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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 2 of 2 1 2 Re: What's that thing called? #26373 05/18/01 02:32 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 275 W wordcrazy enthusiast wordcrazy enthusiast W Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 275 Rapunzel<<<< I came across an interesting little word yesterday while looking up an entirely different one: prick·et n. A small point or spike for holding a candle upright. A candlestick having such a spike I just have to add this your post. I saw this by happenstance while also looking up another word: Bobeche a slightly cupped ring placed over the socket of a candleholder to catch the drippings of a candle FWIW, who knows, if we keep this on, we might yet be able to name all the parts of a candleholder before the year is over! chronist Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: What's that thing called? #26374 05/21/01 08:51 PM Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1 E elee stranger elee stranger E Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1 In that English is packed with generic nouns to describe the things we cannot truly name (whatsit, thingamajig, thingamabob, doohickey, whatchamacallit, gadget)I would come down on the side of simply not knowing the proper name of every object we encounter during the day. On the other hand, in that this phenomenon is more likely to occur during an actual conversation (as opposed to appearing in print), sometimes it's disruptive to the flow of the conversation to pause and try to come up with the proper word when circumlocution and context serve to illustrate one's point. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: What's that thing called? #26375 05/23/01 05:08 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Welcome aBoard, elee. Disruptive to conversations--you are so right! I absolutely hate it when people give me these big pauses in mid-sentence, whether they're doing it for effect, or genuinely can't remember. I just wanna say, "Out with it already!". But--confess I do it myself! Partly because of distractions, and mostly because my mouth can't keep up with my thoughts. All too often, when I'm speaking, my mind is in one or two other places, causing me to lose concentration on what I'm saying. I know I drive my children crazy when I begin, "and, um...". Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 2 of 2 1 2 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,913 Posts229,318 Members9,182 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV 9,182 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 members (), 749 guests, and 2 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 32 A C Bowden 13 ddrinnan 1 LukeJavan8 1 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,542 wofahulicodoc 10,535 LukeJavan8 9,916 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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