Thursday, March 01, 2007
Word a day gold
I've gotten the A.Word.A.Day email for some years now. Being an avid reader, I'm delighted to find new words that better express nuances of meaning, new words that I just didn't know, etc. It's like finding a new friend every day. Today's Word A Day and accompanying quote have struck me as particularly meaningful. So I quote, in its entirety (and can't wait to use)......
This week's theme: There is a word for it.
omphaloskepsis (om-fuh-lo-SKEP-sis) noun
Contemplation of one's navel.
[From Greek omphalos (navel) + skepsis (act of looking, examination).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe) which is also the ancestor of suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), despise, espionage, telescope, spectator, and spectacles.]
Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=omphaloskepsis
-Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
"Readers whose main interest is literary how-to or criticism can look
elsewhere, in places specifically dedicated to those matters. Doing
too much of it here would smack of omphaloskepsis."
Stanley Schmidt; About Science Fiction; Analog Science Fiction & Fact
(New York); Jun 2001.
Sponsored by:
Always find the right word with the Visual Thesaurus. Wordsmith readers save 10%. Try it free! http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?code=qv9&ad=aw
Ever wonder why we aren't just happy, we're happy as a clam? Derivation, a fascinating game about word & phrase origins. A great gift! http://entspire.com
............................................................................
Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. -Stephen King, novelist (1947- )
This week's theme: There is a word for it.
omphaloskepsis (om-fuh-lo-SKEP-sis) noun
Contemplation of one's navel.
[From Greek omphalos (navel) + skepsis (act of looking, examination).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe) which is also the ancestor of suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), despise, espionage, telescope, spectator, and spectacles.]
Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=omphaloskepsis
-Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
"Readers whose main interest is literary how-to or criticism can look
elsewhere, in places specifically dedicated to those matters. Doing
too much of it here would smack of omphaloskepsis."
Stanley Schmidt; About Science Fiction; Analog Science Fiction & Fact
(New York); Jun 2001.
Sponsored by:
Always find the right word with the Visual Thesaurus. Wordsmith readers save 10%. Try it free! http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?code=qv9&ad=aw
Ever wonder why we aren't just happy, we're happy as a clam? Derivation, a fascinating game about word & phrase origins. A great gift! http://entspire.com
............................................................................
Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. -Stephen King, novelist (1947- )
