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AWADmail Issue 707

Sponsor’s Message: Hate dumb winter? This week’s Email of the Week winner, Alan Shuchat (see below), as well as all AWADers everywhere can buy 2 x tickets to wicked smart sunny word fun paradise for only $25. Escape now!

From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
Subject: Interesting stories from the Net

The Languages of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
The Wall Street Journal
WebCite

Teenagers Not Ruining the English Language: Study
The Times of India
WebCite

Does the Rise of English Mean Losing Knowledge?
BBC
WebCite

In the intro to this week’s words, you said that sitzmark would be a good thing for test-takers. But I think that sitzfleisch would be more of an asset.

From: Hope Bucher (hopebucher gmail.com)
Subject: Torpor

Experiments are underway to lower humans’ body temperature in order to keep them in a sleeplike state. NASA has funded a preliminary study to examine placing astronauts in a state of torpor or hibernation for weeks at a time. It would move science fiction into the realm of science reality.

From: Evan Hazard (eehazard paulbunyan.net)
Subject: welter

Depends on one’s viewpoint. To us biologists, that neat photo accompanying this word shows some fungi degrading organic stuff into recyclable plant nutrients and deriving their own nutrition thereby. A beautiful photo illustrating a beautiful process.

From: Bernard Jacks (bsjacks optonline.net)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--reticence

A lot of politicians on the Sunday morning talk shows use “reticence” incorrectly, as meaning “reluctant” -- “the senator is reticent to sign that bill.” Drives me crazy.

From: Stephen Posey (stephenlposey earthlink.net)
Subject: This week’s words

Just wanted you to know that your “circular” usage quotes did not go unnoticed ;-)

From: Dharam Khalsa (dharamkk2 windstream.net)
Subject: Anagrams of this week’s words

From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
Subject: Limericks

When the Wordsmith decided to honor us
with this Word both intriguing and sonorous,
I had quite a tough time
coming up with a rhyme.
Must admit that I found the task onerous.

Though my wife and the dog find it onerous
My singing is really quite sonorous
They ought to throw flowers
All during my showers
And beg, “One more aria, honor us!”

“Oh my Gosh!” said our Lord, “this’s onerous,”
As He plodded the long Via Doloros-
A. ‘Nd I’m quite at a loss
Why I’m bearin” this cross.”
Said his Dad: “Well, it’s awesome PR for Us.”

She refused to be roused from her torpor,
said all his attempts only bored her.
So what did he do?
He gave up (wouldn’t you?)
and declared he no longer would court her.

When the engines were off of their feed
And the order came down for more speed
“In this kind of torpor
It’s not safe to warp her!”
Would Scotty to Captain Kirk plead.

She walked around in a torpor,
Abandoned by her paramour,
Who on that very day,
Said adieu, ran away,
With her own young, handsome chauffeur.

As she runs here and there helter-skelter,
attempting escape from the welter,
poor Snow Maiden yells,
“Global warming is hell!”
and prays changing temps will not melt her.

When Syrians flee helter skelter
And Congress is all in a welter
Executive orders
Should open the borders
“Your tired, your poor” let us shelter.

There once was a private detective
Who oft spoke with pow’rful invective.
But when he wrote letters
To inform his betters,
He was, with his words, more selective.

If your husband seems full of invective
And in bed he’s become ineffective
Perhaps you’ll approach
A relationship coach
But I’d hire a private detective.

Prince valued the beauty’s sweet reticence,
so chose to withhold his beneficence.
He knew if he kissed her,
she’d wake. Though he’d miss her,
he left. She’s still Sleeper in Residence.

A person who should have used “reticent”
about someone who wouldn’t say what he meant,
would not even try
to describe him as shy.
Simple language: I wish I knew where it went!

Though Moses spoke only with reticence
He called down one heck of a pestilence
The armies of Pharaoh
Still made escape narrow
But parting the sea -- now that’s eloquence.

From: Phil Graham (pgraham1946 cox.net)
Subject: AWAD of puns

“If we could carry your majesty’s palanquin, you would onerus.”

The girl’s plot was so slow-moving that the English teacher torpor paper.

To make Hilary Swank look bruised in “Million Dollar Baby,” they had to welter.

“Damn it! When is the health department gonna spray for those invective mosquitoes?”

The country singer, Ms. Lynn, got laryngitis. I haven’t heard low reticence.

From: Brandy Dille (brandy_dille76 yahoo.com)
Subject: Gift subscriptions of A.Word.A.Day

I sent gift subscriptions of A.Word.A.Day because I love learning new stuff and I love getting my new words every morning in me mailbox and thought my friends would too.