Coming from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1022356/
I decided to broaden the topic to include anything related to words, phrases, expressions and language. Feel free to still list words and phrases that drive you crazy, but let's also talk about anything about language we like or find interesting.
Not sure I included this in the other threads, but another geekspeak phrase I hate is 'vertically integrated'. Ugh. Working with engineers was an adventure in communication.
A few words I like are quintessential, anything onomatopoetic like 'ding' and 'buzz', and sabotage (I seem to like French words). Of course, I can't remember any others now that I'm trying! I will.
Imagine the first people who began to speak! What did the family and group members think? Think it was a woman or man? ^_^
Words and Language
Doing my son's homework with him makes me wonder who invented the English language.
"How stupid is that?" - A phrase which literally turns my stomach...
A few words I like are quintessential, anything onomatopoetic like 'ding' and 'buzz', and sabotage (I seem to like French words).
How about another French word, "effleurage"--a circular massage made with the palm of the hand--lovely in concept and also in pronunciation?
I love everything about words! I love when Word Origins is a category on Jeopardy, lol! I subscribe to a daily word e-mail and it gives the etymology and history. Ah, I'm such a geek!
And I love names. I work with the public and i just love to see all the unusual and cool-sounding names. They can be cool because of their meaning, or because they are unusual, or just because they sound really great.
I also am a history buff, and two of my favorite names (from history) are Maximilien Robespierre and Fyodor Dostoevsky. I love the way they roll off the tongue. Oh, and then there's my husband's uncle, Romeo LeBeau. There's a name that rolls off the tongue, lol.
I'm kind of afraid to ask this, but does anyone else go to look up a word in the dictionary and get stuck reading for awhile...?
"Romeo LeBeau"--just knowing there's a person with this actual name gladdens my heart.
And he has a sister Juliet, lol! (But her name isn't quite as musical, lol!)
I do Digger!
Do the same thing on line too - somebody asks a question and the next thing I know I 'google' it and then that starts a chain reaction!
I love history! Hannibal, Kubla Khan, Alexander the Great, Richard Nixon, all great conquerors!
Try to study as much Chinese history & philosophy as possible, I like to know where my tax $ is eventually going to, besides I love the introspective double and quadruple entendres.
Also have an affinity toward the Greek philosophers, studied a few in college, love it more when they write it in stone or papyrus!
- And yes I get stuck on dictionaries and encyclopedias, or shall I say 'used' to get stuck on them, (before the invention of the Microsoft mouse where the world is 'one click away'). ☺
Same here. Love etymology, history and names!
Had slang dictionaries years ago. Etymology books too. Ever wonder where the word etymology originates? Hee hee. ^_^
Great word, Emily. Decoupage. Triage. The 'age' ending is very nice. Mirage.
That's why I love using botanical names too. One of my faves - and one of my favorite trees in my garden - Metasequoia glyptostroboides. I love saying it!
how 'bout "cimicifuga" - that's a fun one!
Phew! Not only am I glad to know that others read the dictionary for fun, but also glad to see I didn't embarrass myself with that question, lol!
That one sounds like a curse to me! Italian.
Yeah that fuga don't sound too cool unless you're talking about Bach... (lol!)
But not his mother.
No, no 'ya cant talk about anybody's moms! Unless they make you really, really mad! (ROFLOL!)
I like when movie critics complain about 'gratuitous violence'!!
I like browsing this site (and similar ones).
http://www.slangsite.com/
Ah, Victor, I'll never be able to say cimicifuga again without thinking about Italian curses.... not that that's a bad thing, lol!
Considering they sell movies based on violence & sex it does seem hypocritical...
Oh, love this thread! I have a love affair with words. I like names and history too.
Once, when I was on watch in the Navy, a new kid checked in and I swear his last name had eight syllables. It didnt even fit above the pocket on his shirt. So, I checked it against his id and asked him to pronounce it. He did, effortlessly, and I waved him in and said, you check out because no one else could have said it so perfectly. It was such a nice name, almost like a song. I wish I could remember it.
Funny, Joyce! My wife's name is a killer. Inocencia. Many just give up on it. It's really not bad - just long. We took a tour at the Pentagon a number of years ago and when the marine was calling out the names and just stopped, we knew it was her! He then said he needed help. Hee hee!
LOl! Thats a pretty name. What do you call her?
Boss.
That's an easy name, obviously he was not familiar with any of the romantic languages. 'Stiff upper lip' shall we say...
LOL. of course.
That's one thing that gets me about names - no one really tries to pronounce them. My last name is only three syllables long, and NO ONE gets it right (even family members, lol). If people just took a minute and broke it down into syllables, they'd have a good shot at getting it right.
Ooh, and it drives me crazy when people say their own names wrong, lol! I know, I know, you're saying "who am I to decide how people should say their names?" But when they have a name that in "the old country" (whichever old country it might be, lol) would be pronounced a certain way, and they don't say it that way here, it gets my goat. For example, "gia- or gio-" in Italian is not "gee-a /gee-o", it's just "juh or joe". (Gianni = Johnny/ Giovanni = Jo-vanni, etc.) "cz" in many eastern european languages is a "ch" sound, not a "z" sound. But I guess I'm just picky - I think it's that history thing kicking in - I feel people should honor their heritage by keeping original pronunciations. But then again, no one asked me, lol!
Jadajoy, that's funny! I think the same thing sometimes. If someone doesn't have their ID on them, and they pronounce the name effortlessly, I can pretty much be sure they are who they say they are!
How about the name Eulalia? Beautiful name - but everyone called her Lally, lol!
LOL, Victor! I was so busy typing you got your short and sweet answer in before I finished.
But it was the correct answer!
GI Joe??
Sometimes if you honor your history you get kicked in the but because you're in the wrong place...
I like the Greek names too. They sound so manly...
HERAKLES ,DIONYSOS ,AGAMEMNON ,DIOMEDES,MENELAUS.
I also collect books on the English language. Took a few linguistic classes. Everyone else was hating it, I had to hide my glee:-) If I could pick my next incarnation I would like to go back in time to be in a monastery as a scribe, copying great works on papyrus.
"...If I could pick my next incarnation I would like to go back in time to be in a monastery as a scribe, copying great works on papyrus..."
Oh my goodness, you must be my long-lost twin, lol!
I type so slow you guys had a whol conversation without me.
Digger that reminds me of the story of Chef Boy-ar-dee. It is the way his name is pronounced but not spelled. He wanted to ensure that people said his name right.
I'd rather be the guy who owns the monastery...
Who owned the monasteries?
Jada, you're right about that. The story in my husband's family was that his uncle taught Chef Boy-ar-di to cook, lol! The uncle was in WWII and was a real joker - liked to tease all his nephews and nieces, etc - and was a great cook too. He used to tell my husband that when he was over in Italy in the war he taught CB how to cook. One of the family jokes now. (although so many in my DH's family cook so well I don't think any of them would really take credit for Chef Boy-ar-di, lol!)
BTW, Agamemnon is a VERY cool name!
The bishop!
You never know Digger. He might have:-)
Thanks for the Gia=Joe. I am /was guilty of the wrong pronounciation of this name.
They say a lot of names were changed at Ellis Island when people came over from the old countries.I think that was a travesty.
The bishop would have had to handle all the politics. I wouldnt have liked that job. I am not a diplomat:-) But he was probably richer and had more freedom.
Hi Bill &Joy & all.
Simple, lovely Greek name: Athena
My Greek buddy's kids: Arianna& Elana
Diplomacy would have probably been necessary to handle the cultural output of the monasteries which would have made scientific, theological and philosophical landmarks in civilization at that time.