Nicci Gerrard of the Observer wrote a review of the novel 'Northern Lights' by Philip Pullman and said: "The relationship between the soul and the body; the nature of power and betrayal; the birth of desire; the knowledge of emotional hunger and loneliness; the strength of friendship; the corruption of knowledge are colossal themes that judder through the symbol-laden narrative."
Judder?
One wonders if this is a corruption of/evolution from "shudder" or what?
In NZ, the traffic control devices known as "speed bumps" across the ditch are still commonly called "judder bars."
From AHD
judder
SYLLABICATION: jud·der
PRONUNCIATION: jdr
INTRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: jud·dered, jud·der·ing, jud·ders
To shake rapidly or spasmodically; vibrate conspicuously: “Edith would watch her wrestling with words, her thin little body juddering with the effort to unlock them” (Anita Brookner).
NOUN: A rapid or spasmodic shaking.
ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps j(erk)1 + (sh)udder.
I'm with Max. Common enough in the Zild.
...and not meaning to "hijack" this thread: I heard briefly something about the BBC sponsoring a vote on the 21 greatest books (of the 20th century, I think)? Pullman is in the running with His Dark Materials? Can anybody lead me to a link about this? That's all I know... sounds pretty strange to me.
digging a bit deeper, we find that these are the 21 contenders for Britain's favorite novel, as featured on The Big Read...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/bookchampions.shtml
Judder is a common enough word in the UK as well. What else would you call, for example, the motion of a car when it stalls?
Bingley
Never seen it or heard it used before. Sounds like a melding of "shudder" and "jerk."
That sure is an odd collection, tsuwm. Thanks to you and Father Steve for posting. Shall we start another thread discussing the merits?
Oh, hijack this one by all means. We're obviously talking a different language to the US.
That'd be a different language from the one they talk to themselves in.
I've heard the word, Father Steve. When Jules Verne was building the prototype submarine for "Captain Nemo" to pilot (he wanted to be able to write excellent descriptions for his readers), for the longest time he couldn't seem to get the crankshaft to stop trying to jump out of its mountings. Finally he got it to turn smoothly in place like it was supposed to, so he named the sub Juddernaught.Sorry--I know I've fussed about trying to keep Q & A for serious word discussion, but I just couldn't resist this. Won't happen very often, I promise.
Juddernaughtserious word discussionoh, so that was meant to be funny...
Well, you see, it juddered naught...
Ted, come back quick, we need you!
I got it... the first time
So did I, but I was too polite to mention it.
Common enough in [i[New England. Especially in regards to cars when they judder (diesel) after you've turned off the motor (ignition),
But then ----
In reply to:
digging a bit deeper, we find that these are the 21 contenders for Britain's favorite novel, as featured on The Big Read...
Apparently The Lord of the Rings won, with Pride and Prejudice second.
Bingley
