New Words

[zhie]

Not really new, just new to me. Since some who read this are interested in what I'm learning this summer, here's a sample from the instructor's current lesson:


In the meantime, I can't resist passing on two of my favorite words.

* hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian means pertaining to a very, very long word. Etymologically, it is horse (hippo, as in Phillip, which means horse lover) + potamo (which means river--putting the first two parts together gives you hippopotamus, by the way) + monster + one and half feet. The word is considered autological (self + word), which is a word that is what it means.

* callipygian is an adjective which means having beautiful buttocks. Etymologically, it comes from Greek kallos, beauty (as in calliope or calligraphy), + pygos, buttocks. A famous statue of Venus displaying her buttocks is called Venus Kallipygos, Venus of the beautiful buttocks. Some of you can find ways to work this adjective into conversation, I am sure.


I expect everyone to use them both in a sentence by lunchtime.

Glorfindel will award additional bonus points to anyone who manages to get him or cheesecake into the sentence as well.

**I skipped ahead after posting this, and found out that lesson four has a section on Tolkien's runes in it. !GLEE!

Comments

[anjulka.livejournal.com]

Does it have to be the same sentence? Cuz that might take some of the fun out of the buttocks sentence.

[zhie.livejournal.com]

No, I meant, each in a sentence.

This is what happens when I try to post before eating my pop tarts.

[beruthiels-cats.livejournal.com]

Glorfindel: "Does eating too much cheesecake affect my callipygian state?"

I know-it doesn't count. *snortles*

[anjulka.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is not my sentence, but I had to share with you anyway....

I emailed the words to another friend who loves words.

She responded:
"THIS made me happy!!!
Did you know I have a thing for beautiful buttocks??? That's my favorite body part!!! I think you just gifted me with a new pick-up line! Hahahaha!!!"

She also just posted on FB: Well, I can't not... Vocabulary word for the day: callipygian. "I like callipygian people and I cannot lie..."

Thought you'd like to know that you made several people's day. :-)

[beruthiels-cats.livejournal.com]

Erestor pokes aforementioned state with his fork in between bites. "Looks fine to me!"

[anjulka.livejournal.com]

Got the big word used! It was a very bizarre texting conversation, but that's pretty normal with this coworker.

Me: "Are these your dark tan pants on the back of the lab door?"
Him: "Pants? Are they camo?"
"They might be camel."
H: "Must be Neal's. Are they camel skin?"
"Neal said they're not his. Dromedaries need not apply."
H: "What about other ungulates?"
"Only if it is hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian."
H: "I ride one of those to work every day."
"Do you need to feed it cheesecake?"
H: "Beer and brats"

I know it seems like a fake use of the required phrases, but he started it with his randomness. ;-)

[lalaith-raina.livejournal.com]

Lesson four sounds very exciting. :D
And I'm going to use callipygian in one of the role plays I'm in. It's sad how easily that will fit.

And that first word? I'm pronouncing it "Hippoto-monstro-sequi-*ramble off in a flail of letters*-ian" 8D