100 Words

[Sukerkin]

Ahh ... defenestration ... is there any more elegant way of winning an argument?

As a hint to what I consider one of the better examples of cinematic defenestration, the same film contained, in the same scene, one of the more harrowing put-downs ever used by a fictionally depicted British monarch (viz "Who is this person who speaks to me as if I needed his advice?") :lol:. Sadly, I've never had a chance to utilise that put-down other than as a 'taunt' in multi-player Age of Empires games .

Can anyone name the film I'm thinking of?

 

[CoryKS]

Ahh ... defenestration ... is there any more elegant way of winning an argument?

As a hint to what I consider one of the better examples of cinematic defenestration, the same film contained, in the same scene, one of the more harrowing put-downs ever used by a fictionally depicted British monarch (viz "Who is this person who speaks to me as if I needed his advice?") :lol:. Sadly, I've never had a chance to utilise that put-down other than as a 'taunt' in multi-player Age of Empires games .

Can anyone name the film I'm thinking of?

Freedom!!!

 

[Sukerkin]

Bang-on, first shot! The prize of an Earldom in the Highlands goes to His Grace CoryKS :tup:.

 

[bydand]

Such as bowdlerize (dictionary.com says) [Origin: 1830–40; after Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), English editor of an expurgated edition of Shakespeare]. Ole' Tom must've done a job on that edition to get a word named after him for what he done.

God help me, I knew this for some strange reason.

I had to laugh when I got to the bottom of the first half of the list. loquacious. My #2 son, when he started Pre-school informed the teacher that he was rather loquacious. Then went on to give her the definition because she reached for the dictionary. She informed me of this when I went to pick him up, it didn't surprise me in the least, but about blew her away.

I could recall about 90% of the list, but have to agree that there are several I have a hard time with being on the list as the most important words to know. Granted your speech, and words chosen, DO have a impact on how others view your education level; but I also feel that it is a measure that more "educated" people use to try to differentiate themselves from the common masses. I love it when I am working in an office building and those types are tossing around their $20 words and the lowly Electrician (that would be me ) interjects a correction in usage. Gives them something to think about you know.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Ahh ... defenestration ... is there any more elegant way of winning an argument?

As a hint to what I consider one of the better examples of cinematic defenestration, the same film contained, in the same scene, one of the more harrowing put-downs ever used by a fictionally depicted British monarch (viz "Who is this person who speaks to me as if I needed his advice?") :lol:. Sadly, I've never had a chance to utilise that put-down other than as a 'taunt' in multi-player Age of Empires games .

Can anyone name the film I'm thinking of?

Keeping with the theme of defenestration

Be patient you will get your Chance. I always wanted to use a line from a song and one day while on the second floor of a building with several open windows I had my chance. Someone annoyed me and I said

"Pick a window" he responded with why and I responded "You're leaving"

He made a hasty exit down the nearest set of stairs.

OK What is the name of the song and the Band?

 

[MA-Caver]

God help me, I knew this for some strange reason.

I had to laugh when I got to the bottom of the first half of the list. loquacious. My #2 son, when he started Pre-school informed the teacher that he was rather loquacious. Then went on to give her the definition because she reached for the dictionary. She informed me of this when I went to pick him up, it didn't surprise me in the least, but about blew her away.

I could recall about 90% of the list, but have to agree that there are several I have a hard time with being on the list as the most important words to know. Granted your speech, and words chosen, DO have a impact on how others view your education level; but I also feel that it is a measure that more "educated" people use to try to differentiate themselves from the common masses. I love it when I am working in an office building and those types are tossing around their $20 words and the lowly Electrician (that would be me ) interjects a correction in usage. Gives them something to think about you know.

Oh yeah that is so true. I mean that just because someone doesn't have a quarter million dollar education doesn't mean they don't know. A good example (oh-ok quasi-good example because it's sci-fi) would be that Kevin Spacy movie K-Pak and if you haven't seen it it's very good.

 

[fnorfurfoot]

I could probably define 29 of them and I recognized 12 others but I don't know what they really mean.

 

[Steel Tiger]

I'm sorry but I just can't take a list such as this seriously if it does not include

Antidisestablishmentarianism, Defenestrate, Fustigate, Sesquipedelian, or Xanthochroid

:uhyeah:

You're right its not serious without these little beauties.

You know a lot of these wonderful words were actually added to dictionaries by early compilers as a sort of game. They were trying to see if the words they essentially made up would come into usage because they were in the dictionary, and many have. Defenestrate and fustigate (love those two) are excellent examples.

 

[Sukerkin]

Keeping with the theme of defenestration

Be patient you will get your Chance. I always wanted to use a line from a song and one day while on the second floor of a building with several open windows I had my chance. Someone annoyed me and I said

"Pick a window" he responded with why and I responded "You're leaving"

He made a hasty exit down the nearest set of stairs.

OK What is the name of the song and the Band?

I'm embarassed to admit that I had to 'cheat' on this and ask the TinterNet . Even then I had only the vaguest notion of who the band were :blush:.

 

[CoryKS]

The problem with defending the purity of the English language
is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't
just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages
down alleyways to beat them unconscious and riffle their pockets for
new vocabulary. - James Nicoll

:rofl:

 

[MA-Caver]

The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't
just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages
down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for
new vocabulary. - James Nicoll :rofl:

Yep and that is so true. Ask any British university English Professor and they'll tell you how nuts we Americans are about the engrish ranguage. But what do you expect? As a melting pot of nearly every culture across the globe, their language(s) is bound to end up mixed in with the dominate language.
So pure English language yeah but I think what Mr. Nicoll was referring to is American English!

 

[CoryKS]

I think what Mr. Nicoll was referring to is American English!

Was there any other kind? *ducks*

 

[Xue Sheng]

I'm embarassed to admit that I had to 'cheat' on this and ask the TinterNet . Even then I had only the vaguest notion of who the band were :blush:.

Band - Raven
Song - Pick Your Window
Album - Life's a *****

 

[zDom]

IMO, our huge vocabulary allows for two things (off the top of my head):

a) Extremely precise language. There is a difference, for example, between a stool and a chair — and we can get that information all in one word.

b) A WIDE variety of word choices (not to mention syntax!) so both our prose and poetry can reflect personal choices by the author/poet.

It is like comparing a palette (think computer, not paints which can be mixed to come up with an infinite number of hues) with a dozen colors with one that has hundreds.