Shabby Background

Thursday, February 17

It's not what it seems so don't wander

Lazaruz Vault by Tom Harper tells of knights and castles; a 12th century poem kept deep in a Scottish forest. The star character, a gradschool student lured by old world affluence, is wondering about what lies on the 6th floor of her employer's headquarters as much as I furrowed my brow over some words in the story. There could be more as I haven't touched chapters 20 - 53 yet. I make each vocabulary simple with just the obvious term of the definition and reminders intended to warn my mind against wandering off.

1. hauberk is a shirt not a partner in crime

2. bittern is a bird not a betel nut

3. fascia is tissue not a hue

4. vavasour is a tenant not a sour guava

5. breton is a horse not a variant spelling of briton

6. brigand is an outlaw not a brigadier

7. declension is an inflection not necessarily a decline

8. donjon is a keep not a dungeon

9. seneschal is a butler not Senegal in the 2000 FIFA World Cup

10. fewter is a holder not Harry Potter's cauldron

11. letch is a satyr not the grub in Lion King

12. tannoy is a loudspeaker not a tan alloy

13. proscenium is a wall not "Mr Van Helsing, your reputation precedes you."

Megan and Janet hosts Thursday 13.
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10 comments:

  1. HazelFebruary 17, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    Ah good for you. I was clueless you know, lol! But yeah, expand, expand, expand the vocabulary. Not the waistline :D

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  2. AnyaFebruary 17, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Never heard from those words :(
    Thanks for telling what it means ;)

    :-)

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  3. I am HarrietFebruary 17, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    I knew I think 2 of those. Too funny.

    Have a great day!
    http://harrietandfriends.com/2011/02/february-is-american-heart-month/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary QuastFebruary 18, 2011 at 12:04 AM

    A Scotsman could speak jibberish to me and I'd still be turned into mush. Thanks for the list.

    Happy TT.

    http://maryquast.blogspot.com/2011/02/thursday-thirteen-13-love-surprises.html

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  5. twobarkingdogsFebruary 18, 2011 at 12:50 AM

    The real feat would be to use one of these words in a real-world conversation with someone. Gives new meaning to "word of the day."

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  6. Alice AudreyFebruary 18, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    Isn't it funny that a brigand is the opposite of brigadier?

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  7. RogueFebruary 18, 2011 at 4:29 AM

    All very new to me, thankyou for sharing. Have a great day and happy T13!

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  8. HazelFebruary 18, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Anya, I'm glad you now do. I am too :)

    Harriet, you better off than i. i knew nothing, lol

    Mary, awwww ... now if a Scotsman turned up... :D

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  9. HazelFebruary 18, 2011 at 11:24 AM

    Twobarkingdogs, I've done a similar thing with former classmates (English Literature 101) about using new words in real life conversation. It was sooo much fun.

    Alice, exactly!

    Rogue, you're welcome. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Adelle LaudanFebruary 20, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    I love 'new to me' words. Great list. I'd only heard a couple of them before.

    ReplyDelete

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