entries?
July 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ve haf vays ov making you eat marmite sandviches
Hah!
July 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word defenistration
*respectfully raises hand*
I think it's spelled "defenestration".
July 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wildlife
*reads WordNet definition*
What about undomesticated people?
July 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word basonym
I, too, would like to learn the HTML resizing trick, and I, too, will give Shevek puppy dog eyes until he/she gives in and teaches it to us.
Please?
*earnest, pleading stare*
July 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list the-penis-game
"womb raider"? HAHAHAHAHA!
July 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word comments
I'm just stopping by to thank John, sincerely and enthusiastically, for the "Most commented on" list on the main page. It's just what I had in mind, and I think it's going to prove very useful.
Thank you!
July 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word vagina dentata
My friends at college used to sing the following words to the tune of "Hakuna Matata", from The Lion King:
Vagina Dentata!
What a wonderful phrase!
Vagina Dentata!
Ain't no passin' craze...
It means no penis!
For the rest of your days
It's our problem-free
Monstrosity,
Vagina Dentata
July 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word transport for the next generation
Titans reproduce via belly-springing?
*confused*
July 18, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word fhqwhgads
For an explanation of this word, see here. And be sure to check out Everybody to the Limit!
July 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word fraught
Yeah, chained_bear -- there's a whole lot of fraughttage going on.
July 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word comments
(thinks to self: omigosh! John called my idea fantastic! I may swoon!)
July 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word comments
Oooooh, thanks, John! I shall be a frequent visitor to the new page you've built. Your god work is truly godly.
July 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word sofa
Is there a difference between a couch and a sofa? If so, what is it?
July 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word features
As per the discussion on this list, I present an idea for some god work that John could do in his copious free time:
How about, in addition to the "Most Wordied, Past 7 Days" list on the home page, a "Most Commented On, Past 7 Days" list? I think it'd be really useful to be able to see at glance which words have been getting all the commenty action recently.
*respectfully bows and backs away*
July 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-to-have-topped-the-most-wordied-last-7-days-list-since-june-9-2008
You know, when I first joined Wordie, I thought that "Most Wordied" meant "Most Commented On". Now I know that it doesn't, I find myself wishing that there were a "Most Commented On" list for the last 7 days. It'd be nice to be able to see at a glance which words are getting all the action this week.
Anyone else feel the same way? If so, I'll nip on over to features and submit it for John's consideration.
July 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word feng shui
I usually hear it pronounced "feng shway" around here.
July 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list lispers-nemeses
How about aesthetics? The sth sound is hard enough to pronounce without a lisp.
July 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list sluts-and-bitches
Doxy?
July 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word doxy
I, too, learned this word from Firefly. I'm not sure about WordNet's definition, though; I always assumed it just meant prostitute.
July 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word doxie
Aha! I've found a ghost!
Anyone want to adopt this poor word?
July 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hunk
You are a muffin of all genders, Darqueau?
July 12, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word weed whacky
A friend of mine, upon her recent return from Ireland, reported that weed whackers are known as strimmers over there.
Can anyone confirm or disconfirm?
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word deformed-proboscis carrion box
Me, according to bilby. See shaken baby syndrome.
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hot damn
Honestly, bilby, I don't think I have the natural twang it takes to say "dawg". I am twang-deprived. I am undertwanged. I am hypotwangic.
Now, if I were from Tennessee rather than New York, things might be different...
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word shaken baby syndrome
Oh, and bilby -- your antipodean wrath is truly glorious. Marsupiale enragé, indeed! I've half a mind to deliberately provoke your wrath right now, just so I see your cute little nose twitch in fury and hear your frenzied invective one more time.
In fact, I think I shall.
*pokes you with a spoon*
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word shaken baby syndrome
Actually, I don't think that photo is cute at all. Taxidermy gives me the willies.
May I suggest these photos instead?
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word hot damn
I censor myself. "Hot damn!" usually comes out as "Hot dog!".
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word merkin
"Ah'm proud to be a merkin."
--George W. Bush, as quoted on the TV show QI.
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word brawndo
Happily, the video clip is available on YouTube.
July 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word nebraksa
Noo! Your thinking of Kanses Cit, witch can be found in both Kanses and Mosourie. St. Loius is not in Kanses -- it is in Mosourie and also in Illisnoi, wear it is called Est. St Loius.
July 8, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word apple eaters
An alternative name for New Yorkers, based on the official New York State Fruit (the apple) and the official New York State Muffin (the apple muffin).
See also this recipe.
July 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word chaparral
Every time I hear this word, I remember a piece of music, with a very particular rhythm:
"Chaparral!" (pause, pause, pause)
"Chaparral!" (pause, pause, pause)
Until today, I had no idea why this was. I mean, who would write a song about Californian shrubbery? But now, I've figured it out. It's a distorted relic of my childhood, and you can view it here, if you've no aversion to bagpipes.
July 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thin mint
*picks up conversation 6 months later*
I think seanahan is talking about the Samoa cookie that Girl Scouts sell in the US. There's a picture of a Samoa on this page -- it's the chocolate striped cookie in the lower left, above the phrase "Craving Cookies?"
Wikipedia says that Samoas, together with the similar Caramel deLites, account for 19% of Girl Scout cookie sales in the US, making them the second most popular variety (after Thin Mints, of course).
And here I have to agree with seanahan -- Samoas are so tasty as to be downright addictive. With all that caramel and chocolate, they're more like candies than cookies.
July 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word courgette
I agree with chained_bear -- it's wonderful to hear people with British accents try to pronounce an American R. I once heard a guy on the BBC try to do a George Bush impression, and boy, that was downright hilarious.
And how about the opposite situation? When an American tries to do a British accent, is it amusing to British ears?
July 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word courgette
Hey yarb, aren't you in Vancouver? I thought they pronounced it "erb" in Canada, just like we do in the States.
July 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word every time i eat asparagus...
Skipvia: the answer is yes, sort of. It does make your pee smell funny. But only to certain people's noses.
A good explanation can be found here.
I, myself, am blessed with the ability to smell these compounds. I suspect, skipvia, that you are similarly blessed. :-)
July 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word phonundrum
Snape. Snape. Se-ve-rus Snape.
Dumbledore!
July 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word those other brothers can't deny
Dear Abby,
I woke up this morning and found myself unable to deny. It's not just me -- several of my home-boys are having the same problem. What's causing this epidemic of candor? Are there any medications I can take to restore my usual glib insincerity?
Signed,
One of the Other Brothers
July 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lurk
Well, it's a pleasure to be proven wrong in this case -- it shows that I have difficulty imagining life without Wordie. :-)
Anyone else remember when Wordie looked like this?
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list tunie-the-world-is-just-awesome-discovery-channel
Hey, cool -- I had never heard of this commercial, so when I first saw the XKCD comic, it made no sense to me. Thanks for enlightening me!
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word wheelie
Bilby -- HAHAHAHA hee hee hee! :-D
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word courgette
Hey! It's a mnemonic device! Eggplant and Elton John both begin with E!!!
*very excited about this*
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word courgette
Zucchini. But I only know that because of the recent conversation on eggplant, and because Elton John is still playing in my head.
"Goodbye aubergine, though I never knew you at all..."
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lurk
I agree with reesetee. Wordie is what you make of it, whatever that may happen to be.
But I do believe that Wordie is at least two years old. I remember using it when I was still working on my B.A., and I graduated from that college in May 2006.
(My memory is notoriously unreliable, though. I could easily be confused about this.)
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word fudgsicle
In Hawaii, they refer to Hawaii as "Hawai'i". Or so I've heard.
July 1, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word yonic
My college friends and I came up with an informative song called "A Thing's A Phallic Symbol If It's Longer Than It's Wide" that we used to sing boisterously on Saturday nights. Thanks in part to this song, I have no trouble recognizing phallic symbols. But I don't think I could recognize a yonic symbol.
What makes something yonic? Is being circular enough? Or does it have to be concave?
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lurk
I spent two years on this site, and listed several hundred words, before I ever paid any attention to the comments. Did this behavior make me an unwordie user? I don't think so. I wasn't looking to chat, back then -- I just needed a place to keep my words.
But I do wish I'd paid attention to the comments right from the start. I missed so many lovely conversations!
(Oh well. There's always Wordieternity.)
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word eggplant
Oh, and yarb -- your earworm-fu is strong. You've pretty much ensured that Elton John will play in my head for the next few hours. :-)
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word eggplant
I've known for some years now that aubergine and courgette are the British English words for what we Americans call eggplant and zucchini. But I can never seem to remember which American word goes with which British word. Mention aubergines to me, and I'll know you're talking about some sort of garden vegetable, but my comprehension ends there.
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word waggying
Earworm!
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word 33 celsius in my room
*curious now*
Where do you live, bilby?
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thew
Your favorite list? Gosh!
*feels very honored*
*also provides a link*
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word saint-louis-du-ha! ha!
A small Quebec town with a wonderful name. See Wikipedia for more information.
June 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word ergotism
Hah! Excellent, Asa!
June 28, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list e-e
ə¿ə -- bravo, skipvia! Your prowess with non-standard characters is truly impressive.
*applauds*
And I thank you on behalf of my neck, which will no longer have to suffer such indignities in the name of gremlin-summoning.
June 28, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list e-e
I'm trying out the question mark in the title, and I find that if I rotate my screen 180 degrees, the list's new title looks like a cartoony face drawn in three-quarters angle.
(I have a CRT monitor, so I'm not actually rotating my screen 180 degrees. I'm standing up from my chair and craning my head wayyyyy over to the left. As the blood rushes to my head... pop! It appears! Like some bulbous-nosed gremlin out of the cathode ray depths!)
June 28, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list e-e
Sure, eye is fine. Add away, my friend!
As for the asterisk, the truth is I couldn't figure out a simple way to distinguish between "any one character" (which is what the second asterisk means) and "any character or characters, or no character" (which is what the first asterisk means).
June 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list e-e
I think I just missed an opportunity to use the word antipenultimate.
June 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word do not want
According to Wikipedia, this phrase has its origins in a particularly bad translation of Star Wars Episode III.
June 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word 7547
I suspect that trombrarian is also part of the 7457 conspiracy.
June 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word incredibly
So, by analogy, could you use "credible" as a synonym for "not very"? As in "this is a credibly good idea", or "this will be credibly good for the language"?
June 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word thành phố hồ chí minh
Known in English as "Ho Chi Minh City".
June 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word krung thep maha nakhon
Known in English as "Bangkok".
June 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list city-names-with-three-or-more-words
Yes!!! I have found a four-word city and a five-word city!
*excitedly searching for six-word city*
June 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list city-names-with-three-or-more-words
John, I did think of New York City. I live in upstate New York, and I'm forced to think of NYC every time I have to explain to someone that I'm not from there. (Yes, world, it's possible to be a New Yorker without being from that particular city!)
But as far as I know, the official name of NYC is "New York", not "New York City". If this is true, then the name doesn't quite fit on this list. :-(
June 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list city-names-with-three-or-more-words
Wow, some beautiful suggestions here! Thanks, everybody!
I've decided to include all the English hyphenated towns, because I think they're curious, and I like curiosities.
Bilby, you have some truly excellent names there (I will always have a special place in my heart for Head-Smashed-In, ever since reading Dave Barry's account of the place), but unfortunately, they're not cities or towns, so I don't think they really fit what I had in mind.
June 25, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list elephants-amid-my-pages
How about e.g. and i.e.? When reading aloud, I'm always forced to substitute "for example" and "that is", because it sounds stupid to actually say "E G" or "I E".
June 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list in-excelsis-deo
Despite the fact that I agree with chained_bear, I have to give this round to bilby, on the grounds that he is awesome. :-)
June 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word 7457
To all those who are lost on this page, I would like to say a few words:
BUD POD EWE OVA AWE SAP EBB IRK LYE
June 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word yeast
*laughs*
Oh, Asa, I like that one!
(Pro -- it's a play on words, based on the first line of a Rudyard Kipling poem. See here.)
June 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list there-is-no-x-in-espresso-words-butchered-by-americans
I'm American, too, and I always hear buoy pronounced to rhyme with phooey. Reesetee, I think you're right about regional variations, and I have to ask -- did you grow up in Pennsylvania, or are you a transplant?
June 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word aka
I've known for most of my life that a.k.a. means "pseudonym", but I only found out several years ago that it stands for "also known as".
Have you folks ever had the same experience with an acronym or initialism -- used it for years without knowing what it stands for?
June 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list recently-discovered-subatomic-particles
Hah! Yes! Spoton indeed!
June 20, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list recently-discovered-subatomic-particles
Sounds good, bilby. What does it mean?
June 19, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list common-english-words-that-are-also-first-names
Yes, it's true, I am a cruel and vicious hunter. Among my recent prey are several brownies and a Christopher Moore novel.
June 17, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word weenus
Whatever else it may mean, weenus is also a slang term meaning "the loose skin over your elbow". There's an article here, and a listing on Urban Dictionary here.
June 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word chad
I see Chad in the news pretty regularly, and unfortunately it's never good news. They have all those refugees to deal with, and there was that Zoe's Ark problem last year... I really hope that life in Chad is better than the American media depicts.
June 16, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word chad
Civil war? Sort of. Lots of indignant partisanship, certainly.
Where are you from, Asat?
June 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list recently-discovered-subatomic-particles
I like the sound of plinplon. What does it mean?
June 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list lost-in-transgenderation
I like the idea for this list, and I think it's fascinating to see the meanings translated from Italian.
I want to mention that in English (at least, the English of my idiolect), most of these words are innocuous. "Professional woman", for example -- in my mind, just means a woman with a profession (doctor, lawyer, or whatnot). Is this a clear difference between English and Italian?
June 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list common-english-words-that-are-also-first-names
My name is on this list. It's one of the few verbs.
June 14, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word features
No friends lists, please! I don't distinguish between "fellow Wordie user" and "friend", and I've no intention of starting. :-)
June 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word lemon demons
Now I'm going to have to read this comic strip, just to see what it means by "lemon demons". Are we talking about the Lemon Demon, of Internet fame?
And plethora, are you aware that Lemonic Demonade is a yearly event in Massachusetts?
June 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word extrapolation
Hah! Yes!
June 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word spelling
Maybe it's creator was having a bad day.
June 13, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-that-shouldn-t-be-used-on-a-first-date
No, bilby, it just means that I didn't read the list thoroughly before posting my ideas. Nevertheless, I think we can all agree that you shouldn't use Montezuma's revenge twice on a first date.
Three times, though... that might be okay. :-)
June 11, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list words-that-shouldn-t-be-used-on-a-first-date
What a great list! Thanks, TYP!
June 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word smoot
From Wikipedia: "The smoot is a nonstandard unit of length created as part of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot (class of 1962), an MIT fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 was used by his fraternity brothers to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts... the bridge's length was measured to be 364.4 smoots (620.1 m) plus or minus one ear."
More here.
June 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list what-ails-you
Swimmer's ear?
June 10, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word gound
For Wordieternity: more discussion of this stuff can be found at toejam.
June 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word toejam
Thank you, dontcry! Inside jokes aren't any fun unless someone else gets them. :-)
June 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list my-little-ponies
Wow. What a list!
A lot of these names would fit well on one of my lists...
June 9, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word toejam
I've always called that stuff sleep gunk, and I know several other people who do too.
June 8, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word toejam
Apparently, if you wear no shoeshine, you are at risk of developing toejam football.
That's gotta hurt!
June 7, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word money musk
According to this site, which I found via Google and can't really vouch for, the words of the title come from Gaelic: moine mus(g)ach, or "nasty, filthy bog."
June 6, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word tornado warning
My father and his friends have a sport that they call "competitive porch-sitting", which consists of sitting out on the porch. My father is a champion porch-sitter; he can shoot the breeze out there for hours and hours, long after a lesser man would have given up and retired to the kitchen.
Dontcry, it sounds like your house would be the perfect place for a tournament!
June 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list war-die-them
What about towelheads? It's an awful word, but I still see it written on bathroom stalls sometimes.
June 5, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word dupa
This is your bottom. This is your bottom in Serbian. Any questions?
June 4, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word megazero
0.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word decabaker's dozen
130.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word picochu
An extremely small electric mouse.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word nanobillion
1.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word micromillion
1.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word millithousand
1.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word centihundred
1.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word deciten
1.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word decifurlong
22 yards.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list fun-with-si-prefixes
Lots of overlap with sionnach's list, here -- many thanks to sionnach and all his contributors!
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word yoctogoogol
10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word millimyriad
10.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word megafirkin
90,000,000 pounds.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word kilodozen
12,000.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word centigross
1.44.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word gigascore
20 billion.
June 3, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word pleosauri
Well, I have eaten the odd iguanodon in my time. But I really prefer muffins.
(See chainishness.)
June 2, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word cupping
*thinks*
Do necks have pits?
May 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word voodoo
Labyrinth! Yes. And it also reminds me of Blazing Saddles. "Go do that voodoo that you do so well!"
Oh, and dontcry? Hoodoo.
May 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word blipvert
Yarb, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
May 30, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list what-time-is-it
*sings*
"Bedtime, overtime, half-time too / but they just can't hold a candle to my... supper time!"
May 29, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word supper time
*sings*
"Bring on the soup dish, bring on the cup / Bring on the bacon and fill me up / 'Cause it's supper, supper-supper-suppertime!"
May 29, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word veruca
And a character in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
May 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word agynary
Palooka -- is it warm where you live? Just a guess.
May 27, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word slake
I saw the same M*A*S*H episode, and I suggest that you can slake desire. :-)
May 26, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word compline
When I first encountered this word, I thought it referred to a 24-hour computer support hotline.
May 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word undine
Dontcry... it took me a moment, but now I'm chuckling unstoppably. Thank you! :-)
May 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word literally
I rise in opposition to the tag "auto-antonym" being applied to this word. Good sirs and madams, I ask you: can we in good conscience allow "literally" to mean "figuratively"?
Certainly the general public uses the word this way. And under most circumstances, I am all for following the general usage. In this case, though, I say that we must put up a fight. A fight, I tell you!
If "literally" no longer means "literally", then what shall we use in its place? And even if suitable substitutes can be found, why should we allow ourselves to lose a perfectly good word in the first place?
Fight the trend, good people. Refuse to define "literally" as "figuratively"! Posterity will thank you.
May 24, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list oddest-book-title-of-the-year
Huh. I thought that these would all be pretty esoteric, but I've seen six or seven of them on the shelves at the Barnes & Noble where I work.
May 23, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list steroids
I checked the etymology, and you're absolutely right. Rooster does indeed come from "roost" and "er".
Off the list it goes!
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list steroids
Hmm. You make good points, mollusque and yarb, but I'm not sure that the "er" in rooster is actually a suffix. Is a rooster "one that roosts"?
I'll have to check the etymology.
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word skyugled
"'I didn't steal the project,' Brad said amiably. 'I just sort of skyugled it away from her when she wasn't looking.'"
-- Connie Willis, "Blued Moon"
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word the flit-flats
"You better find yourself a gal right quick. You're givin' me the flit-flats with all this unfriendly talk."
-- Connie Willis, "Blued Moon"
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word adam 'n' evein'
See all het up.
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word all het up
"She's on her way to Cheyenne to catch a plane back east. Her mother's all het up about getting a divorce. Caught her husband Adam 'n' Evein'."
-- Connie Willis, "Blued Moon"
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list steroids
How about a new list, instead? Something like "Verbs that end in 'ster'"?
If you'll get it started, yarb, I'll help populate it!
May 22, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the list steroids
*laughs* Yes, the rules do make it difficult, but I had to stipulate them, or else the list would be hundreds and hundreds of words long. :-)
May 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word kickshaw
Excellent, yarb!
May 21, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word linguist
"Tree?" Sally said. "I fell out of a tree today. On a linguist."
-- Connie Willis, "Blued Moon"
May 21, 2008
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