Lost-TV Supreme Vocabulary Awards, aka "We're WAY Too Educated for This"

[Son of Locke]

Welcome to the Lost-TV Supreme Vocabulary Awards,

formerly known as "My Mommy and Daddy Shelled Out Big Bucks For My College and All I Got Was Message Board Love,"

Wherein we recognize--nay, we laud, extol, ennoble, dignify, and aggrandize--with distinction--those posters whose linguistic erudition humbles even the most verbally ostentatious among us. Lest we devolve into yet another of our myriad 'word list' threads, let us obviate superfluous and obstreperous expostulation with a few perspicuous precepts:

1. A post and its poster may be nominated for the excellent (and correct, cf. the 'Ask the Grammar Goddess' thread) use of a word--preferably a single word, though a particularly excellent turn of phrase may receive honorable mention.
2. The word must be real, i.e. a known and correct usage according to a recognized source, e.g., the Oxford English Dictionary (hereafter OED)
3. The word must be used in the context of a meaningful post on this forum. The word or phrase must be part of a whole, coherent thought about a) the show, its characters, plot, themes, creators, actors, or other elements, or b) ideas or remarks posted by fellow Lost-TV members. That is, cut-and-pastes from the "cool words" and like threads shall not be accepted. Posts from other fora (even by members of this) shall likewise not be recognized.
4. The nominator must quote the author, define the term, and link the thread or post from whence it emerged. Please don't nominate someone with "I think JTSDOIA* used 'somnambulatory' in some T&S thread, it was cool." It's all about context.
5. Certain proper terms and/or non-English entries may be accepted if they are unique and of a generally recognized usage. See my first nomination for an example.
6. Have fun, don't whine, and let's get edumakated!!

Dem's Da Rules.

*Not an actual handle. Used for demonstration purposes only.

ETA: Thanks, Warthawg1, for the prompting of a handy resource guide. Feel free to add appropriate links to dictionaries, thesauri, or other helpful wordsmithies...

Dictionaries:
http://dict.die.net/
http://dictionary.reference.com/
http://www.m-w.com/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://www.alphadictionary.com/index.shtml
http://www.onelook.com/

Thesauri/Thesauruses (both correct)
http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ARTFL/forms_unrest/ROGET.html
http://thesaurus.reference.com/
http://www.bartleby.com/62/

Other (rhymes, anagrams, etc.):
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/
http://www.rhymezone.com/

[LostInWilderness]

Transporting to Lostaways. (Sorry, best I could do.)

[Son of Locke]

I hereby bestow my first nominations upon that gloriously ruminatory scholar, I_Took_Walt, for his double-whammy smackdown in http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=454599&postcount=172. The words used--in a SINGLE POST (!)--were:
1. Weltanschauung
2. adumbrations

Quote:
Originally Posted by I_Took_Walt
...I've also enjoyed the way that it illustrates how a person's critical interpretation of art and literature is linked to that person's Weltanschauung.


Weltanschauung, n. [G., lit., world view] a comprehensive, esp. personal, philosophy or conception of the universe and of human life

Quote:
Originally Posted by I_Took_Walt
...someone with a different cultural and/or professional orientation might find different themes in "Lost" and discern adumbrations of those different themes in the same works of art and literature. Both interpretations would be equally well-informed, and neither would be more or less valid than the other.

adumbrate,vt. -brat-ed, -brat-ing [<L. adumbratus, pp. of adumbrari, to shade < ad-, to + umbra, shade] 1. to outline in a shadowy way; sketch 2. tosuggest beforehand; foreshadow in a vague way 3. to obscure; overshadow -ad'um-bra'tion n., ad-um'bra-tive adj.

While it may be that ITW will rack up several nominations, there are undoubtedly many of you out there just dying for the honor. Even though I risk insult by omission, I'll call some of you out -- Perfesser Camel? Dr.A? Lace? CXC? Jaystao? JMBerger? Neill? Do yer worst. Or, er, best.

Hodge, if you're listening, that's what Gwen would call "ding-a-ling."

[Son of Locke]

All I can tell you is that I am in touch with my inner alexithymic, and all is well. ;)
http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=453529&postcount=28

alexithymia ModL < Gr., a-, "without" + lexis, "speech" + thymia, "feelings"/"passion", an inability to express one's emotions through speech.

Camel, you're nominated. Eventually someone besides me will care :)

[Noav Sigless]

As a junior college dropout, I don't see myself getting such an esteemed nomination. I owe more to Stan Lee for my vocabulary than any professor.

I look forward to seeing how this thread develops and I'll keep my eye out for any ten dollar words.

Excelsior! 'nuff said

[Warthawg1]

You do realize of course that because of this thread, the online thesaurus business is going to increase exponentially.

Can there be a special dunce award for someone who obviously is just trying to sound intelligent by using a big word? Remember it's not good enough to just use a big word.... it really needs to be the most appropriate word for the situation.

[Son of Locke]

You do realize of course that because of this thread, the online thesaurus business is going to increase exponentially.May the amelioration of both be a blessing on us all...
Can there be a special dunce award for someone who obviously is just trying to sound intelligent by using a big word? Remember it's not good enough to just use a big word.... it really needs to be the most appropriate word for the situation.Wart, even though that sounds loaded somehow, I'm intrigued by the idea. The misuse award (the Malaproppie?) would follow logically. I'll paste some useful wordsmith links on top when I have some time.

[Warthawg1]

The Malaproppie

Awesome.. perfect.

[camelsmoker]

JTSDOIA ?

[Son of Locke]

I knew someone was going to catch me for that. I'm tempted to make it a guessing game, but I just hit a bunch of keys to simulate a random handle, so as not to call out any one poster.

[Son of Locke]

Nomination time!
While I don't know indisputably that these words, if used alone, would precipitate nominations, they appeared consecutively (check the postcounts if you doubt) in a discussion between DrABauer, I_Took_Walt, JMBerger, and Jaystao, which can be found here. http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14590

Individually, they are: quintessential, determiniative, transubstantiated, ruminating, conundrum, endeavor, and vacillate. I myself indulged in a bit of shilly-shallying, since the nature of the thread was bound to generate some fancy terms, but in the spirit of high-(collective?) mindedness, I gotta give it to these guys! Away we go...

Eko, on the other hand, is the quintessential Catholic. He believes that works are more determinative than faith and has adopted a rationalist approach towards his interactions with others.http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=370227&postcount=3
quintessential, adj. being the most typical example or most important part of something, from quintessence, n. the most perfect manifestation of a quality.
determinative, adj. able, likely, or acting to determine.
He was then transubstantiated into his brother's role -- with the outward appearance of being a priest, which saved his life, but his inner essence may or may not have been transformed at that time.http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=370228&postcount=4
transubstantiated, vt. converted (one substance) into another. cf transubstantiate, v. to convert (the substance but not the form of bread and wine) into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, as Roman Catholic doctrine teaches it is done in the Eucharist.I started this thread after ruminating for some time on the conundrum explored by lostmio in Eko is 0 for 4 (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13681).
http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=370379&postcount=5
ruminating, vi. thinking at length; meditating.condundrum, n. a puzzle or problem with a difficult or impossible solution. also, a riddle whose answer contains a pun.I remain committed to this thread and will endeavour to seek grace in all its forms.http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=370485&postcount=6
endeavour, vt. to make an honest attemptAlso bear in mind, I vacillate between thinking the writers have a big master plan and thinking they are writing this show using a magic eight ball and pages torn at random from magazines. http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=370486&postcount=7
vacillate, vt. to waver in mind; show indecision

[PandoraX]

Can there be a special dunce award for someone who obviously is just trying to sound intelligent by using a big word? Remember it's not good enough to just use a big word.... it really needs to be the most appropriate word for the situation.

LOL, I'm with Warty on this one, sorry SOL. I hate it when people use multi-syllabic words just to be exclusive, when there's a better short word. Vocab stops serving as a way to communicate at that point, and serves more as a divider... Don't get me wrong, I have some favorite big words too, but then when people use them all the time, it's just like when you curse gratuitously.... loses it's "oomph".

Wait a sec... counts syllables in "multi-syllabic"....

[camelsmoker]

Wait a sec... counts syllables in "multi-syllabic"....I suppose sesquipedalian isn't any better, then?

[Noav Sigless]

Don't get me wrong, I have some favorite big words too, but then when people use them all the time, it's just like when you curse gratuitously.... loses it's "oomph".

I agree, these important words should never be subjected to floccinaucinihilipilification

[Son of Locke]

LOL, I'm with Warty on this one, sorry SOL. I hate it when people use multi-syllabic words just to be exclusive, when there's a better short word. Vocab stops serving as a way to communicate at that point, and serves more as a divider... Don't get me wrong, I have some favorite big words too, but then when people use them all the time, it's just like when you curse gratuitously.... loses it's "oomph".

Wait a sec... counts syllables in "multi-syllabic"....If that isn't the pot calling the patient disthymic...
I suppose sesquipedalian isn't any better, then?Shameless.

I'm not saying they have to be big, and the rules I wrote never excluded the bevy of august prolixities you medical types love to bandy about. But I do just gush that you're here in my thread...:wave2:

[I_Took_Walt]

Very simple concept here, guys. High school education: good. College education: better. Graduate/professional school education: even better. Vocabulary and diction are accouterments of education. Education is not a bad thing.

And yes, I used the word "accouterments" intentionally with full knowledge that player-haters would pull out their dull blades of irony.

[Son of Locke]

Very simple concept here, guys. High school education: good. College education: better. Graduate/professional school education: even better. Vocabulary and diction are accouterments of education. Education is not a bad thing.

And yes, I used the word "accouterments" intentionally with full knowledge that player-haters would pull out their dull blades of irony.
NO, it's not misspelled. ITW, were you reverse-engineering a trebly-ironic post when you used "dull blades?" All of you know, of course, the following:

accouter, vt. to outfit; equip, esp. for military service (Webster's New World Dictionary, (c) 1984)

Post # 1/3 of 2/3 of perfection...

[Crandyman]

These are halcyon days that our ubiquitous lexicon is finally being used to its full potential. My vocabulary had been in an extensive hibernation because I was tired of my friends saying, "What?". So, I guess now we don't have to speak so monosyllabically all the time, which is fine with me!

[Son of Locke]

These are halcyon days that our ubiquitous lexicon is finally being used to its full potential. My vocabulary had been in an extensive hibernation because I was tired of my friends saying, "What?". So, I guess now we don't have to speak so monosyllabically all the time, which is fine with me!
Ahhh, Crandyman, do come in. I knew we would inveigle you ere long. I presume by "halcyon" you don't refer to the peacful, calming influence of the kingfisher around the time of winter solstice, do you? These hiatustulate times are anything but...good to see you here nonetheless.

---
A gentle reminder, friends: the thread is not simply a pedestal on which to seat and esteem our stalwart (stall word?) abilities. This is a place to recognize, to reward--to deem meedworthy--the genius in others as well -- to boldly bag their brilliance in action, though our present energy derives from inaction, to be sure.

I prithee, let this not be another jaunty aside which withers when Wednesday wanders once again anew. Have we read each jot and tittle of every thread? Find the gems, the accidental tourists, the unassuming sunbursts. Strive, seek, find, and do not yield!

[camelsmoker]

Now, SoL, I know you've been waiting for someone to nominate you, so I'll take care of that toute de suite:

Obviously, in this thread you've gone overboard with the polysyllabic profundity, and the conversely vapid vaniloquence, but I would like to nominate your wonderfully assonant poem "An Apology" (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=456451&postcount=388), originally posted in the Non-Metallic Metals?? (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14816) thread.

My favorite passage:
Tell Sawyer his coy little Roy Rogers ploy
Was destroyed by that cloying annoying voyeur
Or was it the lawyer? The Octagon foyer?
Or clairvoyant voices whispering "La Mer?"

:clap:

[Son of Locke]

Now, SoL, I know you've been waiting for someone to nominate you, so I'll take care of that toute de suite:
Sheesh. Am I that...pellucid? Actually, nothing I've posted anywhere but here really conforms to my own stipulations, but I appreciate your affirmation anyway.
Obviously, in this thread you've gone overboard with the polysyllabic profundity, and the conversely vapid vaniloquence,Cool, consonant Camelsmoker. You do impress. Got a light?

Vaniloquence \Va*nil"o*quence\, n. [L. vaniloquentia; vanus vain + loquentia talk, loqui to speak.] Vain or foolish talk. [Obs.] Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

At first I thought you coined the term, and that perhaps you meant I needed a more..."urban" flair to my posts? Perfesser, indeed. Now I have to add a new dictionary site, since several that I listed did not find the word.

[Son of Locke]

Well Camel must be butter, 'cause he's on a roll...
Because these posts tend away from brevity, I'll spoiler-tag the definitions from now on. (ETA: sheesh, that's not the answer. I'll try to single-post, then. And spoiler-tag those.)
No problem, TOG. I noticed your question while following the Great Sperm Debate (as Gilgamesh so drolly dubbed it). Luckily, I was wearing my polemic prophylactic (made from non-metallic metal, of course), so I was immune to its slippery spell.http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=461563&postcount=331

polemic, \Po*lem"ic\, [Gr. ? warlike, fr.? war: cf. F. pol['e]mique.], adj. 1. Of or pertaining to controversy; maintaining, or involving, controversy; controversial; disputative; as, a polemic discourse or essay; polemic theology. 2. Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy; disputations; as, a polemic writer. --South.
n. 1. One who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant.

prophylactic need not be hashed here, but the phrase "polemic prophylactic" deserves at least a bouquet. So...Camel was a) hoping to keep away the polemics, b) keep the feuding Irish off his wanker, or c) he used some controversial condoms (did he get them from Jae Lee?)

In any case, did he stop there? Nah.
In the case of LOST, I believe some of the notions explored in the now-defunct (or are they?) Unreliable Narrator threads, such as the breakdown of conventional separations of mimetic and diegetic elements, or the confusion of levels of narrative reality, may be considered metafiction.
*catches breath*http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=460197&postcount=207
mimetic, \Mi*met"ic\ (?; 277), [Gr. ?, fr. ? to imitate.], adj. 1. Apt to imitate; given to mimicry; imitative. 2. (Biol.) Characterized by mimicry; -- applied to animals and plants; as, mimetic species; mimetic organisms. [for a more appropriate context, the following definition is given] adj 1: characterized by or of the nature of or using mimesis; "a mimetic dance"; "the mimetic presentation of images"
diegetic, adj. of or relating to diegesis, \Di`e*ge"sis\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to narrate; dia` through + ? to lead.] A narrative or history; a recital or relation.
(The meaning of their juxtaposition must be inferred, but the truly curious will follow the link into the thread.) metafiction, n. defined by Wikipedia, "is the term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality. It usually involves irony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony) and is self-reflective. It can be compared to presentational theatre in a sense; presentational theatre does not let the audience forget they are viewing a play, and metafiction does not let the readers forget they are reading a work of fiction."

To allow Camel all the credit for "metafiction" would be unfair, so for their sake, I link the links to other threads containing the concept: http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/search.php?searchid=97370

Egad, man. Polemic prophylactic mimetic vs. diagetic metafiction? Sounds suspiciously like...

[Son of Locke]

Because my PM box is teeming, no...plethorous, nay-- chockablock with submissions...

Welp, it may be just me in here, but, Mog that I am, I'm my own best friend. This issue's nomination goes to Boonian Androphile for his post in the Welcome Back Jack (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=481608&postcount=15) thread:

Let's see Jack's character having developed the skill in retaking what he feels is his without all the past bangling and emotionality. Now, the skeptic in me suspects that, based on context, BA really meant "bungling," but I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt, because "bangling" is actually a word, and it doesn't mean shaking your heavily-braceleted wrists to "Manic Monday," it actually means:

Bangle \Ban"gle\, v. t. [From 1st Bang (http://dict.die.net/bang/).]
To waste by little and little; to fritter away. [Obs.]

nice work, BA. Even if it wasn't deliberate. :)

ETA: speaking of frittering away, this was post #420 for me. :cool:

[Son of Locke]

Summertime, summertime. Nothin' like kickin' back at a lemonade stand with my trusty thesaurus, thus (go ahead, try it 10 times). Even though Dr. Pandora's Website of Lust-TV (http://public.fotki.com/LostTVGallery/lost-tv_gallery/) has pretty much ruined me for intellectual jibber-jabber (sorry, Sawyer...). I just had to pay homage (again) to this mistifying misanthropic missive (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=722521#post722521), courtesy of good ol' Chauncy, whom I dub the "Earl of the Pearl." Don't cast it before too many swine, good chap.

[I_Knocked_Up_Sun]

I understood everything except "gamboling." Definition please, SoL. Also, shouldn't fetid be spelled foetid?

[Son of Locke]

I understood everything except "gamboling." Definition please, SoL. Also, shouldn't fetid be spelled foetid?
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Gambol \Gam"bol\ v. i.
To dance and skip about in sport; to frisk; to skip; to play
in frolic, like boys or lambs. (emphasis added!)

Source: [I]Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Fetid \Fet"id\ (? or ?; 277), a. [L. fetidus, foetidus, fr. fetere, foetere, to have an ill smell, to stink: cf. F. f['e]tide.] Having an offensive smell; stinking. Most putrefactions . . . smell either fetid or moldy. --Bacon.

An odd source, "Bacon." Wouldn't think it'd be associated with "fetid," unless perhaps the author keeps kosher. As far as spelling, looks like Chauncy's allright, although with the Latin roots I can see your argument.

[blue sunrise]

I'd like to nominate time is a river because (s)he taught me a new word today. Please no laughing at my Bachelors education (no, SoL, you did NOT mishear me say "education of Bachelors" :nanabobo: )

From Jack's bedtime stories (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21670):

I think the "Previously" post was pellucidly clear. I understand just what is going on. It reminds me of a TV show I just saw on DVD, Wild Palms. Pellucidly clear, I tell ya


pellucidly - adv. 1. lucidly, in a clear and lucid manner.

[TheTempest]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheTempest

But SoL... You pulchritudinous blue-eyed beau...
I can't believe you missed/avoided this one -- Although methinks you're just being modest...;)
pul·chri·tu·di·nous (phttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/ubreve.giflhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/lprime.gifkrhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/ibreve.gif-thttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/oomacr.gifdhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifn-http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gifs, -tyhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/oomacr.gifdhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gif-)
adj.
Characterized by or having great physical beauty and appeal.

[I_Knocked_Up_Sun]

Yay for me! I already knew the definitions of both pellucid and pulchritude. And now I can spell fetid.

Watch out people. In the words of Alexander Pope, "a little knowledge ... "

[blue sunrise]

"... is all I've got." :confused:

;)

[time is a river]

I'd like to nominate time is a river because (s)he taught me a new word today. Please no laughing at my Bachelors education (no, SoL, you did NOT mishear me say "education of Bachelors" :nanabobo: )

From Jack's bedtime stories (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21670):



pellucidly - adv. 1. lucidly, in a clear and lucid manner.


I thank ye. I thank ye. Actually, don't tell anyone, I misspelled it the first time I wrote the post. Thank the gods for the edit feature.

[Son of Locke]

Transporting to Lostaways. (Sorry, best I could do.) Well, aren't I the dunderhead? (No comments from you, Tempest) I missed the first response here, good ol' LIW. Whilst he expulsed the thread to its rightful habitat, he contributed nonetheless...my apologies, sir.

Flashback time: (3/22/06)
Now, SoL, I know you've been waiting for someone to nominate you, so I'll take care of that toute de suite:Sheesh. Am I that...pellucid? Actually, nothing I've posted anywhere but here really conforms to my own stipulations, but I appreciate your affirmation anyway.
Sawyer Oats, you might just have marked the start of a new word fad. But watch out, my pulchritudinous good friend Pesty might just decide she sees the pellucidity of this reply...

[blue sunrise]

Thank you, SoL, I had no idea my education was supplemented as far back as March. "Pellucid" was recondite amongst the myriad, umm, big words. :D

[Son of Locke]

Thank you, SoL, I had no idea my education was supplemented as far back as March. "Pellucid" was recondite amongst the myriad, umm, big words. :DWay not to use "of" after "myriad." Little did you know that in eschewing that shibboleth, you passed the single MENSO entrance examination, congrats!

[time is a river]

But I think we should also applaud Sawyer Oats for her education of bachelors.

:clap::clap:

[blue sunrise]

Little did you know that in eschewing that shibboleth, you passed the single MENSO entrance examination, congrats!

What an imMENSe honor!

But I think we should also applaud Sawyer Oats for her education of bachelors.

Thank you. What's that quote? "It's hard work, but...."

[Son of Locke]

Quote:
Originally Posted by time is a river
But I think we should also applaud Sawyer Oats for her education of bachelors.


Thank you. What's that quote? "It's hard work, but...."A fear-inducing course, I reckon. The reading list alone scares me stiff.

[blue sunrise]

You should see the syllabus.