One thing I love about reading is that I am constantly learning new words. I like to read with a dictionary nearby and if one if not then I just circle the word in my book and look it up when I get the chance. (please don’t harass me about writing in a book – it’s my book and I can write in it if i want to – so there) I like to pretend that expanding my vocabulary makes me sound smarter. It does until I invariably have a genuine blond moment. Want to hear one? Really? Well, okay, since you asked so nicely:
Ever see the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”? You know, the one where global warming changes the weather patterns overnight and something close to an ice age occurs over the top half of the United States? Well in that movie one of the scientists claims that the change is due to the fact that the polar caps are melting thereby increasing the amount of fresh water in the ocean and decreasing the salinity. In all seriousness, I turn to my sweetie and say, “Can’t we just dump a bunch of salt in the ocean then?” Yep! and I swear I wasn’t even tipsy.
But I digress, at the risk of making myself sound like an idiot – again – here are some snazzy new words I have learned while reading The Opposite of Fate (Memories Of A Writing Life) by Amy Tan. (sometimes I know the meaning or at least think I do but if I am not willing to bet on it then I look it up):
ruminate: –verb (used without object)
| 1. to chew the cud, as a ruminant. |
| 2. |
to meditate or muse; ponder. |
–verb (used with object)
| 3. |
to chew again or over and over. |
| 4. |
to meditate on; ponder. |
masochistically: –noun
| 2. |
gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself, either as a result of one’s own actions or the actions of others, esp. the tendency to seek this form of gratification. |
| 3. |
the act of turning one’s destructive tendencies inward or upon oneself. |
| 4. |
the tendency to find pleasure in self-denial, submissiveness, etc. |
aculturation: –noun
| 1. |
the process of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group. |
| 2. |
the result of this process. |
cacophonous: –adjective – having a harsh or discordant sound.
motley: –adjective
| 1. |
exhibiting great diversity of elements; heterogeneous: a motley crowd. |
| 2. |
being of different colors combined; parti-colored: a motley flower border. |
| 3. |
wearing a parti-colored garment: a motley fool. |
–noun
| 4. |
a combination of different colors. |
| 5. |
a parti-colored effect. |
| 6. |
the parti-colored garment of a jester. |
| 7. |
a heterogeneous assemblage. |
nascent: –adjective
| 1. |
beginning to exist or develop: the nascent republic. |
insidious: adjective
| 1. |
intended to entrap or beguile: an insidious plan. |
| 2. |
stealthily treacherous or deceitful: an insidious enemy. |
| 3. |
operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect: an insidious disease. |
oeuvre: –noun 
| 1. |
the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole. |
| 2. |
any one of the works of a writer, painter, or the like. |
Now write each word 5 times each and use it in a sentence.
(definitions courtesy of dictionary.com)
Ooh, good post! I know just what you mean about loving to learn new words. I hope that doesn’t mean we’re nerdy.
I am not organized enough to read with a dictionary handy, but I inevitably use my dictionary and/or thesaurus when writing my blog posts — words come to mind (I must have absorbed them while reading, guessing at the definition by context) and I’ll double-check their meaning as I use them in my writing.
I can’t imagine you having TOO many “blond moments” if you are using words like “invariably” and “genuine” to describe those moments and their frequency.
I had heard most of these words (except “oeuvre!” Whoa, weird; how do you even say that?? Wait, I’ll look it up
). But I wasn’t a-hundred-percent sure of their definitions on most of them; thanks!
Did you like the book? I’ve only read “Joy Luck Club” by that author but I really enjoyed it.