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Increase your word power

(86 Posts)
pompa Fri 10-Apr-15 06:56:15

I have started his thread as in another thread there seems an interest in discussing lesser known/used words and phrases.
I suggest each contribute posts only one word for discussion per day (too many words will be confusing)

Thanks to Readers Digest for the title.

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 21:45:42

I suspect, one's vocabulary is developed early in life, late teens. I find it natural to use the vocabulary that I used then, most of which was based on technical writing rather than literature.
Whilst I may now discover new and interesting words that I would like to include in my vocabulary, I usually fail to remember them.
One word that I particularly like is "singular" (exceptional), but I rarely remember to use it. Thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for "singular"

whitewave Sat 11-Apr-15 20:36:39

grin and me but no-one need see what you produce and it is fun whilst you are dabbing!

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 20:35:16

Just as well I made my living in engineering, as an artist, I would starve.

whitewave Sat 11-Apr-15 20:30:51

Isn't retirement wonderful when you can be an artist in the morning, an engineer in the afternoon and socialize in the evening.

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 20:26:56

I used to read fiction when I was young, but I doubt I have ever read more than 10 fiction books until very recently. All my working life in engineering and computing required constant study to keep abreast of developments. My hobbies also tended to be technically biased.
My requirement for written English was limited to report writing, short, to the point and targeted at the specific reader (usually accountants). I had to get my point across in the first couple of paragraphs. Hence, most of my writing is succinct.

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 20:16:45

That is, provided the person I was discoursing with knew nothing at all about them.

janerowena Sat 11-Apr-15 20:15:46

Our favourite family word is Brimborion, also known as Brimborium. Occasionally spelt Brimborian. It's such an obscure word that it's hard to find the meaning, which is why it's so useful. It means, utter rubbish. As a noun it means a valueless useless object. Thus it became my sisters' and my favourite utterance at school if we wanted to be rude about what the teachers were saying, without them being able to understand. Far more satisfying than misbehaviour. It's a very old word, only to be found in the most ancient of family encyclopaedias.

www.yourdictionary.com/brimborion

DBH loved it and taught it to our DS. I had many a sticky moment because of it, over the years, but it never fails to make me laugh.

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 20:15:30

I agree with you on limiting new words to one a day each - as you say, long lists are not what we want.

My DH did physics and spent decades designing telemetry systems but was hopeless at English. I proof-read his thesis to weed out the spelling and grammar mistakes. As a result I could once discourse reasonably intelligently on semi-conductors, but his spelling didn't improve reciprocally.

whitewave Sat 11-Apr-15 20:08:33

Horses for courses pom My technical abilities are zero.

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 20:07:49

Elegran, I only suggested a word a day so that we had time to discuss them. I could imagine some contributors presenting lists of words that we would not have time to discuss properly. Rules are made to be broken.

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 20:01:42

I hated school, I wanted to become an engineer from an early age (10 ish).
My school (sec mod) did not do anything connected to engineering, I had to fight the school to allow me to take an RSA group technical course at night school which concentrated on engineering subjects, technical drawing/maths. I left school at 15 and started an engineering apprenticeship with day release. I finally got an HND in production engineering. As a result I am well versed in technical subjects, but not English/History etc.
It is only recently that I have started to read fiction, would have much rather read text books, and still do.

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 19:48:28

Onomatopoea - clickety-clack, pitter-patter, squelch, rumble. (The last four are not me trying to exceed my word-a-day ration, they are examples of onomatopoea)

Ana Sat 11-Apr-15 19:44:39

No, I'm sorry pompa, I shouldn't have made assumptions - you are certainly not thick!

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 19:38:53

No - I was rubbish at school. Perhaps I'd better keep quiet, showing how thick I am. sad

absent Sat 11-Apr-15 19:26:55

Alliteration's artful aid?

Ana Sat 11-Apr-15 19:15:31

You're kidding, aren't you Pompa?

Didn't you do that at school - Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers etc? grin

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 19:11:34

Another new word for me this evening (thanks to Pointless) :-

Alliteration

MiniMouse Sat 11-Apr-15 14:22:43

According to various websites it's been around since the 1850s. You're not that old are you, Elegran? wink

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 14:05:21

I am sure I was using it before then.

fluttERBY123 Sat 11-Apr-15 13:54:47

Wasn't discombobulation invented by Blackadder to confound Dr Johnson?

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 13:31:13

Bit late to become a Lothario now (not that I have ever wanted to)

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 12:55:36

Practice makes perfect, Pompa

pompa Sat 11-Apr-15 12:53:33

Elegran, never too late to learn smile

Elegran Sat 11-Apr-15 12:16:00

I dunno, Jo1book Jingle it on GN sometimes shakes things up a bit.

Pompa How did you reach this advanced age without coming across the word Lothario ?

jo1book Sat 11-Apr-15 11:17:33

Sorry. lazy typing. JIGGLE IT