Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Xakara said…
I only recognize 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 11. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary!

Happy TT,

~Xakara
13 Quotes from the Coda Series
Hazel said…
Ah good for you. I was clueless you know, lol! But yeah, expand, expand, expand the vocabulary. Not the waistline :D
Anya said…
Never heard from those words :(
Thanks for telling what it means ;)

:-)
I am Harriet said…
I knew I think 2 of those. Too funny.

Have a great day!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2011/02/february-is-american-heart-month/
Mary Quast said…
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
Anonymous said…
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."
Anonymous said…
Isn't it funny that a brigand is the opposite of brigadier?
Mercy said…
All very new to me, thankyou for sharing. Have a great day and happy T13!
Hazel said…
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
Hazel said…
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.
Unknown said…
I love 'new to me' words. Great list. I'd only heard a couple of them before.

Popular posts from this blog

Regency delight and love language

Friday's Fave Five: Regency Period Cake Please scroll down for Mommy Moments Ambience of Banana Leaf Restaurant dinners continue to be the trend for us this week. Rustic charm has always been a big hit to me and Banana Leaf's got it. Buckets of real wheat, garlic and pumpkin hang adorning the wall. Plus the sweet and sour fish and chicken with cashew nuts and mushroom are a real pleasure. J Lo Live This was a gift to me two years ago. Cj is too young to be choosy with scents. He smiles playfully when I spray it on him and I laugh inwardly thinking he is a boy wearing a girl's perfume. This week we both smell the same :) Cyberbanking I finally dragged documents and myself down K Bank to register for online financial transactions. Spending only what I earn suits me best as I avoid debts and the convenience of sorting expenses any time of day in familiar surrounding is always welcome. Music in the air Whatever happened to the PA system at work? An old song was coming off it t...

Whisper your wishes

Cross-cultural misunderstandings are rife among gestures of beckonings and farewells in different parts of our planet. For example, the American gesture for "come here" could mean "good-bye" to Italians. Axtell (1998) observes, "the way people beckon one another around the world can be almost as diverse as the way we greet and bid farewell to one another." Today we look into popular hand gestures to signal farewells and to beckon. 1. In the United States , common gesture for getting someone's attention, as when calling a waiter is to raise a hand about head high with the index finger raised (exactly the girl's hand gesture on Samulli's header ) If an American used that gesture to a waiter in Germany , saying "Water please," the German waiter would bring two glasses of water In Japan it is rude; pointing a finger at anyone is considered impolite 2. Italians and Greeks will often wave goodbye with the arm extended, palm up,...

Weekend Snapshot: Ayutthya

Quick Facts: Ayutthya was founded in 1350 and is Thailand's second ancient capital (after Sukhothai); It was named after Ayodhya, a city in India, the birthplace of Rama It was once a sprawling metropolis and a famous hub of international trade It was destroyed by the Burmese army in the 18th century It is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Look at these chedis. I can't figure out exactly if the base of each pinnacle is either a square or a bell. I stood far away waiting for other tourists to clear the view when I took this shot. If it's a bell-shape then it's of Ceylonese influence. If it's a square, it's disctinctly Thai style. I would say the base on the right looks like a bell, but the left one is what I'm not sure of. How does it look to you? Prang are huge and high reliquary towers dotting the city. These are the tiny versions. The corn cob-shaped and rounder stupa shows Cambodian influence. This time I drew nearer as I suspect my SPF 50 wa...