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 2 of 4 1 2 3 4
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
I, too, mourn the lost brontosaurus - my son will never understand the appeal of ordering a brontosaurus burger,
I sympathise with the deprivation yoiur son will suffer - can I offer a reasonable substitute?

Bring him to Haworth, in West Yorkshire, (quite safe - foot & mouth is all around, but not in the town) the town where Charlotte Brontė and her sisters and brother grew up.
Go to the fish-and-chip shop there, and you will be able to buy him a "Brontė-burger."

(I wish that I was just winding you up, here )


#26326 04/10/01 11:49 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
I
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
I
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379

#26327 04/10/01 12:06 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
N
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
N
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
The karsi idea is new to me. But arse is good Old English; cognate with Greek orrhos. (The German is Arsch but I don't know where the sch comes from. No sniggering down the back there.)


#26328 04/10/01 12:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
I've responded to this one back on the rhyming slang thread


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
and Pluto's not a planet any more--according to AMNH--

More acurately, AMNH thinks the defination of Planet need to be revised-- and but in the display of planets they have Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, (the asteroid belt) Jupitor, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and the --- (Auuggh!) some new belt of astreroids-- Kulp-- Kul..-- pluto is just one of the bodies in this newly discovered collections. and they are not sure if it is a planet-- or just a large asteroid in this collection.

I have to get a new mnemonic--
My very educated mother just sat upon noodle pudding. Won't work any more.

I took yesterday off, was out in the sun, got a sun burn and fried my brain to boot!


#26330 04/10/01 03:22 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Thanks for the interesting and detailed look at the declension of scientific names, NicholasW. And, while I'm aware of the technicalities justifying the change from Brontosaurus to Apatosaurus, I still feel it's a shame to have lost that name...Thunder Lizard! From the Greek 'bronte.' So appropriate. Brontosaurus has resonance! One of the two most classically known dinosaur names...Tyrannosaurus Rex and Brontosaurus. As well as the favorites, and most readily identifiable, for most any child intrigued with these creatures. I'll always lament the loss of Brontosaurus...but, yes, the scientific reasons make sense.

On one other note: My posts are leading to deletions and arse?...hmmmmm.


#26331 04/10/01 03:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Well, we certainly seem to have got to the bottom of this thread, anyway!



Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
I
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
I
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
This century the Germans dropped the "h" in their word for valley [thal/tal] , thus shortening the "Neanderthal" of yesterday.

Which explains why it was possible that in Munich a certain Hans Blumenthal disappeared from the record, and so from sight, while paychecks went unclaimed for one Hans Blumental whom no one knew and who refused to collect and cash them. B was found dead by a beggar on the banks of the Isar and, since no one knew what to call him, he was buried in an unmarked grave. Having never been known, he could not be forgotten.


Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
some new belt of astreroids-- Kulp-- Kul..--

I think the name you're after might be the Kuiper belt. Although I knew the name, a Google search came up with around 11,300 hits, so I couldn't be bothered checking them out.


Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Folks, the quest has ended! I popped "Neanderthal spelling change" in Google and got a load of hits with excerpts and discussions addressing the question directly, as well as some interesting looks at German orthography ala the TH/T change. So there it is for anyone who is interested. I'm through the first 6 hits, and when I surmise the most concise and informative I'll post it here to wrap this up.


Page 2 of 4 1 2 3 4

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 (), 442 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