|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
addict
|
OP
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631 |
amphigouri
Can anyone give me the etymology of this word, meaning "a verse composition that sounds well but makes absolutely no sense"?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
"origin unknown", but here's what OED has, fwiw:
[mod.Fr.; orig. unknown. According to Litt. first used in 18th c.; referred by some to Gr. {alenis}{mu}{phi}{giacu} about + {gamma}{gufrown}{rho}{omicron}{fsigma} circle, or -{alenis}{gamma}{omicron}{rho}{giacu}{alpha} speech, cf. allegory, category.]
(sorry about the Greek; that's the way it copies)
usu. spelled amphigory in Eng.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631
addict
|
|
OP
addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 631 |
Thanks.
Here's an example of an amphigory from The Book of Literary Anecdotes (1990) if you're interested (although, maybe its a comment on modern poetry that these lines don't strike me as especially senseless):
"From the depth of the dreary decline of the dawn
through a notable nimbus of nebulous moonshine.
Pallid and pink as the palm of the flag-flown that
Flickers with fear for the flies as they float,
Are the looks of our lovers that lustrously lean from
a marvel of mystic miraculous moonshine,
These that we feel in the blood of our blushes that
Thicken and threaten with throbs through his throat?"
—Nephelidia: an amphigouri, Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909).
Last edited by Hydra; 11/19/06 02:08 PM.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,328
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
756
guests, and
0
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
|
|
