|k| clippings: 2016-02-29 — ode to the OED

WORK

“The problem with the alphabet is that it bears no relation to anything at all, and when words are arranged alphabetically they are uselessly separated. In the OED, for example, aardvarks are 19 volumes away from the zoo, yachts are 18 volumes from the beach, and wine is 17 volumes from the nearest corkscrew.”

—Mark Forsyth
—from The Horologicon: A Day’s Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language

WORD(S)

sough /SOW/. noun or verb. The sighing sound of wind or water; a murmuring or humming. To make such a sound, to draw a deep breath. Also, to preach or pray in a hypocritical manner. Or to whine. Or even a drain or sewer. From Old English onomatopoeic verb swōgan (to resound; to rustle), related to swēgnjan (sigh).

“We laughed happily, and for a moment all the harbour noises stopped at once, so that we heard the sough and lap of the green water against the quay steps.” (Malcolm Lowry)

“As winds pass through leaves, deep and visible undulations of felicity passed through those who lay in the grass. We could hear the sough of dreamers who did not sleep.” (Nick Tosches)

“I have heard nothing but the sough of the sea
And wide upon the open sea my friend
The sea-wind crying, out of its cave to roam
No more, no more … until my memory
Swung you back like a lock…”
(John Berryman)

“When the racket was lost a moment, only a cosmic sigh; they heard the sough of time and space, the wave poised over everything.” (Nadine Gordimer)

WEB

1. “Participants in the study who typed with only one hand produced higher quality essays…” — perhaps we need Harrison Bergeron style creative constraints (people certainly seem to be happier and happier when I write less and less)? → People Who Write Well Do This One Simple Thing, Psych Study Finds

2. Reading From Behind: A Cultural History of the Anus is a book title I will never be able to unsee. → The Diagram Prize: Oddest Book Titles of the Year battle it out [Thanks, Reader B.]

3. “Technology-inspired technology gives us incremental improvements. Art-inspired technology gives us brand new ideas.” → Art and Math and Science, Oh My!

4. “On a more general level, however, the OED’s new frequency data confronts us with an interesting question. Namely, its disclosure that around 82% of English words are not commonly used or known asks us to reconsider what defines a natural language.” → If I May Use Some of It

5. Today in 1884, the first fascicle of the Oxford English Dictionary is published, more than 20 years after the project’s inauguration. That first 352-page installment covered A to Ant. The full dictionary wouldn’t be complete until 1928…but it is neither the longest in form nor the longest in the making; that honor belongs to the Dutch dictionary Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, which took twice as long to complete. What would become the OED was a project begun by a London philological society that wasn’t connected to Oxford University or its press. It would take four editors and thousands of volunteers (early crowdsourcing) to complete the first volume…and the first complete set would arrive 60 years past the initial projection of a decade (incidentally, the word ‘set’ has the lengthiest entry with 430 senses explained in just under 60,000 words). Among the most diligent and prolific finders of illustrative quotations was W.C. Minor, the eponymous madman in Simon Garfield’s entertaining history of the OED, The Professor and the Madman.

WATCH/WITNESS

What is ~A E S T H E T I C~ Experience? — “‘Aesthetics’ is defined as a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art. However, A E S T H E T I C has recently taken on a meaning of its own within internet culture.”

REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES

A few members of the Clamor were moved to find their birthday words:

• Reader B.: “1967? I can live with Mockney. But I was so close to computernik!”

• Another Reader B.: “‘Blast-off’ Boy, does that feel good. I’m very happy with my birthday word. Thanks!”

And on other topics:

• Reader M: “I love the grammar club article. Totes cray-cray for lingo jingo, yo.”

• Reader P.: “Reader T. [who eloquently told the haters they could ‘bite his Clamorite butt’] took the words right out of my mouth! Rude folks deserve all that and more!”

• Reader L. on 29 Lit Mags You Should be Reading: “I agree with you, most of these are well known. How about featuring some newer ones, like yours?”

I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.

Enjoy the WORD(S) section? Check out my other little project: concīs » http://concis.io/

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