A friend of mine accidentally coined this term when she tried to say "horrendous" but couldn't quite manage it. The second half: from "audacious," or ?
"The encomienda is a trusteeship labour system that was employed by the Spanish crown during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the Philippines." (source)
Nasty concept but fun to say. I love that it suggests "eating up" (comiendo).
"The term Reconquista (in English, 'reconquest') was popularized by Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes and Elena Poniatowska to describe the demographic and cultural presence of Mexicans into the Southwestern United States." (source)
But instead of contenting myself with some such plausible explanation of this summons, I imagined all sort of horrors, and had to fortify myself with a pint of my "pin" before I could face the interview. Slowly, all Adam's apple and heart,
Comments by novazembla
novazembla commented on the word shank
Urban Dictionary has many definitions, which boil down to 'a weapon used in prison' or the act of attacking someone with such a weapon.
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word horracious
A friend of mine accidentally coined this term when she tried to say "horrendous" but couldn't quite manage it. The second half: from "audacious," or ?
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word casí
Spanish word for "almost," "nearly."
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word henriad
Shakespeare scholars' term for his second historical tetralogy: Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V.
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word encomienda
"The encomienda is a trusteeship labour system that was employed by the Spanish crown during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the Philippines." (source)
Nasty concept but fun to say. I love that it suggests "eating up" (comiendo).
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word reconquista
"The term Reconquista (in English, 'reconquest') was popularized by Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes and Elena Poniatowska to describe the demographic and cultural presence of Mexicans into the Southwestern United States." (source)
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word i had not thought death had undone so many
Circling and circling, it seemed to scorn all pause.
So it ran on, and still behind it pressed
a never-ending rout of souls in pain
I had not thought death had undone so many
as passed before me in that mournful train.
-Dante's Inferno, Canto III: The Gate of Hell (Ciardi translation)
Unreal City
Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,
A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,
I had not thought death had undone so many.
-T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word the vasty deep
Glendower:
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
Hotspur:
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
-Henry IV, Part 1
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word ojalá
Etymology: From Arabic وشاء الله (wa-š�?’ all�?h) ‘and may God will it’. Compare inshallah, Portuguese oxalá. (source)
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word picnic, lightning
"My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning)"
-Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita; chapter 2
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word all adam's apple and heart
But instead of contenting myself with some such plausible explanation of this summons, I imagined all sort of horrors, and had to fortify myself with a pint of my "pin" before I could face the interview. Slowly, all Adam's apple and heart,
I went up the steps of the scaffold.
-Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita; chapter 11
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word trading futures
a high-powered occupation with an ominous ring to it. whose futures? traded to whom?
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word con favor de dios
a constant refrain during my time in Mexico.
June 2, 2009
novazembla commented on the word i was the shadow of the waxwing slain
I was the shadow of the waxwing slain
By the false azure in the windowpane;
I was the smudge of ashen fluff -- and I
Lived on, flew on, in the reflected sky.
-Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire: the first line of John Shade's poem.
June 2, 2009