AWADmail Issue 193
December 31, 2005
A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day
and Other Interesting Tidbits about Words and Languages
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From: Anu Garg (gargATwordsmith.org)
Subject: Interesting stories from the net
2006: Year of African Languages
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4536450.stm
A Yellow Pages of aptronyms:
http://slate.com/id/2132505
Scottish Accent Better for Business Success:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5047350.html
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From: Bruce Raup (braupATnsidc.org)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--moulin
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/moulin.html
To see a more frightening image of a moulin, see
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2002/200206069411.html
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From: Bob Bunker (b2-bsquareATsbcglobal.net)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--moulin
The "blue" in the ice of a moulin indicates ice safe to drink. The white
ice (at the arctic sea shore) contains salt and in a survival situation is
not safe to drink. The blue ice is aged and the salt content is apparently
gone from it. Melt it in your hand and drop the drops into your mouth. If you
eat it as ice, it will help lower your body's core temperature which can
hasten freezing to death.
I just thought you'd want to know to avoid hypothermia. <S>
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From: John Felix (jfelixbATaol.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--peneplain
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/peneplain.html
By one of those odd synchronicities with which existence occasionally teases
us, I have recently been reading here and there about a place in India
called Ran or Rann of Kutch -- various other spellings also -- and I wonder
whether it qualifies as a peneplain?
Reminds me: There used to be a series of cheap books with illustrations in
England which were sold in two varieties -- a penny plain and twopence
(tuppence) coloured. I surmise that such a book about the Rann of Cutch
would be offered only as a penny plain.
Yours in plenny pain, John Felix
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From: Susan Gawarecki (locATicx.net)
Subject: Earth words
The language of geology is a great love of mine. Although I have my
doctorate in geology, I no longer work in the field, and how I miss it!
The technical terms are like old friends. For true enjoyment, I refer
you to writer John McPhee's series of books, "Annals of the Former
World". He blends the poetry of the geological terms with a fascinating
tour of the geology across the U.S. along Interstate 80.
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From: Ellen Blackstone (ellenAT123imagine.net)
Subject: funny quotation to go with your philosophizing...
I have seen this tag-line on e-mail messages occasionally, and it always
speaks to me .... every time I see it again!
"Go outside - the graphics are amazing!"
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From: Eric Shackle (eshackleATozemail.com.au)
Subject: Words to describe the earth's features.
If you had included "geodesic dome" in last week's earth words I could have
linked it to a story about a marvellous golden dome surmounting California's
quirky Quixote Winery. It's discussed in the January edition of my free
e-book, http://www.bdb.co.za/shackle
............................................................................
When I feel inclined to read poetry, I take down my dictionary. The poetry
of words is quite as beautiful as the poetry of sentences. The author may
arrange the gems effectively, but their shape and lustre have been given by
the attrition of ages. -Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., writer and physician
(1809-1894)
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