Category Archives: Language

Synthetic Plastics

Posted on February 1, 2012 by sputterpub

I know, I know. I’ve even said it myself: complaining about language change is as boring as nostalgia and as useless as confessing you’re insecure; it should be taken to the privacy of your room. Even so, now and then, … Continue reading →

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Hypochondriac

Posted on January 18, 2012 by sputterpub

I looked it up today. I knew the “hypo” meant low but I didn’t have a clue about chondria until I googled around. Khondrios is cartilage, specifically that around the breastbone. Originally, hypochondria referred to a pain in the high … Continue reading →

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Greek to Me

Posted on January 4, 2012 by sputterpub

And it came to pass that I went to college. There were a few weeks that last high school year when I conjectured that I might not attend, that it might be better for me to proceed directly to the … Continue reading →

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Prejudice and Discrimination

Posted on December 28, 2011 by sputterpub

Talk about a couple of negative words! The nouns in today’s title suggest unfairness, bigotry, racism even. It wasn’t always that way. It isn’t always that way now. Awhile ago I got sued. It wasn’t fair, but the wheels of … Continue reading →

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Skunk

Posted on December 14, 2011 by sputterpub

I have a skunk clan as yard mates and the current resident seems very active lately. She may have insomnia. She was on the deck twice last night and then an hour later, after I realized that the chirping I … Continue reading →

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Ten of Four

Posted on December 7, 2011 by sputterpub

When I was 22ish I spent some time on a kibbutz. The other volunteers (studentim) were from the US or Canada or the Netherlands, and the Dutch kids were pretty fluent in English. So I was surprised one afternoon, while … Continue reading →

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Letters

Posted on December 5, 2011 by sputterpub

“What’s your least favorite letter?” Danny asked us at lunch. We goggled. “Come on,” he said. “It’s the opposite of when you were little, and everyone asked what’s your favorite this or that. I want your least favorite.” “Letter?” “Yeah. … Continue reading →

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Norange

Posted on November 30, 2011 by sputterpub

Andy asked me which came first: orange as the name of the fruit or the color? And then he asked a few more times, so I gathered that he meant it. The fruit. It goes back to at least 2500 … Continue reading →

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Avalon

Posted on November 16, 2011 by sputterpub

I wondered awhile ago about the word “apple.” I looked it up recently and I have a few comments. It’s as fundamental and basic as we all suspect. The word means itself and may figure in every significant culture. Or … Continue reading →

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Sleep Scenes

Posted on November 9, 2011 by sputterpub

I wondered while walking, a few weeks ago, about the origins of our words dream and nightmare. It appears that dream is one of those elemental words, that means itself. You know: the succession of images that pass through your … Continue reading →

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