tsuwm published a useless word porrect that stuck with me for some unfathomable reason. Porrect is an adjective referring to antennae that point forwards. Well, as I was thinking about this truly odd, virtually worthless word--at least in ordinary discourse--I wondered what might be the equally worthless adjectives to describe antennae pointing upwards, backwards, and straight out sideways.

I don't suppose anyone is privy to those useless beauties?

I was a radar tech in the Navy and my ship, being the floating office of a Joint Chief of Staffs team, was quite, um, anal about many things. When in port we were required to make sure that all our radar antennas were porrectly orientatized.

It can be applied to other body parts on insects, like mandibles. My oldest friend in the world -- we've known each other since 2nd grade -- has an AB in entomology, as does his wife, and they can carry on "normal" conversations using all kinds of strange words. (I often wonder what kind of vocabulary their daughter will have; they're all musicians, too.) Since a lot of taxonomy is based on shape, position, and orientation, this kind of terminology is common.

On to the etymology: L porrectus ppl of porrigo, porgo 'to reach out, extend, offer' (< por- 'forward' + rego 'to keep in a straight line').

tsuwm published a useless word porrect that stuck with me for some unfathomable reason

"Porrect" may be a useless word, Wordwind, but it gave rise to the very useful term "politically porrect" which stands in sharp contrast to the more familiar term "politically correct".

A "politically correct" statement doesn't really make a point because it has too many antennae pointing in too many directions.

A "politically porrect" statement has its antennae pointing only in one direction, straight forward.

"Politically porrect" statements aren't as politically sensitive as "politically correct" statements, but at least they make a point and they are more likely to be honest.

Most people prefer straight-forward "politically porrect" statements, but they almost never get them from their elected representatives.

It might be a good idea to publish a "Politically Porrect" magazine.

Every issue would showcase "politically correct" statements made by leading politicians during the previous month accompanied by the "politically porrect" translation.

The magazine could also publish a list of "politically porrect" candidates offering themselves for election in the near future. The list is likely to be very short.

"The magazine could also publish a list of "politically porrect" candidates offering themselves for election in the near future."

or those running in the Near East.

or those running in the Near East

Those running in the Near East have already run out of sight, Zed. According to de Troy, there hasn't been a genuine Near East sighting in years.

jheem,

Oh, it would be terrific if you would ask your entomologist friends what the terms for sideways, upward and even backwards-pointing antennae might be, if such terms exist, and report back here. There's no connection between porridge and porrigo, is there?

Faldage, your story was funny. I imagined a huge, floating, metallic waterbug transporting sailors.

Re what are "the terms for sideways, upward and even backwards-pointing antennae"?

You can be straight forward in any direction, Wordwind, as long as you are pointing in the right direction.

However if your point strays from the right direction, either as the result of dishonesty, cowardice or ignorance, your probity requires porrection.

Entomologically speaking, antennae are porrect if they are "stretched out" in any direction, but the usual direction is straight forward.

A sagging antenna is not porrect even if it is pointing straight forward.* Politicians with this infirmity are said to be passionless. There simply isn't enough blood flowing through to their point.

Moral of the story:

If you're going to make a point, you'd better be ready to stand up for it.

Defn. "porrect" [Amer. Heritage Dictionary]
ADJECTIVE: Zoology Stretched out or forth; extended, especially forward: porrect mandibles.

Latin porrctus, past participle of porrigere, to stretch out: por-, forward, out;

* This condition is known as "probity erectile dysfunction". It is treatable but the cure never takes for an entire term of office.

A politician who suffers from P.E.D. might discharge his duty with distinction on a single occasion (or even for a single weekend with the latest medications), but you can never count on sustained performance.

To put the point bluntly, he just isn't up to it most of the time.

For future discussion- perhaps?: "porrect" vs "correct"

It is said that a person can never be "porrect" unless they are "correct", but the same person can go through their entire life being "correct" without ever being "porrect".

"Porrect" people stand up for what they know is right. "Correct" people say what they know is right but they never stand up for it.

People who stand up for what they know is wrong are obviously "inporrect" but, if they are in the majority, probity doesn't matter.

In fact, probity isn't worth a tinker's dam.

"Inporrect" people are more concerned about their position than they are about their position. Therefore, it doesn't really matter what position they are taking, whether it is sideways or backwards.

Whatever position you take on this, one thing is certain. An "inporrect" position can never lead onwards, or upwards.

People who stand up for what they know is wrong are obviously "inporrect"

Of course you mean imporrect as in self-imporrect or Homo imporrectus.

WW-- Just sent him email. We'll see, may require a phone call to extract info.

Of course you mean imporrect

No-one is perfect, jheem. But no-one is "inperfect" either.

There is a time for "in" and a time "im", but, in the case of "inporrect", "im" is out.

Re: "what the terms for sideways, upward and even backwards-pointing antennae might be"

I'm sorry I didn't answer your question directly, Wordwind. I was trying to be discreet.

You've got your "lateral" thinkers and tinkers, and your "retro" thinkers and tinkers, but they are all equally "inporrect".

If you want to be "porrect", you have to point onwards or upwards ... and you have to put your heart into it.

It is said that the blood will not flow where the channel is constricted by privilege.

This is especially true of "new blood".

If you get too much plaque in your channel, you can only make love to yourself.

Porridge is ultimately from Latin porrum 'leek, chive'. And porrect is divided morphologically between its two 'r's. por + rect, the former is related to our fro and the latter to our right.

por + rect, the former is related to our fro and the latter to our right

True, but "rectitude" is not "porrectitude", jheem.

They may come from the same root, but they are headed in opposite directions.

Re "useless beauties"

"Consider the lilies of the field", Wordwind.

Beauty is never useless in the eye of the beholder. [But, then, you already know that.]

Come to think of it, even tsuwm would be hard-pressed to come up with a truly "useless" word ... for all his efforts.

Even "buxiferous" has a certain ring to it.

Even "buxiferous" has a certain ring to it.

It may be a "Box Tree" at Walmart, but it is "buxiferrous" at Neiman Marcus.

That "ring" we're hearing is pure ca$het.

WW-- Just got my answer back from entomologist friend. He's never heard the word. He suggests it might be new terminology. Sigh. Oh, well.

Porridge is ultimately from Latin porrum 'leek, chive'.

jheem, isn't porridge the anglicised version of potage ? Did potage then come form porrum? Nice turn there, r-t-r!

I have an absurd fear of cockroaches; whenever I spot one, I always imagine it porrecting its antennae in my direction, ready to chase my suddenly-turned-to stone feet! {{shuddering shivers}}

retropingent?

English pottage < French potage < Late Latin pottus 'pot'. I hadn't heard the porridge < pottage etymology before. And as for cockroaches, as I learned in South and Southeast Asia, it's not the ones that crawl that disturb me, but the big flying ones.

T thanks, everybody.

grapho, whenever I refer to any of tsuwm's worthless words as being useless and/or worthless, I am only echoing the master affectionately.

Maahey, I know what you mean about "las cucarachas". The first time I saw one, that was very much my own reaction, but after living in Mexico for ten years, I became rather blasé about them. Fortunately, living in Michigan again, I haven't had occasion for any more Great Cockroach Massacres. Not to say that they don't live in Michigan, they do, but they are not as all pervasive here as they were in Mexico.

My first wife and I made our first home in Japan. One of the luxuries of our Japanese-style house was that it had linoleum in the kitchen. The tiles were old and the glue which was supposed to hold them down was loosing its stickiness and some of the tiles were curled up at the edges. Shortly after moving in, I heard a shreik from the kitchen and rushed in to see my new bride, standing there with a half-empty can of Raid in her hand, looked at a poor cockroach who appeared to be treading water (Raid, actually) which had pooled in one of the dish-shaped linoleum tiles. When I bashed the poor thing to death, the force of the blow sprayed Raid all over the kitchen. Thereupon, I assumed all responsibility for pest control in our home.

I am only echoing the master affectionately.

Ah, so. And "when the student is ready the master appears".

A short sojourn in NY City didn't prepare me for the huge, flying cockroaches of Thailand and environs. Cockroach is from the Spanish cucaracha by folk etymology. (The cock for rooster and the roach for a kind of fish.) A-H gives L cuca 'caterpiller' as the origin, but Meyer-Lübke gives coccum 'fruit kernel' (cf. Gk kokkos & Welsh goch 'red' origin of the surname Goooch) which is actually the cochineal or kermes a small insect that gives us carmine a red food coloring (not kosher, the locust is the only insect that may be consumed) that makes so many of our foods a nice, bright red. Scarlet, vermillion. (The latter from vermes 'worm', so little worm.)

http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/bugjuice.htm