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General Discussion => WHATEVER => Topic started by: SneakySecrets on May 24, 2023, 04:17:38 PM
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Heard someone use the word “somnolent” (sleepy; drowsy) casually in a sentence today and I thought it was pretty cool.
What are some other good words people could try to pepper in to their vocabulary?
Not some crazy, esoteric (intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest) shit no one knows about and would stick out like a sore thumb, but words people could actually use and integrate into their day-to-day language.
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Hi I'm an absolute nerd, can we do fun etymologies too?
Somnambulant
resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker
from Latin somnus "sleep" + ambulare "to walk"
You can see those roots in insomnia, ambulance... Cool shit.
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Hi I'm an absolute nerd, can we do fun etymologies too?
Somnambulant
resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker
from Latin somnus "sleep" + ambulare "to walk"
You can see those roots in insomnia, ambulance... Cool shit.
Yes of course. I think that shit is interesting too and I never thought about that until you pointed it out. I never took any Greek or Latin but I think it’s fascinating.
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The word “turboclown” is grossly under used.
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Hi I'm an absolute nerd, can we do fun etymologies too?
Somnambulant
resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker
from Latin somnus "sleep" + ambulare "to walk"
You can see those roots in insomnia, ambulance... Cool shit.
Yes of course. I think that shit is interesting too and I never thought about that until you pointed it out. I never took any Greek or Latin but I think it’s fascinating.
I think you could start from there (Greeks / Romans) and move up.
You can buy books with both Greek-English / Latin-English.
Gonna be a fun adventure.
It’s crazy how much those cultures gave to the world (not only in terms of linguistics) and we pulled so many back 180s into darkness.
By flamboyant somnambulant
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I can't stop using the word infinitesimal
(Extremely small, approaching zero)
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I like “clandestine”
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Hi I'm an absolute nerd, can we do fun etymologies too?
Somnambulant
resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker
from Latin somnus "sleep" + ambulare "to walk"
You can see those roots in insomnia, ambulance... Cool shit.
I began listening to the movie podcast "You Must Remember This" and Karina Longworth loves "Somnambulant".
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@SneakySecrets :-*
Sadism
the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.
From French sadisme. Named after the Marquis de Sade, famed for his libertine writings depicting the pleasure of inflicting pain to others.
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I used to subscribe to word of the day emails from m-w.com and dictionary.com, and I kept a file of vocabulary words to study based on that and just weird words I would come across in books. I don't know what happened but my passion for literature and words kind of died, but at one point I was really into this stuff. Need to find a way to rekindle that fire.
Here's a weird word:
qualtagh - the first person one encounters, either after leaving one's home or (sometimes) outside one's home, especially on New Year's Day
That's a bit on the esoteric side but interesting because it's so specific. I probably first saw it in a Beckett or Joyce novel.
A bit less esoteric is integument - a tough outer protective layer, especially that of an animal or plant. It's cool that that it can be used for both plants and animals.
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Caper
verb
skip or dance about in a lively or playful way.
noun
1. a playful skipping movement.
2. an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous.
Caper in Latin means "a male goat". Capricorn, meaning "horned goat", is a constellation and one of the signs of the zodiac.
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Qualtagh will be in my lexicon for some time. Finally a reason to look forward to New Years. I submit
Laconic : using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
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dumbbitch
equitable
delineate
fuckhead
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Surreptitious
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I used to subscribe to word of the day emails from m-w.com and dictionary.com, and I kept a file of vocabulary words to study based on that and just weird words I would come across in books. I don't know what happened but my passion for literature and words kind of died, but at one point I was really into this stuff. Need to find a way to rekindle that fire.
Here's a weird word:
qualtagh - the first person one encounters, either after leaving one's home or (sometimes) outside one's home, especially on New Year's Day
That's a bit on the esoteric side but interesting because it's so specific. I probably first saw it in a Beckett or Joyce novel.
A bit less esoteric is integument - a tough outer protective layer, especially that of an animal or plant. It's cool that that it can be used for both plants and animals.
Quality post in a refreshing thread! I'm reminded of the first time I read Cormac McCarthy characterize a desert landscape as "austere."
Here's a couple, top of head:
ingress (n): the act of going in or entering; the right to enter;
a means or place of entering; entryway; Astronomy: immersion (def. 5) [?]
comportment (n):personal bearing or conduct; demeanor; behavior.
crepuscule (n): twilight; dusk.
crepuscular (adj): of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct. Zoology: appearing or active in the twilight, as certain bats and insects.
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my fil drops this stuff on me on the reg .. he went to stanford and i don’t think he does it on purpose but sometimes it feels like he’s testing me .. every time he uses an adjective or adverb that ive never heard i just agree and i see him look back at me like .. “this dumbass”
i read a article once about how people with high iq’s have to dumb themselves down to when conversing with lay folk like me
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i read a article once about how people with high iq’s have to dumb themselves down to when conversing
Lmao that’s actually one of the reasons why I started doing drugs back in the day.
Not gnarly ones eh, but yeah now mans wavy.
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Yeah I love voluntary secretions.
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my fil drops this stuff on me on the reg .. he went to stanford and i don’t think he does it on purpose but sometimes it feels like he’s testing me .. every time he uses an adjective or adverb that ive never heard i just agree and i see him look back at me like .. “this dumbass”
i read a article once about how people with high iq’s have to dumb themselves down to when conversing with lay folk like me
Are you sure your friend didn’t just come from a highly literate household?
I’ll give you a personal example. I’m an only child so around the dinner table conversations were not geared to kid stuff. Both my parents were readers and I believe I benefited in school up until 6th grade where I could no longer coast.
I probably have a better than average vocabulary but it was through no effort of my own. If I was motivated to read I would definitely have a much broader vocabulary than I do today.
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"Embiggen" is a perfectly cromulent word.
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Qualtagh will be in my lexicon for some time. Finally a reason to look forward to New Years. I submit
Laconic : using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, I believe that comes from how ancient Spartans (from the region of Laconia) used to talk, particularly King Leonidas. He has a bunch of badass, very short, quotes.
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I used to subscribe to word of the day emails from m-w.com and dictionary.com, and I kept a file of vocabulary words to study based on that and just weird words I would come across in books. I don't know what happened but my passion for literature and words kind of died, but at one point I was really into this stuff. Need to find a way to rekindle that fire.
Here's a weird word:
qualtagh - the first person one encounters, either after leaving one's home or (sometimes) outside one's home, especially on New Year's Day
That's a bit on the esoteric side but interesting because it's so specific. I probably first saw it in a Beckett or Joyce novel.
A bit less esoteric is integument - a tough outer protective layer, especially that of an animal or plant. It's cool that that it can be used for both plants and animals.
Quality post in a refreshing thread! I'm reminded of the first time I read Cormac McCarthy characterize a desert landscape as "austere."
Here's a couple, top of head:
ingress (n): the act of going in or entering; the right to enter;
a means or place of entering; entryway; Astronomy: immersion (def. 5) [?]
The opposite being ‘egress’, if I remember correctly.
And I believe it was Barnum Bailey (again, just from memory and I could be completely wrong) that in his exhibit of freaks and oddities had a sign saying ‘this way to the egress’ as a way of tricking people to leave the rooms without lingering.
Edit: I checked. It was PT Barnum who did it, and it was in his “American Museum” which was so popular people would linger for hours, so he tricked them with the sign.
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I used to subscribe to word of the day emails from m-w.com and dictionary.com, and I kept a file of vocabulary words to study based on that and just weird words I would come across in books. I don't know what happened but my passion for literature and words kind of died, but at one point I was really into this stuff. Need to find a way to rekindle that fire.
Here's a weird word:
qualtagh - the first person one encounters, either after leaving one's home or (sometimes) outside one's home, especially on New Year's Day
That's a bit on the esoteric side but interesting because it's so specific. I probably first saw it in a Beckett or Joyce novel.
A bit less esoteric is integument - a tough outer protective layer, especially that of an animal or plant. It's cool that that it can be used for both plants and animals.
Quality post in a refreshing thread! I'm reminded of the first time I read Cormac McCarthy characterize a desert landscape as "austere."
Here's a couple, top of head:
ingress (n): the act of going in or entering; the right to enter;
a means or place of entering; entryway; Astronomy: immersion (def. 5) [?]
The opposite being ‘egress’, if I remember correctly.
And I believe it was Barnum Bailey (again, just from memory and I could be completely wrong) that in his exhibit of freaks and oddities had a sign saying ‘this way to the egress’ as a way of tricking people to leave the rooms without lingering.
I thought egress was a female egret
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my fil drops this stuff on me on the reg .. he went to stanford and i don’t think he does it on purpose but sometimes it feels like he’s testing me .. every time he uses an adjective or adverb that ive never heard i just agree and i see him look back at me like .. “this dumbass”
i read a article once about how people with high iq’s have to dumb themselves down to when conversing with lay folk like me
Are you sure your friend didn’t just come from a highly literate household?
I’ll give you a personal example. I’m an only child so around the dinner table conversations were not geared to kid stuff. Both my parents were readers and I believe I benefited in school up until 6th grade where I could no longer coast.
I probably have a better than average vocabulary but it was through no effort of my own. If I was motivated to read I would definitely have a much broader vocabulary than I do today.
I read and, excluding the last 4 years of my drunk 20s, have always read a lot. I write often. For some people #s are easy, for me, words are easy.
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Loquacious: talkative/talking a great deal.
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Caper
verb
skip or dance about in a lively or playful way.
noun
1. a playful skipping movement.
2. an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous.
Caper in Latin means "a male goat". Capricorn, meaning "horned goat", is a constellation and one of the signs of the zodiac.
those things that look like peas
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Pretty good with smoked salmon + cream cheese on a bagel.
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personation - the act of slowing the development or progress of something.
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personation - the act of slowing the development or progress of something.
I can only find the legal definition for this one (synonym for impersonation).
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personation - the act of slowing the development or progress of something.
I can only find the legal definition for this one (synonym for impersonation).
Sorry, that word included a word that starts with r that isn’t allowed here apparently. It substituted “person”.
Obsequious- overly obedient or servile
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http://youtu.be/ZJM6DDvzm84
everyone in this thread
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Super-Underused Word Alert 🚨
Ennui-
a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
Throw that mf in a sentence today, it’s fun. :-*
Sounds like “Un-Wee”
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i read a article once about how people with high iq’s have to dumb themselves down to when conversing with lay folk like me
I don't know my IQ nor do I consider myself particularly cultivated but I have to do this very often.
"Dumb down" is a bit strong but so many people are illiterate, you know they won't understand some words/expressions, or will think of you as haughty for using them.
I try to educate others when possible though, the same way I like to learn from them.
A lot of words that you guys seem to like have a greek/latin origin, I guess they sound kind of exotic to english ears.
Ennui means boredom in french, which is not exactly the same meaning as the english use.
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ennui is gorgeous.
supernal is nice - meaning heavenly, ethereal; being or coming from on high.
another one that you might not get to use everyday but since learning it does come to mind in situations quite a bit for me is nacristic - to have an appearance like mother of pearl (or nacre). Give it some time and you'll find nacristic pops in lots of things.
ps nacristic is not coming up in google and has a red line under it when i type it - i picked it up from the magus by john fowles and i liked it. so maybe it's not real, but it's still nice.
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ennui is gorgeous.
supernal is nice - meaning heavenly, ethereal; being or coming from on high.
another one that you might not get to use everyday but since learning it does come to mind in situations quite a bit for me is nacristic - to have an appearance like mother of pearl (or nacre). Give it some time and you'll find nacristic pops in lots of things.
ps nacristic is not coming up in google and has a red line under it when i type it - i picked it up from the magus by john fowles and i liked it. so maybe it's not real, but it's still nice.
Perhaps it was nacreous?
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ennui is gorgeous.
supernal is nice - meaning heavenly, ethereal; being or coming from on high.
another one that you might not get to use everyday but since learning it does come to mind in situations quite a bit for me is nacristic - to have an appearance like mother of pearl (or nacre). Give it some time and you'll find nacristic pops in lots of things.
ps nacristic is not coming up in google and has a red line under it when i type it - i picked it up from the magus by john fowles and i liked it. so maybe it's not real, but it's still nice.
Perhaps it was nacreous?
You're obviously not wrong - but in the book he 100% says nacristic cause I started using the day I read it and have continued since. But yeah, I should probably start saying nacreous haha
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That’s a pretty wild word, but I can’t think of a single time that I ever wanted to describe something as looking like mother of pearl haha. If I ever have a legitimate opportunity to use the word, you’ll be the first one I tell. Could be a bit of a wait though.
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Somewhat related to the topic is the word “decimate” which is normally used when you want to say something was completely destroyed, and apologies if everyone already knows this, but it really doesn’t mean that. It literally means to reduce by 10%, which makes sense when you think about it. Pretty sure it comes from when Roman generals would punish their armies by picking out every tenth soldier to be killed by their peers. Imagine the psychological trauma that must have caused in those poor people.
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cicatrix (or cicatrice)
The scar of a healed wound.
A scar on the bark of a tree.
BOTANY
a mark on a stem left after a leaf or other part has become detached.
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just came across tintinnabulation in a book i'm reading.
it is the sound of bells, OR simply a ringing or tinkling sound.
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Labile
Acquiesce
Anyone subscribe to word daily?
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callipygian (https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuQDAPYNQ-k/?igshid=YmM0MjE2YWMzOA==)
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Dysphemism
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where my parangaricutirimicuaro heads at?
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I'm reading Gulliver's Travels and he frequently calls food and drink "victuals". I like that one.
I like using the word "ablutions" in reference to trips to the bathroom sometimes.
There's a butcher shop near my house and occasional I'll say I need to pop down to the "abattoir", though I'm pretty sure abattoir is specifically a slaughterhouse and not a butcher shop.
I use all of these very sparingly and always with an exaggerated british accent.
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Internecine - adj. relating to conflict between factions within a group
Atavistic - adj. having reverted back to a more primitive or ancient form
Samizdat - n. the secret copying and dissemination of banned literature, borrowed from Russian