Vocabulary Volume #8

It's been a while since I've posted a Vocabulary Volume, so this is an extra long update! Here are some notable new words from books I've read recently.


From WICKED, by Gregory Maguire

unctuous: (adj.) greasy or oily. Or, when describing a person: a groveling kiss-ass type

apothegm: (n.) a concise saying or maxim, an aphorism

etiolated: (adj) weak, feeble, and pale

amanuensis: (n.) a literary or artistic assistant of manuscripts 

terpischorean: (adj.) related to dancing

pince-nez: (n.) old-style glasses held up by the bridge of the nose

sostenuto: (adj.) musical descriptor for a "sustained" note or style

terricolous: (adj.) living or growing in or on the ground

fulsome: (adj.) excessively flattering and fawning

sfumato: (adj) smoky style of painting with soft lines 

doyenne: (n.) the most respected woman in a particular field

scree: (n.) small stones covering a mountain slope

assignation: (n.) secret rendezvous, typically for affairs

lambaste: (v.) harshly criticize

tripartite: (adj) of three parts or involving three parties 

fascia: (n.) a thin piece of flat material that covers rafters of a house

moue: (n.) a pouting, annoyed expression

trapunto: (n.) a decorative raised quilting style 

From SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, by David Guterson

lissome: (adj.) thin, supple, graceful

effusive: (adj.) gushy and expressive

torpid: (adj.) lethargic

effluvium: (n.) unpleasant odor of decay

austelle: (n.) couldn't find a real definition, but it might be a type of fabric

creosote: (n.) oil-based wood preservative

portents: (n.) omens, augury, or forewarnings

interstices: (n.) small space between two objects, like branches or walls

hypoid: (n.) a beveled gear in a vehicle transmission mechanism


From FROM THE MONKEY HOUSE, by Kurt Vonnegut

angstrom: (n.) 10 to the -10th of a meter length

ptomaine: (n.) a biological compound that causes food poisoning

yawl: (n.) a type of two-masted boat

depredations: (n.) attacks and plunders

seraglio: (n.) Turkish palace quarters for women concubines

humidor: (n.) a jar for keeping tobacco moist

parvenus: (n.) an obscure person who recently gained fame or status, a social climber

maudlin: (adj.) self-pityingly sentimental and emotional, lachrymose

bivouac: (n.) a temporary camp with no tents


From THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, by Ursula K. Le Guin

aphelion: (n.) point in a planet's orbit where it is farthest from the sun. "at aphelion"

oviparous: (adj.) egg-laying

fumaroles: (n.) openings in a volcano where sulfurous gases emerge

semiotics: (n.) the study of meaning, making, and the philosophy of signs and symbols

susurrus: (n.) whispering, murmuring, or rustling

invocation: (n.) summoning incantation to a diety

paraverbal: (n.) messages transmitted through tone of voice. How something is said or implied, as opposed to what is said. 

educe: (v.) to bring out or develop something

blotto: (adj.) completely drunk

cyanotic: (adj.) turning blue or purple from lack of oxygen

caromed: (v.) to strike and rebound

Vocabulary Volume #3

The other day, I read a few excerpts from the book May this House be Safe from Tigers, by Alexander King. The author is rather witty and possesses a tongue-in-cheek style of writing, as well as quite an extensive vocabulary. The following are a few words I scribbled down on a scrap of paper while reading.


seraglio (n): sequestered living quarters of concubines and wives in a Turkish residence (SUPER useful in daily conversation)

ossify (adj): to turn into bone, to mold into a rigid pattern

morass (n): area of low-lying, soggy ground (like a bog, I guess ?), also something that hinders or engulfs (ie. a morass of details)

prophylactic (adj): preventative against something like disease

palaver (n): idle chatter, flattering talk

aegis (n): a shield/breastplate worn by major religious figures/gods in ancient Greece

mephitic (adj): poisonous and foul-smelling


[Currently listening to: Light a Roman Candle with Me- Fun.]

Treasure Hunting

I may have a problem. 

I biked to the library today, a pilgrimage that has become quite the weekly ritual for me. Upon entering, I noticed a giant sign for a used book sale. Thinking it was just the usual shelf or two of old and yellowing retirees, I casually strolled into the upstairs room where the sale was being held. 

Clearly, I was wrong. 

I stepped foot into what I believe is the largest used book sale I have ever laid eyes on. I thought the old man at the UCI vendor fair had a pretty wide selection, but this spread definitely tops his. The attendant at the door told me that I could purchase a bag for two dollars, as he motioned toward a stack of brown paper grocery bags. While I was initially confused at what he meant, it suddenly dawned on me that the two dollar cost was not for the paper bag itself, but for the CONTENTS of the bag... 

...which pretty much means as many books as I can fit inside it. 

After immediately texting my fellow bookworm Rante about this marvelous opportunity, I dove straight into the stacks. Few things are more exhilarating than browsing spines and finding a title that catches your eye-- a book that was mentioned to me in class, a lesser-known story collection by one of my favorite authors, a recommendation, an intriguing title... 

It was also great to see so many children, sprawled out on the carpeted floor with their little noses buried into little paperbacks. I think that the older generation sometimes has this notion that the next generation is going to some sort of intellectually-depraved hell because of technology and the like... so seeing these children so engrossed in pages of adventure really affirmed my faith in the future of society. 

Rante and I left the book sale, each struggling to carry ripped paper bags brimming with hardbounds, paperbacks, and magazines... our minds simultaneously brimming with excitement. 

Thus begins a life of hermitage, as I shut myself in my room to read forever. 

1982

I went thrifting with my aunt yesterday :)

The last time I went thrifting was probably in last-minute desperation for an oddly specific costume piece or accessory (80's themed dinner party? murder mystery?), or at home in San Jose, where my mother frequents the grounds of the Capitol flea market.

Walking through the aisles reminded me how much I love thrifting...especially swap meets. Beyond the crowds, weird smells, and overpriced, broken junk, there are truly interesting things to be found... both tangible and otherwise.

While browsing aisles of run-down lawn equipment, one-dollar clothing piles, used tires, and once-loved plush animals, I spotted one vendor that was selling old books. The unemployed English major thrives on foraging such grounds, and it wasn't long before I was at a kneel in front of dilapidated cardboard boxes, digging through hardcovers and softcovers and books without covers.

Among fascinating titles that I brought home for myself (The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe, The Gatefold Book of the World's Greatest Warplanes, This is Not a Book, and George Orwell's famous  dystopian novel 1984) were scattered a considerable myriad of outdated anthologies. A Guiness World Records volume from the early 90's. A collection featuring TIME magazine's greatest photos...from the year 2000. A bridal magazine that certainly dated itself with its cover- a voluminous, Farrah-haired blonde wearing a puff-sleeved gown. A Garden Grove High School yearbook- 1982.

On a whim, I decided to flip through the yearbook. The first page informed me that its previous owner was a girl named Jodie, and the following pages unfolded a surprising amount of detail on Jodie's life and persona, as well as life in the early 80's. A poll of the student body revealed that the most popular band of the year was Journey, and the most popular album was "Captured", released the previous year in 1981. Prom dresses were hideous, feathery, puff-sleeved creations. Photo montages featured faded denim, leather jackets, and orange turtlenecks. The handwritten notes reveal the excellent penmanship of a generation that grew up on manuscript, not on the computer keyboard.

Some things never change, though... the cheer captain was the same girl who won homecoming queen. There was a whole section of Nguyens. The marching band only got a single page spread in the entire yearbook.

I couldn't help but read through a few of the messages that her friends had left her. It was kind of odd, you get that sneaky-guilt feeling you only get when your friend leaves their email logged in on your computer, and you accidentally click on a message before realizing it's not your account. A lot of Jodie's friends had written about her sweet personality; one guy thanked her for always answering his questions in class, and another girl thanked her for curling her hair at an event. Another girl complimented her on her sense of humor, saying it was "super rad."

Upon realizing it, I flipped to the very back of the book and was glad to find the familiar index of names, organized by class and surname. Starting from the seniors, and then through the juniors, I finally found her name among the sophomores. It was listed that Jodie makes an appearance on two pages in the yearbook, so I memorized the two numbers and turned back through the yellowing pages. In the sophomore section, a black-and-white photo of a very friendly-looking young woman with glasses, fair skin, and a shoulder-length haircut looked back at me. I flipped to the second page, and smiled when I saw that I was looking at the ensemble portrait of the Garden Grove Marching Band and Color Guard.

I know I will likely never meet you, but in that moment, I felt like I did...and I like you, Jodie from 1982, I like you.


____________________

In other news... just for kicks and giggles... here are two of my favorite things I bought today :)

this fantastic hardbound for $2

adorable floral heels for $9

BOOKS

A note to self of everything that has been mentioned to me, or crossed my path recently, that I intend to eventually get around to.

The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher

Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
The Hitchhiker's Guide series - Douglas Adams
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist- David Levithan
Beyond Religion- the Dalai Lama
The Lorien series- Pittacus Lore
At least one book by Stephen King
EVERYTHING BY PHILIP K. DICK


Confession: I judge books by their covers. Impressive cover art WILL make me pick things up more than any amount of back-cover preview verbiage.

Contact + Vocabulary Volume #2

"She had spent her career attempting to make contact with the most remote and alien of strangers, while in her own life she had made contact with hardly anyone at all. She had been fierce in debunking the creation myths of others, and oblivious to the lie at the core of her own. She had studied the universe all her life, but had overlooked its clearest message: for small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love."

Carl Sagan, Contact

Contact is the novel behind one of my favorite movies of the same title. When I found out that the film was based off a novel, I made a mental note to read it, and was excited to spot a worn copy at the campus used book sale.

Although many decry the film for fabricating an entirely different ending plot twist, I have to give merit to the creative minds behind both versions. Though different, both endings offer that sense of closing satisfaction, while still leaving behind that tiny speck of what-if that characterizes great science fiction.

If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend it. It's an exciting adventure, as well as a thought-provoking exploration of personal spirituality in an open, non-religious sense.

The scientific nature of the novel's subject matter also makes for an interesting vocabulary volume:

organosilicate: being made of both silica and organic substances. silica is a compound known for its hardness, and is found in diatom cell walls.

subcodicil: supplementary content that explains, modifies, or revokes all or part of a will

naked singularity: a gravitational singularity without an event horizon

(uh... what??)

- gravitational singularity: central area within a black hole, where gravity is thought to be infinite

- event horizon: simply put, the 'border' of a black hole

arcana: secrets or mysteries

contact binary: a binary star system (two suns, like those seen from Tatooine) whose stars are so close that they appear or are actually touching

sundry: various small items that are not important enough to be listed out individually

reconnoiter: to make a military observation of a region; to scout out an area

ecdysiast: basically a fancy word for a stripper

eschatological: regarding the ultimate destiny of humankind and the world

punctilious: paying great attention to detail

samizdat: the clandestine copying and subsequent hand distribution of banned literatures, as in communist Russia