h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Eschew - has the right sort of spitting out sound for what it means.

Ajar.

Used the word last nite, and someone else commented that it was a nice word, so I thought I'd mentioned it. Cus it is.


Geggs

Pathetic.

It has the right amount of venom in the syllables...

"Fannish", the word Geggs invented for his nickname. I presume it means "Like a fanclub", but it sounds like it means "Like Kenneth Williams". For some reason...

Something that is 'fannish' is a thing that plainly declares you to be a fan.

For example, there's a guy that has fitted out his flat to look like Star Trek: TNG. That is fannish, cus you wouldn't do it if you weren't a Trek fan. If you were to build a mock-up of R2D2 (and I've met someone who has!) or make (or buy for the princely sum of about £2000) a stormtropper suit, that would be fannish, as only a real Star Wars fan would do it. Though, obviously, these are the extremes of fannishness.

If you were to subscribe to Dave Gorman's mailing list, that would be fannish. Or constantly badger the BBC until they finally wake up and decide to release 'The Dave Gorman Collection' on video and DVD, that would be fannish. That's more middle-ground fannish.

At the low end, simply standing up and saying 'I am a fan of ' is the basic unit of fannish activity.

I didn't invent the word, btw, I know I've seen and heard it used before somewhere...


Geggs

Returning to the plot...

When I started this thread the idea was that of bringng neglected words to light. Words which only turn up in normal conversion once or twice a year, but are quite pleasant when they do - like discombobulated. Or words which, though once commonplace, have since fallen into disuse, and should be brought back - like o'clock, or ajar.

That was the intention at least.


Geggs

I know that's what fannish meant, dude, I just had never heard it before so thought you'd made it up (which is what I usually do!). I stand corrected, and feel like a better man for it
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"...have fallen into disuse, and should be brought back- like o'clock..."
I don't know about you, but I say this at least once I day, I'm sure!

Really? Interesting.

I find that it's generally just the number that's used these days. As in 'There's a metting at 11' instead of 'There's a metting at 11 o'clock'.

I like the sound of it though. It seems like it's a contraction of 'of the clock' or something like. Makes it sound like the clock is the source of authority in time. 'That is the time because the clock is tell us that is the time'.

Maybe it's just me.


Geggs

Priapismic. It describes a lot of people I meet but never have cause or opportunity to let them know.

I like 'ergo', which I do manage to use a fair old bit.

Also: badinage, excommunicated and diatribe are all good

i thinkthe o'clock thing depends on the context...if someone asks you what time it is, most people would say it's such and such o'clock, not just the number...maybe not, but it would sound wrong to me
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Gurus
CommunityArtists

ere (as in before) is quite cool...
and epoch...i'm not sure exactly how to pronounce it, but tis a groovy word...
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Gurus
CommunityArtists

Yonder - rough translation: somewhere over that way...


Geggs

And 'yea', as in 'yea big' when referring to a person's height. That's how I talk anyway, please don't let me be the only one.

I'm more of a "so high" person, myself, Jeff, but my best friend is definitely a "yea big" person, and I don't hold it against him.
You're not alone, dude.

heheee...
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Gurus
CommunityArtists

'Cusp'. A friend of mine became very fond of saying he was 'on the cusp of' things, until he got bored of it.

hehe
what about corrie?
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Gurus
CommunityArtists

(meaning the word corrie, not the abbreviation for coronation street )
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Gurus
CommunityArtists

What does it mean? I seem to remember some sort of a dialect word of that sort, possibly Northumbrian or Scottish.