MUMPSIMUS
noun
a view stubbornly held even when shown to be wrong or one holding such a view; adherance to or persistance in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc, out of habit or obstinancy or a person who persists in such a way; a bigoted adherant to exposed but customary error
SUMPSIMUS
noun
an adherance to or persisence in using a strictly correct term, holding to a precise practice as a rejection of an erroneous but more common form or a person who is obstinant or zealous about such strict correctness; a strictly correct expression or usage substituted for an old popular error
PEDANTIC
adj.
too concerned with formal rules and details; narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned; unimaginative, pedestrian; overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching; ostentatious in one's learning; bookish, precise
It is funny how situations teach us new things and even lead to cool new words... And how those new words lead us to even more cool words... And then eventually lead back to more familiar ones.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
WORDS TO THE WISE - 11
SPATCHCOCK
verb or noun
To insert into a text too hurriedly or inappropriately; a fowl stuffed and cooked immediately after killing; to introduce or interpose especially in a labored or unsuitable manner; to insert or interpolate especially in a forced or incongruous manner; a roughly prepared and cooked fowl.
If you look up this word you will likely find it to be a word used in most often a culinary context. However, I think this is a fascinating word thats value lies not merely in its culinary usage but as a way to describe something done in haste and without proper forethought that turns out to be ill prepared and ill received. I may be taking too sweeping of a literary license here but to me it means something that is done by flying off the handle or so quickly as to not invite any of that wise old adage "think before you speak/take action."
verb or noun
To insert into a text too hurriedly or inappropriately; a fowl stuffed and cooked immediately after killing; to introduce or interpose especially in a labored or unsuitable manner; to insert or interpolate especially in a forced or incongruous manner; a roughly prepared and cooked fowl.
If you look up this word you will likely find it to be a word used in most often a culinary context. However, I think this is a fascinating word thats value lies not merely in its culinary usage but as a way to describe something done in haste and without proper forethought that turns out to be ill prepared and ill received. I may be taking too sweeping of a literary license here but to me it means something that is done by flying off the handle or so quickly as to not invite any of that wise old adage "think before you speak/take action."
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