Word or Words of the Day and Discussion

[Mad Cook]

Danes don't really use "q" any more either. They have also replaced it with "k" (followed by "v").

Some of those pronunciations for the Swedish letters were downright wrong. E.g., "y as in year". No, like a French "u" or a German "u" with an umlaut. And "Å å - oo in poor", not close.

Why?

 

[Mad Cook]

mither:
1. (intransitive, Northern England) To make an unnecessary fuss, moan,
bother.
2. (transitive) To pester or irritate someone. Usually directed at
children.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mither>

I'm glad you mentioned "mither". It's one of my favourite words. Being Northern/Midlands dialect I didn't think many Americans would have come across it.

 

[Mad Cook]

May I have a go?

Oleaginous =
Rrich in, covered with, or producing oil; oily.
"fabrics would quickly become filthy in this oleaginous kingdom"

Exaggeratedly and distastefully complimentary; obsequious:
"candidates made oleaginous speeches praising government policies" It sounds just like that.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm glad you mentioned "mither". It's one of my favourite words. Being Northern/Midlands dialect I didn't think many Americans would have come across it.

Why not? My grandparents came from England, my best friend's Mother is from England, I also know a couple Australians, Canadians and a New Zealander...I guess Americans are actually quite well versed in many things.

 

[taxlady]

Why?

I don't really know why. I suspect it is because it is pronounced more like "kv" in Danish than like "kw".

 

[PrincessFiona60]

dog days:
1. The days between early July and early September when Sirius (the Dog
Star) rises and sets with the Sun.
2. Hot, lazy days
3. A period of inactivity, laziness, or stagnation.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dog_days>

 

[Addie]

dog days:
1. The days between early July and early September when Sirius (the Dog
Star) rises and sets with the Sun.
2. Hot, lazy days
3. A period of inactivity, laziness, or stagnation.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dog_days>

So how does that explain #3 the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve? Those were always recovery days for me.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

So how does that explain #3 the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve? Those were always recovery days for me.

Those are not Dog Days, they are Gluttony Recovery Days... In some cases, Alcohol Recovery Days.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Olympiad:
1. (historical) A period of four years, by which the ancient Greeks
reckoned time, being the interval from one celebration of the Olympic
games to another, beginning with the victory of Corbus in the foot race,
which took place in the year 776 b.c.; as, the era of the olympiads.
2. An occurrence of the Olympic games.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Olympiad>

 

[LPBeier]

Interesting choice, PF.

We currently are watching Amazing Race Canada. It is hosted by a former Olympic skier (just retired after the 2014 games and in this season (2) there are two female Olympic hockey players teamed up. So far they have one all three legs of the race. So it is sort of a mini Olympiad!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

dressage:
An equestrian sport in which the horse and rider perform a test of
specific movements in an arena, and are judged on the horse's obedience,
acceptance of the bridle and of the rider's aids, gaits, impulsion, and
the harmony between horse and rider.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dressage>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

shuttlecock:
(badminton) A lightweight object that is conical in shape with a cork or
rubber-covered nose, used in badminton as a ball is used in other
racquet games; a birdie.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shuttlecock>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

pankration:
An Ancient Greek martial art combining aspects of boxing and wrestling,
introduced in the Greek Olympic games in 648 BC.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pankration>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

leeward:
Away from the direction from which the wind is blowing. Downwind.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/leeward>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

bevy:
1. A group of animals, in particular quail.
2. A large group or collection.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bevy>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

repechage:
(sports) A heat (as in rowing or fencing) in which the best competitors
who have lost in a previous round compete for a place or places yet left
in the next round.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/repechage>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

erratic:
(geology) A rock moved from one location to another, usually by a
glacier.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/erratic>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

social contract:
(philosophy, politics) An implicit agreement or contract among members
of a society that dictates things such as submission of individuals to
rule of law and acceptable conduct.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/social_contract>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

transhumance:
The moving of cattle or other grazing animals to new pastures, often
quite distant, according to the change in season.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/transhumance>

 

[PrincessFiona60]

accismus:
(rhetoric) Feigning disinterest in something while actually desiring it.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/accismus>