Reposted from the now-private blog Zvirzdins at Large, originally posted 21 January 2011.
Reposted to show that the interest in reading dictionaries is neither a new thing for me nor a singularly unique activity among mortals . . .
In December [2010] I read Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages by Ammon Shea. It was highly enjoyable and I laughed aloud frequently (the word fard sent me screeching). As I read I thought how very pertinent many of the hardly-used-but-highly-useful words were to the Foreign Service. As in:
Reposted to show that the interest in reading dictionaries is neither a new thing for me nor a singularly unique activity among mortals . . .
In December [2010] I read Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages by Ammon Shea. It was highly enjoyable and I laughed aloud frequently (the word fard sent me screeching). As I read I thought how very pertinent many of the hardly-used-but-highly-useful words were to the Foreign Service. As in:
When inquilinating in a possible kakistocracy, an FSO should employ charientism as he or she bedinners a sardonian, being as panurgic as possible; else the resulting pessimum could lead to a severe kankedort.
The following are just a few of the words Shea gives that deserve to be revived in the English language. You should at the very least look up fard.
Bayard: one armed with the self-confidence of ignorance.
Beadledom: the sense of self-importance and officiousness of minor officials.
Bedinner: to treat to dinner.
Cachinnator: one who laughs too loud or too much.
Charientism: a rhetorical method of describing disagreeable things in an agreeable way.
Colloquialist: one good at talking.
Conjugalism: the art of making a good marriage (something that is needed in the Foreign Service if your family is going to survive!).
Deipnosophist: a person learned in the art of dining.
Deteriorism: the attitude that things will usually get worse.
Elozable: readily influenced by flattery.
Embusque: a person who avoids military service, especially through securing a job in government or the civil service.
Empleomania: a manic compulsion to hold public office.
Enantiodromia: the adoption by either a person or a community of beliefs opposite to those previously held (If there is ever a President Palin (please oh please no) FSOs will have to promote her policies abroad).
Garbist: one who is adept at engaging in polite behavior.
Gymnologize: "to dispute naked, like an Indian philosopher" (Nathan Bailey, An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, 1727).
Hansardize: to show that a person has previously espoused opinions differing from the ones he or she now holds (as in "If you engage in enantiodromia, I'll hansardize you").
Heterophemize: to say something different from what you mean to say.
Inquilinate: to dwell in a strange place (January 31st! Flag Day!).
Kakistocracy: government by the worst citizens.
Kankedort: an awkward situation or affair.
Miskissing: kissing that is wrong (à la FSO in London).
Need-sweat: sweat from nervousness or anxiety.
Nod-crafty: "given to nodding the head with an air of great wisdom" (OED).
Onomatomania: vexation at having difficulty in finding the right word.
Panurgic: ready for anything.
Pejorist: one who thinks the world is getting worse (compare deteriorism).
Pertolerate: to endure steadfastly to the end.
Pessimum: the worst possible conditions.
Philodox: a person in love with her or her own opinion.
Psittacism: the meaningless or mechanical repetition of words or phrases.
Redeless: not knowing what to do in an emergency (opposite: savoir faire).
Safety-firster: one unwilling to take risks.
Sardonian: one who flatters with deadly intent.
Somnificator: one who induces sleep in others.
Swasivious: persuasive in an agreeable fashion.
Tacenda: things not to be mentioned; matters that are passed over in silence.
Ultra-crepidarian: one who offers advice or criticism in matters beyond his or her scope; an ignorant or presumptuous critic.
Videnda: things worth seeing; things that ought to be seen.
Words are beautiful. Preserve them.
The following are just a few of the words Shea gives that deserve to be revived in the English language. You should at the very least look up fard.
Bayard: one armed with the self-confidence of ignorance.
Beadledom: the sense of self-importance and officiousness of minor officials.
Bedinner: to treat to dinner.
Cachinnator: one who laughs too loud or too much.
Charientism: a rhetorical method of describing disagreeable things in an agreeable way.
Colloquialist: one good at talking.
Conjugalism: the art of making a good marriage (something that is needed in the Foreign Service if your family is going to survive!).
Deipnosophist: a person learned in the art of dining.
Deteriorism: the attitude that things will usually get worse.
Elozable: readily influenced by flattery.
Embusque: a person who avoids military service, especially through securing a job in government or the civil service.
Empleomania: a manic compulsion to hold public office.
Enantiodromia: the adoption by either a person or a community of beliefs opposite to those previously held (If there is ever a President Palin (please oh please no) FSOs will have to promote her policies abroad).
Garbist: one who is adept at engaging in polite behavior.
Gymnologize: "to dispute naked, like an Indian philosopher" (Nathan Bailey, An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, 1727).
Hansardize: to show that a person has previously espoused opinions differing from the ones he or she now holds (as in "If you engage in enantiodromia, I'll hansardize you").
Heterophemize: to say something different from what you mean to say.
Inquilinate: to dwell in a strange place (January 31st! Flag Day!).
Kakistocracy: government by the worst citizens.
Kankedort: an awkward situation or affair.
Miskissing: kissing that is wrong (à la FSO in London).
Need-sweat: sweat from nervousness or anxiety.
Nod-crafty: "given to nodding the head with an air of great wisdom" (OED).
Onomatomania: vexation at having difficulty in finding the right word.
Panurgic: ready for anything.
Pejorist: one who thinks the world is getting worse (compare deteriorism).
Pertolerate: to endure steadfastly to the end.
Pessimum: the worst possible conditions.
Philodox: a person in love with her or her own opinion.
Psittacism: the meaningless or mechanical repetition of words or phrases.
Redeless: not knowing what to do in an emergency (opposite: savoir faire).
Safety-firster: one unwilling to take risks.
Sardonian: one who flatters with deadly intent.
Somnificator: one who induces sleep in others.
Swasivious: persuasive in an agreeable fashion.
Tacenda: things not to be mentioned; matters that are passed over in silence.
Ultra-crepidarian: one who offers advice or criticism in matters beyond his or her scope; an ignorant or presumptuous critic.
Videnda: things worth seeing; things that ought to be seen.
Words are beautiful. Preserve them.
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