"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Sesquipedalianism
Sesquipedalianism is the practice of using long, sometimes obscure, words in speech or writing.
Stay following this blog and you'll be given plenty of opportunity for sesquipedalianism!
My daughter Helen commented in November 2008 in her Blog that she was now keeping a notebook of new words that she came across during her reading. "This week I bought a lovely little leather bound book to write new words in as I read them . I've added a few from "1984", but my favourite has to be persiflage (from the French persifler) which means banter." I later discovered that my older daughter, Bryony, also kept a similar notebook.
This inspired me to create a Word blog. This will include both new words, favourite words and the origins of phrases that we commonly use. A definition and some comment, perhaps even a relevant quotation, will acompany the word or phrase.
“I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.” - Winnie the Pooh
Okay SS, I will have to look this up and break it down! Ha ha ha ha!
ReplyDeleteLove your new word!
ReplyDeleteThose are my favourite kinds of words.
Canadian Chickadee
wow thats a word which is what it means...theres a word for that too isnt there...aw bugger...cant think!
ReplyDelete