(Well, at least I they're mostly Greek to me. - heehee)
I just happened upon these in the glossary in the back of the Catechism of the Catholic Church...
acedia
anamnesis
anaphora
ascesis
catechesis
eschatology
iconoclasm
mystagogy
parousia
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
A Few Words from the Latin Convention
The Wisconsin Junior Classical League Latin Convention, which Ria, Gilbertgirl and I attended was a highly concentrated weekend filled with Latin fun and academics. They're pretty efficient with their time and volunteers - 450 students and perhaps 25 or 30 adults, so everyone stays busy most of the time.
I had certamen score-keeping duty one afternoon. I was a little nervous about this since I had never even seen a certamen machine before and I was assigned to the advanced level room, but everything went very well. They had three adults running each room - one to read the questions (and judge the answers), one to run the machine and one to keep score. That way no one was overwhelmed with too many pieces of the puzzle.
It was delightful to meet so many young Latin enthusiasts and visit with them between rounds. I found that the experience inspired me to want to go back and read and study more.
One thing that amazed me was some of the terminology relating to the Latin language that I never knew existed. I thought that would be an appropriate piece to share here (aided by the fact that they gave all the teachers a packet with all of the certamen questions from this year's event). So here goes...
anaphora - The repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses.
hyperbaton - The violation of the usual order of words.
prosopopoeia - "Personification is also referred to as..."
protasis - The term for the clause which contains the condition in a Latin conditional sentence.
apodosis - The term for the clause containing the conclusion.
I had certamen score-keeping duty one afternoon. I was a little nervous about this since I had never even seen a certamen machine before and I was assigned to the advanced level room, but everything went very well. They had three adults running each room - one to read the questions (and judge the answers), one to run the machine and one to keep score. That way no one was overwhelmed with too many pieces of the puzzle.
It was delightful to meet so many young Latin enthusiasts and visit with them between rounds. I found that the experience inspired me to want to go back and read and study more.
One thing that amazed me was some of the terminology relating to the Latin language that I never knew existed. I thought that would be an appropriate piece to share here (aided by the fact that they gave all the teachers a packet with all of the certamen questions from this year's event). So here goes...
anaphora - The repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses.
hyperbaton - The violation of the usual order of words.
prosopopoeia - "Personification is also referred to as..."
protasis - The term for the clause which contains the condition in a Latin conditional sentence.
apodosis - The term for the clause containing the conclusion.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Tea-hee!!!
Love2learn Mom just took Ria and me shopping for supplies for the Latin Convention we are going to. We were browsing for an instant Chai tea, and we came across one brand that seemed about what we wanted. Upon my examination, however, I discovered a passage across the back that ran something like this:
"...Slip a packet in your pocket and experience enlightenment. Add ice and transcend reality."We guffawed for at least five minutes. The sad thing is, some people who read that might actually be quite impressed.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
My Vocabulary Evaluation
So true!!! I can't wait to continue ameliorating my vocabulary!!!
| Your Vocabulary Score: B |
 You have a zealous love for the English language, and many find your vocabulary edifying. Don't fret that you didn't get every word right, your vocabulary can be easily ameliorated! |
My vocabulary quiz score is....
| Your Vocabulary Score: B- |
You have a zealous love for the English language, and many find your vocabulary edifying. Don't fret that you didn't get every word right, your vocabulary can be easily ameliorated! |
Vocabulary Quiz!
| Your Vocabulary Score: A- |
Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person. |
Monday, January 15, 2007
Salutations!!
I am ever ecstatic to share my passion for the English Language in any possible way. I was absolutely jubilant when I received the invitation. Accumulating an effusive vocabulary has been a pet pastime of mine for the last seven or so years. We had just begun homeschooling and the book Mama was reading to Margaret and me at bedtime was Anne of Green Gables. We made tedious progress through the first chapter, me interrupting every ten seconds, in need of the explanations of such trivialities as decorum, conscious, auxiliary, gauntlet, et al. Margaret put into words what I had not the vocabulary to express, "this is pathetic!". I resolved, thereon out, to acquire the means of communicating something other than "um, like, ya know, yeah!". This addicted me to the beauty, charm, and stateliness of words, and I have not been able to leave off since.
For me, words needn't be extravagant, obscure, or challenging to ensnare my interest. They do require a particular ring, and they have to flatter their context so precisely that it's difficult to select favorites. However, one that provides full rhythm and resonance even when extracted from its paragraph is platitudinous. I'll have to meditate for a while and conjure up some more of that variety. Such words are delicious just to roll around in your mouth and savor.
I am profoundly loquacious, I believe, everywhere except on blogs. I never seem to remember to pour out my multiloquous meanderings into posts.
For me, words needn't be extravagant, obscure, or challenging to ensnare my interest. They do require a particular ring, and they have to flatter their context so precisely that it's difficult to select favorites. However, one that provides full rhythm and resonance even when extracted from its paragraph is platitudinous. I'll have to meditate for a while and conjure up some more of that variety. Such words are delicious just to roll around in your mouth and savor.
I am profoundly loquacious, I believe, everywhere except on blogs. I never seem to remember to pour out my multiloquous meanderings into posts.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Electroblogster at Your Service
Hello! Nee How Ma! Irashymassay!
Now they did it! They invited me. I guess that's OK. I like words. And (looking at our motto up there at the top of the page) I can sure be not-so-riveting. I can ruminate. But to be called loquacious - well - hmmm. I can spend long, long stretches saying nothing. Vocabulary is a must. A wide vocabulary is a delight. I will probably enjoy reading postings on here from others in this group more often than posting myself. Yet I was invited :)
A few words that stick with me are the ones I have heard from people who seem to have spent a lot of effort pronouncing them - sometimes the most simple words too. I like the way Alan Rickman (Col. Brandon) says "In the best sense" in Sense and Sensibility. I like the way Kathryn Hepburn says "Hello you" in Philadelphia Story. And sometimes the more exotic words too like the way the word lugubrious is said in Brideshead Revisited by Nikolas Grace (Anthony Blanche).
Sometimes it's just the way a person with a repertoire can extract from his lexicon the exact words that are needed. Cf. the exceedingly precise St. Thomas Aquinas. And the wit of Oscar Wilde. And P.G. Wodehouse who drops words like the seeds of flowers that pop out later in the story in a blossom of laughter. Of the master of masters Mr. Shakespeare himself - a man so comfortable with words that he coined them, redefined them, stretched them and sent our thoughts out of this lowly orb to conceptions celestial on a simple turn of phrase.
Yah. I think I am going to like this!
BTW. Love2Learn mom has put a link over there in the sidebar to my favorite word nerd show - "A Way with Words" on NPR. Listen some time. They have fun on that show.
Now they did it! They invited me. I guess that's OK. I like words. And (looking at our motto up there at the top of the page) I can sure be not-so-riveting. I can ruminate. But to be called loquacious - well - hmmm. I can spend long, long stretches saying nothing. Vocabulary is a must. A wide vocabulary is a delight. I will probably enjoy reading postings on here from others in this group more often than posting myself. Yet I was invited :)
A few words that stick with me are the ones I have heard from people who seem to have spent a lot of effort pronouncing them - sometimes the most simple words too. I like the way Alan Rickman (Col. Brandon) says "In the best sense" in Sense and Sensibility. I like the way Kathryn Hepburn says "Hello you" in Philadelphia Story. And sometimes the more exotic words too like the way the word lugubrious is said in Brideshead Revisited by Nikolas Grace (Anthony Blanche).
Sometimes it's just the way a person with a repertoire can extract from his lexicon the exact words that are needed. Cf. the exceedingly precise St. Thomas Aquinas. And the wit of Oscar Wilde. And P.G. Wodehouse who drops words like the seeds of flowers that pop out later in the story in a blossom of laughter. Of the master of masters Mr. Shakespeare himself - a man so comfortable with words that he coined them, redefined them, stretched them and sent our thoughts out of this lowly orb to conceptions celestial on a simple turn of phrase.
Yah. I think I am going to like this!
BTW. Love2Learn mom has put a link over there in the sidebar to my favorite word nerd show - "A Way with Words" on NPR. Listen some time. They have fun on that show.
These Are A Few of My Favorite Words
Hi, I'm Ria, another word fanatic. Below are some of my favorite words, many are taken from the movie Akeelah and the Bee, which has a great number of long words.
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: the fear of long words. plakkopytrixophylisperambulantiobatrix: (Ok, Ok this is not really in the dictionary but isn't it a cool word?) It's the name of a poem by Chesterton.
Those are the longest I know, now for the slightly less impressive....
prestidigitation
catastasis
bioluminescent
ratatouille
staphylococci
logorrhea I like the wordy definitions:
1. pathologically incoherent, repetitious speech.
2. incessant or compulsive talkativeness; wearisome volubility.
synecdoche
That's all for now, but I look forward to much more posting. This should be fun!
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: the fear of long words. plakkopytrixophylisperambulantiobatrix: (Ok, Ok this is not really in the dictionary but isn't it a cool word?) It's the name of a poem by Chesterton.
Those are the longest I know, now for the slightly less impressive....
prestidigitation
catastasis
bioluminescent
ratatouille
staphylococci
logorrhea I like the wordy definitions:
1. pathologically incoherent, repetitious speech.
2. incessant or compulsive talkativeness; wearisome volubility.
synecdoche
That's all for now, but I look forward to much more posting. This should be fun!
Favorite Math Words
mathematical
Pythagorean Theorem
tetrahedron
geometric
trigonometry
Fibonacci
consecutive
convex
icosahedron
dodecahedron
octahedron
stereoscopic
oscillation
symmetrical
abacus
equiangular
polyalphabetic substitution
infinitesimal
calculator
conchoid of Nicomedes
googolplex
transcendental probability
quadrilateral
equilibrium
perpendicular
hypotenuse
Thales of Miletus
Anaximander
Pythagorean Theorem
tetrahedron
geometric
trigonometry
Fibonacci
consecutive
convex
icosahedron
dodecahedron
octahedron
stereoscopic
oscillation
symmetrical
abacus
equiangular
polyalphabetic substitution
infinitesimal
calculator
conchoid of Nicomedes
googolplex
transcendental probability
quadrilateral
equilibrium
perpendicular
hypotenuse
Thales of Miletus
Anaximander
Welcome!
This is our little spot on the web to cultivate and share our love of words. Not necessarily limited to the English language, to non-"Dead" languages or languages that are actually used by real people in ordinary everyday conversation. Please introduce yourself and share some of your favorite words. This is a family-friendly site - content and comments not appropriate to this audience will be discriminated against and intolerantly censored.
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