Adopt A Word

[rabid1st]

The Oxford Dictionary has a number of words that they wish to save by having them adopted as part of our general conversation. You can take the pledge to save a word by visiting this website...

http://www.savethewords.org/

When the pages loads you will find a hundred or more words that deserve a second chance at normal conversation. Just register yourself as an adopter of words and pick out the newest member of your vocabulary.

I am happy to announce my adoption of the word VAPPOUS!


And Nepheliad, which is not only a good thing to name your girl child, but is also a cloud-nymph.

Vappous means flat or bland. This Greek yoghurt has a vappous flavor. I went to an extraordinarily vappous party last night. I would imagine that nepheliads never find themselves leading vappous lives, even if they live somewhat vaporous ones.

See how easy this is? Go forth and save some words. But I will warn you it is rather addictive, like adopting kittens. You start out slow taking home one or two because they are so cute, and before you know it you are bundling them up in pillowcases by the dozen. You'll become the local wordlady and everyone will whisper about interventions behind your back. Is she certifiably literate they will ask?

Rae

Comments

I chose "Lignicide"

[astitchintime-9.livejournal.com]

...which is a noun meaning "woodcutter".

I had a quick instant of mentally slotting it into Red Riding Hood's story (the passing lignicide who also (in some versions) slew the wolf), but Oxford's example used a Monty Python reference, so the word was irresistible!

They wrote: "I'm a lignicide and I'm okay, I sleep all night and I work all day..."

Re: I chose "Lignicide"

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

LOL at the Python reference. I used to be able to sing all of the verses to that song.

Rae
happy that you too have a newly adopted word.

Re: I chose "Lignicide"

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

And it's not a valid Scrabble word!

(But ligni means wood -- so it means wood killer!)

Re: I chose "Lignicide"

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Termites then are lignicidal?

BTW, if you have a message in your email from Change Anything...that is from me. I just didn't use my regular email acct. It is a real offer to follow my progress and have 1 year of free goal setting service for yourself.

Re: I chose "Lignicide"

[astitchintime-9.livejournal.com]

Yes! In current usage, a lumberjack commits "lignicide" rather than is a "lignicide", but same difference. Personally, I'm opposed to violent acts taken against trees (and shrubberies).

As for Red Riding Hood: da guy wit' da axe woulda been charged wit' "lupicide" as well as "lignicide"!

;-)

Re: I chose "Lignicide"

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

And the wolf could have been charged with avacide!

[rednekkid.livejournal.com]

I adopted "flosculation" as using the word itself is a flosculation: an embellishment or ornament in speech.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

You *ARE* a genius!

I tend to be given to flosculations, many of them a vappous rather than scintillating, however.

LoL

We are, at the very least, entertaining ourselves here.

Rae

[nightbeast.livejournal.com]

I chose icasm (figurative expression_, for the simple reason it sounds like igasm, and I've had many smiles from conversations with that word. Also? I love the example: The president's address was full of icasms so he probably didn't understand it either.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

Does it mean "planned unhappiness"? The site won't let me search, and I can't find it online otherwise.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Yes, we must have a definition. It is far to hard to find the words again. I can't find vappous to check the spelling. And my spellchecker hates it. But I am pretty sure I have it right, because google does recognize it and a few other people have picked it from the same site. Apparently, I am not as original as I had hoped.

Rae

[nightbeast.livejournal.com]

It means figurative expression. The site you may have the 'planned unhappiness' from says so at the top of the page.

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

I am choosing antipelargy - reciprocal or mutual kindness. Sad that it's so much rarer than antipathy.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Excellent choice. I could almost want that one on a t-shirt. Just so people would ask me what it meant. Also, a good name for a website. Obscure and relevant at the same time.

Rae

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

You could spread sweetness and light through having people stare at your chest. Sounds good to me.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

You know...it always has been an ambition of mine to have my breasts stir social commentary. This would be perfect.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

hahaahahahaha

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I'd adopt weequashing, except I'd have no occasion to use it! (Spearing fish by lamplight!)

I may try sparsile -- it means a star not in any constellation.

(I want them to include etymologies, dammit! Don't send me to the unabridged for every one.)

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

igniparous (bringing forth fire) is tempting as well.

Although I really want it to mean "born in fire." I could use it figuratively all the time, or literally for Game of Thrones.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

So many great words. I could adopt all day. It is amazing how many we stand to lose. I feel virtuous having them under my wing.

I really need to catch up on Game of Thrones. I didn't like the first episode and so I gave up too soon, me thinks.

Rae

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I've watched about 3 1/2 + the last 2, so I need to catch up too.

I, of course, love Arya. (No spoiler there.)

I also like how people who are often treated as minor characters or even less-than-human characters, e.g., the little person who's a clever womanizer.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

* people who are treated that way get real personalities and major roles, I meant.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Weequashing would make a good t-shirt as well. People would wonder what you were up to...literally.

But I like sparsile. It is brave and individual. And also a good name for a website...because it could be all about living your life as a single, bright star without being artificially placed in some archaic religious symbolism.

Rae
thinking Sparsile is a good word for an atheist.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

Good idea!

(I admit mine were all fanfic-y.)

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I kind of adore this definition page, just on general principles:

Also wigwassing. Same as weequash. Compare neeskotting.

And aquabib -- here I've been calling that aquapot! (Which is also correct Latinate construction, dammit.)

[nightbeast.livejournal.com]

We could do with an odynometer these days.

[sensiblecat.livejournal.com]

What a great inspiration for a ficathon!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Actually, it really is. You could just pick a word and then illuminate it in the story. I immediately thought of the Doctor when I adopted Nepheliad...because I can see him saying that line about them never leading vappous lives. :grin:

Nice to hear from you, Cat! I shall visit your journal to see if you adopted a word or two.

Rae

[ladycat713.livejournal.com]

I was wondering, did you ever write any more on the sweet spot au in the Buffy fandom ?

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Well, hello there!

Talk about a blast from the past. A Sweet Spot AU fan!

No, I never did return to the Buffyverse after I became disillusioned with it. That is sadly one of my failings as a writer, I give up on things when I lose my inspiration. I should go back and read the Sweet Spot AU though, because that story was certainly going places. Obviously, you shouldn't hold your breath for more, because that would be fatal.

But I did truly love that story and I might find that I loved it again. I was also very disappointed in myself about Ichnobate, which was only four or five chapters from being completed when the show hit a curve I couldn't take with it and I lost all hope.

In some ways my Doctor/Rose fans are just lucky I was able to finish Disheveled before Journey's End aired. They got their taste of disappointment, too, though, when I gave up on Gum and Wild Geese 2.

This is a sad pattern.

Rae