Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#102286 05/01/03 06:26 PM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
First question:

Did tsuwm invent obviousize or did somebody else invent the word?

Second question:

What other words on AWAD have been invented here that have continued to exist at least here?

Third question:

Is it true that OED needs to find new words in just five or six printed sources to put 'em into the dictionary if that board believes they're generally used?

Fourth question:

If tsuwm did invent obviousize and the third question gets an affirmative answer, then we need to push all the professional writers here to use obviousize in their published texts, and the rest of us need to use obviousize more out in the real 3D world so tsuwm's word will be picked up by the OED, don't we? [...told you it was a question!]

If tsuwm didn't invent obviousize, then never mind.


#102287 05/01/03 06:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
[...told you it was a question!]

Sounds like a plot to me!

Yeahbut®, how do we ensure, if adopted by the OED, that the etymology of obviousize is traced back to tsuwm and this board? [the plot thickens...] And does tsuwm want to be tsuwm or his real name in the pages of OED posterity?




#102288 05/01/03 06:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
to the best of my recollected archives, I verbed this adjective (I had already adapted, adopted and improved my ron obvious personna) way back in 1994; to wit (and completely out of context), from a private email:

maf> > those weren't really questions, were they!
jmh> neither was that.

maf> there you go again. <Reaganesque pause> Obviousizing the stated.


I believe the only other person who has actually been observed using it here is our own ASp.
-ron o.

p.s. - for the etymologists, I think the usage was influenced by the phrase "it's casual to the obvious observer".

#102289 05/01/03 07:43 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
So, now, when the OED etymologists do their power search they'll pull up this thread and, "bingo!". Cool, tsuwm!


#102290 05/01/03 07:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
casual to the obvious observer

You knew Eddie John?


Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>You knew Eddie John?

I don' thin' so. this is the sort of construction that lends itself readily to hypallage(?).


Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
hypallage

from Merriam Websters:

>Main Entry: hy·pal·la·ge
Pronunciation: hI-'pa-l&-jE, hi-
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from Greek hypallagE, literally, interchange, from hypallassein to interchange, from hypo- + allassein to change, from allos other -- more at ELSE
Date: 1586
: an interchange of two elements in a phrase or sentence from a more logical to a less logical relationship (as in "a mind is a terrible thing to waste" for "to waste a mind is a terrible thing")<

Hmmm...so to obviousize a hypallage would be to point to the most obfuscating construction, wouldn't it?...so how is that obviousizing? Isn't obviousizing the obfuscation leaning to far into paradox to qualify as obviousizing? Or is simplifying the perception of the confusion covered in your coinage, tsuwm? Or sumptin' like dat.







Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Go here right now!

http://theheronlibraries.homestead.com/poetryh.html

This poor page has only been visited 164 times.

On it I read that hypallage is a type of hyperbaton. We've mentioned hyperbaton on this board before.

Hypallage and hyperbaton can best be described as shuffling the words around in your sentences like Scrabble tiles on your Scrabble tray. For good effect.


Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Good grief, WW, I didn't even make it to the "hy--'s" before coming across a new word: apocopated. Atomica:
a·poc·o·pe
n.
The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word, as in Modern English sing from Middle English singen.

[Late Latin, from Greek apokopç, from apokoptein, to cut off : apo-, apo- + koptein, to cut.]


I found another new word on the site, that I really like:
hypercatalectic
Having an additional syllable after the final complete foot in a line of verse. A verse marked by hypercatalexis is called hypermetrical.

But I like hypercatalexis even better! [under my breath: supercalifragilistic...]
I do wish the site gave some examples; it says there are three types of hyperbaton, and I'd have a better understanding of what they are if I could see them used. Oh! Look what I just found on another page: acatalectic!
And, mercy, look at this one: afflatus
A creative inspiration, as that of a poet; a divine imparting of knowledge, thus it is often called divine afflatus.
That sounds almost blasphemous!



Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Hey, ASp!...you're a hyperbaton!...and, specifically, yet!

From Dub-Dub's link: >Specific types of hyperbaton are anastrophe, hypallage, and hysteron proteron.<





Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5