* Gallimaufry: a confused jumble or medley of things... which is what this post is going to be.
Working in a bookish profession, as I do, and in the public sphere as well, can lead to some mighty odd conversations. I had one of those odd conversations recently. A very nice lady wanted help finding a book. Close interrogation of the matter revealed that she could not recall the title of the book. Nor the author, for that matter. She had even forgotten the main character's name. She could not remember anything at all about the plot. All she could remember was that this book was the first book in the series, and what she really wanted was the second book. Unfortunately, I could not help her. She was quite downcast by this news.
I recently came across an old Telegraph article about once common old words dying out of the English language. I found the article very sad, since I love words, and firmly believe that one can never have too broad a vocabulary. Therefore, in order to do my bit to stop this disintegration of my native tongue, I am sharing five uncommon but highly useful words, which would put a bit of colour back into daily exchanges:
1. Soothfast: truthful or honest.
Be soothfast; is this dress suitable for Lord Grenville's ball?
2. Keelivine: a lead pencil
Hand me that keelivine, that I may take notes on this fascinating article.
3. Twattling: to gossip or talk too much.
Stop your twattling and tell me the last time you saw Sherlock in here.
4. Belike: with considerably certainty.
If you keep making that expression, your face is belike to stay that way.
5. Diversivolent: looking for an argument.
Brace yourself, lads, the customers are mighty diversivolent today.
Rather to my surprise, there has been great interest in my remark about knowing the life cycle of a jellyfish. This being the case, I am posting this little sketch I did, laying out the cycle for all to see. (I shall be soothfast, and admit I had to look up the proper name for the ephyra.) And now you all know too!
Rather to my surprise, there has been great interest in my remark about knowing the life cycle of a jellyfish. This being the case, I am posting this little sketch I did, laying out the cycle for all to see. (I shall be soothfast, and admit I had to look up the proper name for the ephyra.) And now you all know too!
9 comments:
To be soothfast, I must say I am impressed that you managed to produce such a fine bit of art using only a keelivine! Way-hey. Listen to me!
Fun post-y, Marhi. Fun stuff.
Ah, you see? I am having a beneficial effect already!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I am being completely soothfast.... your words are wonderful :) and your diagram?? DANG GIRL! It was fantastic
God Bless
Bella
Aw, Bella, thanks. Jellyfish are easy to draw.
You have made me realise that jellyfish are, in fact, interesting. Congrats!
I have just found your blog and I LOVE it. Therefore, I am following. I look forward to upcoming posts (:
oooooooh is that *12* followers I see?
Who is your new fan???
God Bless
Bella
I shall have to write down those words so I won't risk forgetting them.
Fascinating about the Jelly Fish. And lovely drawing, it does remind me of something from Lemony Snicket.
Oh aye. I was going to do a historical novel one year but my friends, who had done NaNo before and attempted a historical one, warned me against it.It seems that, no matter how much research one does, one is never prepared. I hope this years goes smoother.
Who is Tam Lin?
What is your NaNo name? I will add you to my buddy list if you do not mind 8-)
Allons-y!
Emily ~ Thanks for the comment. I am always glad to spread a little culture :-)
Rose ~ Thanks very much for commenting! Jellyfish are a bit of a standing joke with me, since I do not ever remember learning about them. I just discovered I knew all about them when a friend and I were standing before a tank full of very beautiful jellyfish at an aquarium.
Jack ~ Aw, thanks! I really love the illustrations in Lemony Snicket, so that complement rather went to my head.
Tam Lin is a character in an old ballad, who was captured by the Queen of the Fairies, and whose true love, Janet, rescued him against all odds. Scottish folklore has lots of stories about caves being haunted by pipers, so I just combined the two ideas.
I would love to be on your buddy list! My NaNo name is Piobaire. Good luck with your story too.
A chara,
I haven't been keeping up with the blogging world too well recently, so I'm a couple of days late to this party. . .but man, you just made my day. I don't know whether you made it more with "soothfast," (which I intend, of course, to use beyond all bounds of conversational propriety) or with the jellyfish picture. You have proved yoursel' the naturalist extraordinaire! Soothfastly.
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