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ASF Word of the Day

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Stan 101

Stan 101

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In light of Joe's grammar thread, maybe we can have a word of the day. Let's see if it takes off.

quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective

1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals.
2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.

"Some of his plans were quixotic and much too good for this world, but he never wavered in a cause that he considered just and he commanded the respect of all who opposed him.
-- "Dr. John Dewey Dead at 92; Philosopher a Noted Liberal", New York Times, June 2, 1952"
 
Zugzwang.

Great word. Means that you have to make a move even though in making that move puts you at a disadvantage.
 
Judd said:
Zugzwang.

Great word. Means that you have to make a move even though in making that move puts you at a disadvantage.
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I think Essendon FC should have used it in its press release when they failed to renew Sheedy's contract.

Another word to consider is intermediation, which (in a financial sense) means that a business trend will be to use equity as the preferred source of funding over debt. Disintermediation represents a reversal of this trend
 
I'll save my word until tomorrow. We've already had three words of the day for today. :D
 
Thursday !!
Did I get it right ??

Mot du jour ??
http://french.about.com/library/motdujour/bl_motdujour.htm
Mot du jour - Learn a French Word a Day
Learn a new intermediate- to advanced-level French word every weekday

The Mot du jour is a great way to increase your French vocabulary. Every weekday, an intermediate- to advanced-level word is provided with its English translation, sound file, pronunciation guide, a couple of sentences, and any related words. The calendar below has links to the word for each day, so that you can refer back to previous words... but no looking ahead!! :)
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Stan 101 said:
In light of Joe's grammar thread, maybe we can have a word of the day. Let's see if it takes off.

quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective

1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals.
2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.

"Some of his plans were quixotic and much too good for this world, but he never wavered in a cause that he considered just and he commanded the respect of all who opposed him.
-- "Dr. John Dewey Dead at 92; Philosopher a Noted Liberal", New York Times, June 2, 1952"
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fantastic first choice Stan 101 -
how good is this chaotic quixotic kid ;)
Amazing 6 yr old Amanda Gabucan High Notes Man of La Mancha

CERVANTES
May I set the stage? I shall impersonate a man.
Come, enter into my imagination and see him!
His name... Alonso Quijana... a country squire,
no longer young... bony, hollow-faced... eyes
that burn with the fire of inner vision. Being
retired, he has much time for books. He studies
them from morn to night and often through the
night as well. And all he reads oppresses him...
fills him with indignation at man's murderous
ways toward man. And he conceives the strangest
project ever imagined... to become a knight-errant
and sally forth into the world to right all
wrongs. No longer shall he be plain Alonso Quijana...
but a dauntless knight known as -
Don Quixote de La Mancha!

DON QUIXOTE
Hear me now
Oh thou bleak and unbearable world,
Thou art base and debauched as can be;
And a knight with his banners all bravely unfurled
Now hurls down his gauntlet to thee!
I am I, Don Quixote,
The Lord of La Mancha, þ
My destiny calls and I go,
And the wild winds of fortune
Will carry me onward,
Oh whithersoever they blow.
Whithersoever they blow,
Onward to glory I go!

SANCHO PANZA
I'm Sancho! Yes, I'm Sancho!
I'll follow my master till the end.
I'll tell all the world proudly
I'm his squire! I'm his friend!

DON QUIXOTE
Hear me, heathens and wizards
And serpents of sin!
All your dastardly doings are past,
For a holy endeavor is now to begin
And virtue shall triumph at last!

(Don Quixote and Sancho Panza mount their horses and set out along a road)

DON QUIXOTE
I am I, Don Quixote,
The Lord of la Mancha,
My destiny calls and I go,
And the wild winds of fortune
Will carry me onward,
Oh whithersoever they blow!
SANCHO
I'm Sancho! Yes, I'm Sancho!
I'll follow my master till the end.
I'll tell all the world proudly
I'm his squire! I'm his friend!

DON QUIXOTE, SANCHO
Whithersoever they blow,
Onward to glory I {we} go!
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Judd said:
Zugzwang.

Great word. Means that you have to make a move even though in making that move puts you at a disadvantage.
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wow another ripper lol - thanx judd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zugzwang
"being in zugzwang"
The term zugzwang is frequently used in chess. A player whose turn it is to move who has no move that does not worsen their position is said to be in zugzwang (Soltis 2003:78). Thus every move would make their position worse, and they would be better off if they could pass and not move
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Reciprocal zugzwang, White to move draws, Black to move loses. From Hooper 1970, page 21.
A special case of zugzwang is mutual zugzwang or reciprocal zugzwang, which is a position such that who ever is to move is in zugzwang. According to John Nunn, positions of reciprocal zugzwang are surprisingly important in the analysis of endgames (Nunn 1995:6), (Nunn 1999:7).

The diagram on the right shows a position of reciprocal zugzwang. If Black is to move, he must move 1... Kd7 and lose because White will move 2. Kb7, promote the pawn, and win. If White is to move, he must either abandon protecting the pawn (any move other than 1. Kc6), or move 1. Kc6, which is also a draw because it stalemates Black. Both sides are in zugzwang, so it is a reciprocal zugzwang (Hooper 1970:21), (Averbakh 1993:35).
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A bit like "Hobson's Choice" I guess
meaning "no coice at all"
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Hobson's_Choice
 
Stan 101 said:
In light of Joe's grammar thread, maybe we can have a word of the day. Let's see if it takes off.

quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective

1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals.
2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.

"Some of his plans were quixotic and much too good for this world, but he never wavered in a cause that he considered just and he commanded the respect of all who opposed him.
-- "Dr. John Dewey Dead at 92; Philosopher a Noted Liberal", New York Times, June 2, 1952"
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querulous \KWER-uh-luhs; -yuh\, adjective:
1. Apt to find fault; habitually complaining.
2. Expressing complaint; fretful; whining.


Men who feel strong in the justice of their cause, or confident in their powers, do not waste breath in childish boasts of their own superiority and querulous depreciation of their antagonists.
-- James Russell Lowell, "The Pickens-and-Stealin's Rebellion", The Atlantic, June 1861
 
not wanting to be accused of being querulous, I add a bit more on Hobson's Choice - possible relevance to the current political options :2twocents

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Hobson's_choice
In colloquial English, a Hobson's choice is an apparently free choice that is really no choice at all.

The first written reference to the source of the phrase is in Joseph Addison's paper, The Spectator (14 October 1712). It also appears in Thomas Ward's poem England's Reformation, written in 1688, but not published until after his death. Ward writes:

Where to elect there is but one, 'tis Hobson's choice -- take that or none.
The phrase originates from Thomas Hobson (1544–1630), who lived in Cambridge, England. Hobson was a stable manager renting out horses to travelers; the site of his stables is now part of St. Catharine's College. After customers began requesting particular horses again and again, Hobson realized certain horses were being overworked. He decided to begin a rotation system, placing the well-rested horses near the stable door, and refused to let out any horse except in its proper turn. He offered customers the choice of taking the horse in the stall nearest the door or taking none at all.

Hobson's Choice is somewhat different from a Catch-22 situation, where both (or all) choices available contradict each other.

Henry Ford was said to have sold the Ford Model T with the famous Hobson's choice of "Any color so long as it's black" [1]. (In reality, the Model T was available in a modest palette of colors, but the rapid production required quick-drying paint, which at the time was available in only one color—black.)
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Modern usage
Hobson's choice is often used not to mean a false illusion of choice, but simply a choice between two undesirable options. The difference between this and the original meaning of Hobson's Choice is subtle, so the confusion is perhaps understandable. (Indeed, if the horse in the stall nearest the door is in poor shape, the traditional usage of Hobson's Choice becomes the more common use, since having an unhealthy horse and having no horse at all are both undesirable.) This usage is disputed, as a choice between two options, neither of which is acceptable, is called a dilemma.

A modern phrase that more accurately fits Thomas Ward's poem would be the phrase "Take it or leave it". While another common phrase that could be said to generalize Ward’s point is "Beggars can't be choosers".

On occasion, writers alternately use the term "Hobbesian Choice" instead of "Hobson's Choice", evidently not confusing philosopher Thomas Hobbes for Thomas Hobson, but refering to a specific Hobson's choice offered by Hobbes. The philosopher's famous choice is of an armed robber and "your money or your life" with the serious claim that the person making the choice is fully free.
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Hobson's Choice in politics
Some suggest that voting in a two-party system, like that of the United States, is Hobson's Choice. They believe that two candidates typically have far more similarities than dissimilarities, and that in fact the two-party system gives the candidates an incentive to be as similar as possible, in order to appeal to as many centrist or "swing" voters as possible.

Hobson's Choice in media
The New American, published by the John Birch Society, used the term "Hobson's Choice" to describe mainstream media outlets that purport to offer a range of choices to viewers/readers, while in reality doling out the same homogenized propaganda.....
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Re: ASF spelling and grammar lessons

PS oops this should be on "mot du jour" thread ;) - sorry - over to you, moderators (done)- to correct as you see fit. :eek:
as·pi·ra·tion
Spelled Pronunciation[as-puh-rey-shuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. strong desire, longing, or aim; ambition: intellectual aspirations.
2. a goal or objective desired: The presidency is the traditional aspiration of young American boys.
3. act of aspirating; breath.
4. Phonetics. a. articulation accompanied by an audible puff of breath, as in the h-sound of how, or of when (hwen), or in the release of initial stops, as in the k-sound of key.
b. the use of an aspirate in pronunciation.

5. Medicine/Medical. a. the act of removing a fluid, as pus or serum, from a cavity of the body, by a hollow needle or trocar connected with a suction syringe.
b. the act of inhaling fluid or a foreign body into the bronchi and lungs, often after vomiting.
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example of use :- Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer is standing by the Government's APEC push for a long-term aspirational goal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/06/2026440.htm
Downer backs push for 'aspirational' emissions goal
Posted Thu Sep 6, 2007 11:32pm AEST

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer is standing by the Government's APEC push for a long-term aspirational goal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenpeace has written to all countries attending the APEC summit pointing out that earlier this year the Minister referred to aspirational targets as "code for a political stunt".

Mr Downer made the comments in a speech about APEC but says he was referring to the Federal Opposition's commitment to a 60 per cent emissions reduction target by 2050.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/08/2027452.htm Greenpeace attacks 'aspirational' emissions deal
Posted Sat Sep 8, 2007 9:24am AEST
Updated Sat Sep 8, 2007 10:43am AEST


Emissions deal: A statement is expected from APEC leaders later today (Getty Images: Ian Waldie)

Audio: Climate change on agenda as APEC begins (AM) Map: Sydney 2000
Related Story: Australia looking to clinch climate deal Related Link: Full coverage of APEC 2007 Environmental lobby group Greenpeace says the Sydney Declaration on climate change which is expected to be signed by APEC leaders today will not do anything to combat the issue.

The declaration will include 'aspirational', rather than mandatory, targets for emissions reductions.
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lol there is apparently a cartoon out there - a kid challenging his dad that he said he was going to stop smoking - and the father is chain smoking madly beside an ashtray absolutely chokkers with butts ( with buts? and if's? ) - and the father replies "Son, I prefer aspirational goals !" ;)
 
dingo
kangaroo
cooee
hard yakka
gone bung
woop woop

but didgeridoo (a well known wooden ceremonial musical instrument) is probably an onomatopaoeic word of Western invention (Irish?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_English_vocabulary Words of Australian Aboriginal origin
Main article: List of English words of Australian Aboriginal origin
Some elements of Aboriginal languages have been incorporated into Australian English, mainly as names for places, flora and fauna (for example dingo, kangaroo). Beyond that, few terms have been adopted into the wider language, except for some localised terms, or slang.

Some examples are cooee and Hard yakka. The former is a high-pitched call (pronounced /kʉː.iː/) which travels long distances and is used to attract attention. Cooee has also become a notional distance: if he's within cooee, we'll spot him. Hard yakka means hard work and is derived from yakka, from the Yagara/Jagara language once spoken in the Brisbane region.

Also from the Brisbane region comes the word bung meaning broken. A failed piece of equipment might be described as having bunged up or referred to as "on the bung" or "gone bung". Bung is also used to describe an individual who is pretending to be hurt; such individual is said to be "bunging it on".

Though often thought of as an Aboriginal word, didgeridoo (a well known wooden ceremonial musical instrument) is probably an onomatopaoeic word of Western invention. It has also been suggested that it may have an Irish derivation.[2]


[edit] Double names
Aboriginal place names are often doubled, such as Wagga Wagga. The doubling typically indicates something exceptional about the place, such as a lot of water rather than just some water. The double names are usually spelled as two separate words. The twin words are usually pronounced the same, one exception being Goonoo Goonoo. With Kangy Angy the twin words are not quite the same, but the do at least rhyme.

Woop Woop is a fictional archetypal place.
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reg·i·cide –noun
1. the killing of a king.
2. a person who kills a king or is responsible for his death, esp. one of the judges who condemned Charles I of England to death.
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ok ok - can be figurative lol
like .. "The partyroom met with the intention of challenging for the leadership, but then decided that regicide is a political no-no in Australia." (whetever)

Here's a poem on the same topic ;)

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=202661&highlight=regicide#post202661
 
like - I heard it for the first tim this morning on "Insiders" (paraphrasing)

.. "The partyroom met with the intention of challenging for the leadership, but then decided that regicide is a political no-no in Australia." (whetever)
 
Anyone ever noticed beenies, or maybe coffee cups, with words on them like

"fig jam" = fu** I'm good, just ask me, and
"dilligaf" = does it look like I give a fu**
;)
I'm sure there are heaps more
 
here's a couple :-
palindrome: a word, verse, phrase, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward.

aibophobia = fear of palindromes

http://www.fun-with-words.com/palindromes.html
http://www.palindromelist.com/
http://thinks.com/words/palindromes.htm

I roamed under it a tired nude maori
I, man, am regal; a German am I.
I prefer pi.
If I had a hi-fi

A nut for a jar of tuna.
A Toyota's a Toyota
Borrow or rob?
Go, do, dog.

Cigar? Toss it in a can. It is so tragic.
Dogma: I am God.
God damn! Mad dog.

Ed is a trader; cast sacred art aside.
He did, eh?
Ed, I hide.
H: (sarcastic...) "It's a crash."
Star comedy by Democrats

Kayak salad - Alaska yak.
Oh, cameras are macho
Party boobytrap
Live forever of evil
Live not on evil.

Now do I repay a period won.
Madam I'm Adam
Mom's Dad & Dad's Mom!?!
No lemons, no melon

Red rum, sir, is murder
Madam, in Eden I'm Adam
Yo, banana boy!
Mad as it is it is Adam.

Sex-aware era waxes
Sex Alert: "Ella, my mallet relaxes!"
Swap for a pair of paws?
Was it a bar or a bat I saw?

Won't lovers revolt now?
Zeus sees Suez.
A nut for a jar of tuna.
Amore? Roma!


Do geese see God
Never odd or even
God saw I was dog
Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?
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Word-Unit Palindromes: Top 10

King, are you glad you are king?1
Fall leaves after leaves fall.2
Says Mom, "What do you do?" – You do what Mom says.3
You know, I did little for you, for little did I know you.4
First Ladies rule the State, and state the rule: "ladies first."5
Please me by standing by me please.6
Blessed are they that believe they are blessed.7
Escher, drawing hands, drew hands drawing Escher.8
You can cage a swallow, can't you, but you can't swallow a cage, can you?9
Did I say you never say "never say never"? You say I did.10
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Doppelgänger
Entering the lonely house with my wife
I saw him for the first time
Peering furtively from behind a bush –
Blackness that moved,
A shape amid the shadows,
A momentary glimpse of gleaming eyes
Revealed in the ragged moon.
A closer look (he seemed to turn) might have
Put him to flight forever –
I dared not
(For reasons that I failed to understand),
Though I knew I should act at once.

I puzzled over it, hiding alone,
Watching the woman as she neared the gate.
He came, and I saw him crouching
Night after night.
Night after night
He came, and I saw him crouching,
Watching the woman as she neared the gate.

I puzzled over it, hiding alone –
Though I knew I should act at once,
For reasons that I failed to understand
I dared not
Put him to flight forever.

A closer look (he seemed to turn) might have
Revealed in the ragged moon
A momentary glimpse of gleaming eyes
A shape amid the shadows,
Blackness that moved.

Peering furtively from behind a bush,
I saw him, for the first time
Entering the lonely house with my wife.
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A man, a plan, a canal – Panama
A man, a plan, a cat, a canal – Panama
A man, a plan, a cam, a yak, a yam, a canal – Panama

A man, a plan, a canoe, pasta, heros, rajahs, a coloratura, maps, snipe, percale, macaroni, a gag, a banana bag, a tan,
a tag, a banana bag again (or a camel), a crepe, pins, Spam, a rut, a Rolo, cash, a jar, sore hats, a peon, a canal – Panama!
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