Saturday, February 23, 2008

Word of the Day

colloquialism (noun) - informal word or phrase appropriate to 
familiar, everyday conversation.  Colloquialisms are more 
acceptable than slang in a wider social context.

  • You're gettin' just a little bit too big for your britches.  
  • I may have to take you down a notch or two.
  • There were so many people you couldn't stir them with a stick.
slang (noun) - informal nonstandard vocabulary peculiar to a particular 
group.
  • I have to give her props for that website!  (Slang for accolades.)
  • Looks like Rick will be next to get pagonged.  (A Survivor fan's word for fired.)
  • Call the data-dink, the system has crashed again.  (Slang for computer expert.)

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Word of the Day

deus ex machina (noun) - literally meaning "god out of a machine," 
describes an artificial, or improbable, character, device, or event 
introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a 
situation or untangle a plot.  Having its origins in the conventions 
of Greek tragedy, it refers to situations in which a mechane (crane) 
was used to lower actors playing a god or gods onto the stage.

The deus ex machina plot device is parodied in Mel Brook's 
"History of the World:  Part 1." Near the end, the king's body 
double is about to be executed when a horse named "Miracle" 
arrives and rescues the double and his friends.  When the 
double comments that the time gap is too big for one man to 
live through, the driver retorts that the movie is only fiction 
so it does not matter.




Word of the Day

liaison (noun) - 1:  relationship, interrelationship, 2:  intercommunication 
established and maintained between entities to ensure mutual understanding, 
unity of action, and especially prompt and effective support

When spelling the word "liaison," Arthur tended to forget that there was 
an "i" before the "a".

Word of the Day



Adamant (adjective) - unshakable or immovable, especially in
     opposition

Adamancy (noun) - unyielding quality : condition or fact of
 being stubborn or obstinate 

Not to be confused with:

Adam Ant - 1980s rocker best known for "Goody Two Shoes,"
    "Strip," and "Wonderful"


The rock-in-roll star was adamant that he
raise money for the Dian
Fossey Gorilla Fund in order to save the gorillas and their habitat.
In his
adamancy, he rewrote his famous "Stand and Deliver" song
to be "Save the Gorillas".