GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

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E Pericoloso Sporgersi
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote:pathos

a quality that evokes pity or sadness:
the actor injects his customary humor and pathos into the role

Image
Photo: derived from photo of Saturday Evening Post page by
This is visual pathos.

But don't forget auditive pathos:

Watch and listen to Luciano Pavarotti with [url=http://vimeo.com/4411478]"Ah! Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!"

(Javascript required)

Close your eyes and you'll still hear the pathos.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

voralfred wrote:...
I move that the anemélectroreculpédalicoupeventombrosoparacloucycle be nominated for the Word of the Month award....
It certainly is longer than Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by MidasKnight »

Algot Runeman wrote:Of course, to me, a U.S. resident, a pitch is a ball thrown in a baseball game.
To me (a US resident), although probably not to many other US residents, the pitch is the soccer field.

The rest of the world, knows this, but we Americans are arrogant seem to prefer (and hence, focus on) that silly baseball game.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

MidasKnight wrote:...
To me (a US resident), although probably not to many other US residents, the pitch is the soccer field.

The rest of the world, knows this, but we Americans are arrogant seem to prefer (and hence, focus on) that silly baseball game.
When I was off pitch, the music teacher tugged or slapped my ear and said: "So, playing offside again, are you?".

In a restaurant I often order a half pitcher of dry white wine. Of course I say it in Dutch: "een halve karaf ...". (in France I would say: "Un demi pichet ...")

In Flanders you may order food in English, most waiters will understand you, but for heaven's sake DON'T EVER order a pitcher. It's pronounced exactly the same as the Flemish word "pietje", which means penis.
We're not that racy ...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote:(...)
It certainly is longer than Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
... which reminds me of a description of the Mahatma Gandhi:
The Mahatma Gandhi always walked barefoot and ultimately the soles of his feet became thick and very hard. He also was, of course, known to be a man of deep spiritual conviction. He undertook hunger strikes as a political protest and at times was both thin and frail. Furthermore, due to his weird diet, he suffered from very bad breath.

So what did this all of these make Gandhi?
Spoiler: show
A super-callused, fragile mystic hexed by halitosis
This would have been more appropriate in a humor thread, but we are discussing here longand/or unusual words, so I hope you'll forgive me...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by sweetharleygirl »

This has NOTHING to do with the topic at hand but...I ABSOLUTELY HATE THE PICTURE OF THE CLOWNS AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE!!! I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT OF THE COMPUTER SCREEN AFTER ME WITH A KNIFE...THEY'RE AWFUL!!!

And that's all I have to say, thank you.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Sweetharleygirl wrote:THEY'RE AWFUL!!!
What do you do when the "Seinfeld" rerun comes on when Jerry, George and Kramer go to the opera to see Pagliacci, turn the channel to Lucy reruns?

voralfred, Wow! What a great description of Ghandi.

The off-word comments win! Who needs pathos when there is good humor!

[Screen fades to pitch black.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by sweetharleygirl »

I either close my eyes or turn the channel, I hate clowns it's a phobia.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

sweetharleygirl wrote:I either close my eyes or turn the channel, I hate clowns it's a phobia.
Even this cute, nice, lovely one? Sweet, even...

http://annenazaire.files.wordpress.com/ ... -clown.gif
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by sweetharleygirl »

That...was...mean... :(
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

sweetharleygirl wrote:That...was...mean... :(
:twisted:
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

sweetharleygirl wrote:
voralfred wrote:Even this cute, nice, lovely one? Sweet, even...
http://annenazaire.files.wordpress.com/ ... -clown.gif
That...was...mean... :(
Indeed, I agree. :shock:
Who would sick a Sith Lord like Darth Maul onto a gentle girl like SHG.
voralfred wrote: :twisted:
:smash:
I suggest you apologise.
Send flowers or Belgian chocolates or somehow make up.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

hawser

a thick rope or cable for mooring or towing a ship

Image
Photo: Flicker user shaindlin

------------------------------------------------

So the ship didn't slip, Harry heartily hauled the hawser to the bollard on the wharf. Really! It's true. I'm not just stringing you along.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote:... Really! It's true. I'm not just stringing you along.
Don't worry.
We'll give you enough rope to hang yourself.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

E.P.S. wrote:Don't worry.
We'll give you enough rope to hang yourself
Thanks for the kind offer.

Reading many nautical novels and some actual books about the skills of sailing, I remember coming across the statement that there really weren't many ropes on a sailing ship, in spite of the large amount of cordage aboard. Maybe it was "rope" before put to use, but... A sailing vessel has "lines", "stays", "shrouds", "painters", "yards", "halyards", along with hawser, of course. Whew! I know I've left out many.

If you get the chance, I recommend the Hornblower series by C.S. Forester and the books about Maturin and Aubrey by Patrick O'Brian. Forester is easier to read, but O'Brian's more challenging language effectively pulled me into the times about which he was writing, even though it took some effort.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: ropes ... cordage ... lines ... stays ... shrouds ... painters ... yards ... halyards ... hawser ...
I recommend the [...] the books [... with] more challenging language effectively pulled me into the times about which he was writing [...]
Hey, throw me a line here, will you?
I'm afraid my English isn't up to the task, so why don't you spin us a yarn about the High Wire? My grandma would appreciate it, she loved the circus.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: ropes ... cordage ... lines ... stays ... shrouds ... painters ... yards ... halyards ... hawser ...
...
♫ Far, a long, long way to run, ♫
♫ Sew, a needle pulling thread, ♫
♫ La, a note to follow sol, ♫
...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

In France, on a ship, there are grelins, amarres, filins, drisses, écoutes, haubans, etc. etc., but no cordes, which is what a "cul-terreux" (a hopelessly earthbound ignoramus - literally "earth-soiled-a**") would collectively call all of these. (In fact, there are a few objects actually called cordes, but one can understand why even using this word is taboo: they are used for hanging sailors, or for whipping them).
What about Flemish? Is the most common word used by the general population used on board ships, or is it forbidden? Or, maybe, are you such a seafaring people that there are no flemish equivalent of "cul-terreux", and every different piece of string has a specific name, so no generic equivalent of the french "corde" or the english "rope" exists at all?
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

voralfred wrote:... What about Flemish? ...
Teeth and ships have little in common and I don't know many nautical terms. But considering that in the 16th century, Antwerp was the world's foremost maritime port and the Dutch had large merchant and naval fleets, I guess that Flemish and especially Dutch have many sailing terms.

For example:
aftuigen = remove the rigging
then there's the opposite optuigen = rig up
and also tuigage = rigging, cordage; notice the suffix -age having the same function and meaning though a different pronunciation

But in Flemish slang aftuigen = beat up, beat to a pulp (in a fight)

Also koord = cord, rope
and in geometry, quite logically derived from archery, de koord van een boog = the cord of an arc
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

mistral

a strong cold north-westerly wind that blows through the Rhône valley and southern France towards the Mediterranean, mainly in winter.

Image
Clipart from Clipsahoy.com

---------------------------------------------

I'd like to request a mistrial, judging from the difficulty of finding a picture of the mistral, wind blowing down the Rhône valley.
[How did I let myself get roped into doing this WotD thing?]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote:... a strong cold north-westerly wind
One can use the magnetic compass to indicate the direction one is going to.
But why is wind qualified by the direction it is coming from?
Algot Runeman wrote:[How did I let myself get roped into doing this WotD thing?]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by sweetharleygirl »

I am so glad that Mistral is the word of the day! My favorite author wrote a book called Mistral's Kiss, in it Mistral is a faerie and can control storms but I never really knew what his name meant, now I do!! :D
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote:(...)
But why is wind qualified by the direction it is coming from?
Well, I can see a strong psychological reason for that.
The wind brings the weather from where it comes, and therefore the mood.
The "vent du Nord" typically brings the cold, the grey, depression. Calling it according to the direction it goes to, namely the south, would totally miss that. Contrariwise, the "vent du Sud" brings Italy to the Scheldt (your Schelde, Escaut for me)! Do I have to remind you of this beautiful song by your compatriot?

(for the non-french speakers, I apologize, but I don't feel up to the task of translating the beautiful lyrics of this song; just that Jacques Brel describes Flanders under the four directions of wind, East wind and West wind not so great, the North wind being by far the worse and, of course, the South wind bringing Italy, laughter, wheat, song, and all good things to his "Plat Pays"= flat land; incidentally I like most Brel's songs, but this one is among my two or three favorites)
sweetharleygirl wrote:I am so glad that Mistral is the word of the day! My favorite author wrote a book called Mistral's Kiss, in it Mistral is a faerie and can control storms but I never really knew what his name meant, now I do!! :D
Mistral is also the name of a great poet. Unfortunately, the language he used to write his poetry has all but disappeared: the southern Frenchmen don't speak "Occitan" anymore! Till five minutes ago, I was convinced that this was a pen name, it sounded too good to be true, but it is not! His father's name was actually Mistral, too, as I found out when posting the link to his (englsih) Wikipedia page.
E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote:
Algot Runeman wrote:[How did I let myself get roped into doing this WotD thing?]
Hi-hi-hi ...
I concur: Ho Ho Ho!
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

E.P.S. wrote:But why is wind qualified by the direction it is coming from?
Weather terminology is always odd.

While we do say "a north wind" when it comes from the north, coastal breezes are described in the opposite direction.
An "onshore" breeze is coming onto the shore from the water, while an "offshore" breeze is heading off the shore out over the water.

Another breezy thought!
When sailing to Maine from Boston, it is correct to say "I'm sailing down east [to Maine]." Maine can be clearly seen to be northeast or mostly "up" or "right" on a traditional map, certainly not "down" the map. However, sailors do their most efficient work when sailing "downwind" or "before the wind" which leads to the statement, since New England's prevailing winds are from the west, easily pushing ships northeast on a broad reach.

[Thus endeth, for today, the hot air, of which I am notably full.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

Algot Runeman wrote:(...)
Another breezy thought!
When sailing to Maine from Boston, it is correct to say "I'm sailing down east [to Maine]." Maine can be clearly seen to be northeast or mostly "up" or "right" on a traditional map, certainly not "down" the map. (...)
The fact that one usually sets a map with the east to the right, the west to the east, either and the south either towards oneself and the north away if the map is horizontal, or if it is vertical, the north up and the south down does not necessarily mean that one considers the north as "up". In France, one goes "up" to Paris ("je monte à la capitale"), from whatever part of the country one comes. Since Paris is rather north, it means that indeed, many provincials who go "up" do indeed travel north, but Alsatians who travel west, "Bretons" (from Brittany, not Brits from GB) who travel east or Picards and Artesians who travel south also go "up" to settle in Paris. People from small villages also go "up" when settling in the local city (or even a medium size town) whatever direction they travel. So a Savoyard from a little village all the way in the mountain goes "up" to Grenoble in the valley!
Isn't it so in the US?
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