Hi folks, I just wanted to post a brief introduction (in lieu of placing a puff notice in my profile) before attempting to post anything of significance.
I've been a reader of these forums for some time and have been quite impressed with the level of scholarship and research in the area of word-related issues. (I have also been alarmed to see the (usual?) turf wars, which is one of the reasons I have hesitated to join in an active way and been satisfied with vicarious participation.)
I am a serious, albeit amateur, linguaphile. I hope that the serious part of me doesn't get in the way of posing some interesting questions and partaking of some intelligent discussions.
Eventually, with a minimum of cozening, I will post in the other forums.
Oh, don't be overly alarmed by the Username; I had to come up with something and I was feeling contrary to the effort of being original.
the Contrarian
Welcome to the madhouse :)
If you like language and other issues and a certain amount of light-hearted banter, pull up a chair and join in. You say you have been satisfied with vicarious pleasures ~ that's good, we have at least two here.
That name's a mouthful - can I call you TC? or was it to tease us ;)
Welcome, Contrarian! Hope you enjoy it here, despite the usual blights than can befall any public message board.
[cozen]I look forward to your posts. [/cozen] (AHD4 def.2)
Aw, Anna--there you go, cozening up again!
Oh, yes--what's a puff notice, please?
what's a puff notice, please?
When the African Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) is disturbed, it puffs itself up to appear larger than its normal size. Being larger than life makes it more likley to be noticed by others. When this occurs, it is known as "puff notice." TheContrarian obviously wished to behave in a manner different from that of serpents, hence the lack of a "Bio" in the Profile.
That's not far off the mark, Father Steve. I was taking off from puff piece, wherein the praise would be snarkily self-promoting.
puff piece - An approving or flattering article, as in That was really a puff piece about the conductor, written by her cousin. The use of puff for "exaggerated praise" dates from about 1600; piece was added in the mid-1900s. [AHD of Idioms]
the Contrarian
>can I call you TC?
That's tC to you, mav. I wouldn't want to put on la-de-da airs.
the Contrarian
Ah, but could you put on a squonk opera?
snarkily
the adverbial form of snarky/snarkier/snarkiest
Defined by AHD-4 2000 as "irritable or short-tempered; irascible."
The etymology offered by AHD is "From dialectal snark, to nag, from snark, snork, to snore, snort, from Dutch and Low German snorken, of imitative origin."
I like it.
Sounds to me like it oughta have something to do with Lewis Carroll.
> That's tC to you, mav.
oh, good - mebbe now I can lose the bloody 'Top Cat' theme I've had skworming through my brain for the last half a day! :)
Well, here's the words if you've lost the tune, mav. Perhaps they'll bring it back to you:
http://www.jedisparadise.co.uk/index.htm?childrenstv/Top_Cat/Top_Cat.htm&1(Welcome aBoard, contrarian)
Bingley
I hope the Contrarian does not take it contrarily, or think I'm stealing their thunder, if I take advantage of their introduction to sneakily (not snarkily) re-introduce myself to the board, as I'd been pondering how to go about it...
Hi, everybody! I've been lost for a while, but I'm back now, live from Madrid!...*wave, wave*
Thanks for the opening, and welcome to the board, Contrarian...
Oooo, I think I'm jealous - you live in Madrid? Cool, neat, peachy keen [showing my age-e]!
Leslie
Bienvenidos, otra vez, Marianna.
Leslie, do not envy the people of Madrid: it is 91°F (33°C) there today.
yeah but, ® whats the humidity?
it was 91° early this week in NYC--and the humidity was over 86%--the air was so wet, you got into a pool to dry off..
its only 89° today, but with the humidity down to the 40% range, it feels 20° cooler.
Wow, Mariana great to hear from you again! Still got the cool bike?
Marianna! I've been wondering about you! How you doing, girl?
Welcome back.
Gracias a todos. Padre Esteban, 33ºC? I wish; it's been over 36ºC every afternoon for about a week. Very dry, though, so I guess that helps. You walk out of the building and roast but not boil.
Sjmaxq, cool bike? [puzzle puzzle]... mmm... you might be thinking of someone else, I’ve not had a bicycle for years, never mind a motorbike...
Sparteye, I’ve been doing alright generally, and now things are pretty good! And yourself?
¡Lo siento mucho, Marianna! I was thinking of another long-lost Spaniard that used to be a regular here.
