From Lynne Truss, #7

I’m posting my final entry from Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the calendar created from the book of the same name by Lynne Truss. This entry is from August 9, 2009:

It is worrying that people are no longer learning how to use the colon and semicolon, not least because, in this supreme QWERTY keyboard era, the little finger of the right hand, deprived of its traditional function, may eventually dwindle and drop off from disuse.

From Lynne Truss, #6

The calendar Eats, Shoots and Leaves was written by Lynne Truss, taken from the book of the same name. I’ve been sharing a few favorites. This one is from July 2, 2009:

Cecil Hartley, in his Principles of Punctuation: or, The Art of Pointing (1818), includes this little poem, which tells us the simple one-two-three of punctuation values:

The stops point out, with truth, the time of pause
A sentence doth require at ev’ry clause.
At ev’ry comma, stop while one you count;
At semicolon, two is the amount;
A colon doth require the time of three:
The period fourth, as learned men agree.

And just one more remains.

From Lynne Truss, #5

We’re continuing to look at my favorites from the 2009 Eats, Shoots and Leaves calendar taken from Lynne Truss’s book. This fifth offering is from April 29, 2009:

The trend in the 20th century has been towards ever-simpler punctuation, but take any passage from a non-contemporary writer and you can’t help seeing the constituent words as so many defeated sheep that have been successfully corralled by good old Comma the Sheepdog.

Only two more to go after this one.

From Lynne Truss, #4

Lynne Truss pictures the comma has a sheepdog in this April 28 entry from her 2009 Eats, Shoots and Leaves calendar. Out of the 365 pages, I saved just a handful. Here’s #4:

Between the 16th century and the present day, the comma became a kind of scary grammatical sheepdog. The comma has so many jobs as “separator” (punctuation marks are traditionally either “separators” or “terminators”) that it tears about on the hillside of language, endlessly organizing words into sensible groups and making them stay put; sorting and dividing; circling and herding; and, of course, darting off with a peremptory “woof” to round up an wayward subordinate clause that makes a futile bolt for semantic freedom.

From Lynn Truss, #3

This is another charming description about punctuation from the 2009 Eats, Shoots and Leaves calendar, by Lynne Truss, April 10.

On the page, punctuation performs its grammatical function, but in the mind of the reader it does more than that. It tells the reader how to hum the tune.

When I was home schooling and trying to explain the “optional” uses of the comma, where its use is solely determined by the writer as to the required pause, this would have been a good way to explain it. What do you, the author, want the reader to do? How do you want the reader to hum the tune? That’s how you think about those yes-or-no commas.

Like!

From Lynne Truss, #2

This is another entry I particularly enjoyed from Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves calendar, for April 5, 2009

Humorist James Thurber was once asked: “Why did you have a comma in the sentence, ‘After dinner, the men went into the living room’?” And his answer was one of the loveliest things ever said about punctuation. “This particular comma was a way of giving the men time to push back their chairs and stand up.”

This is such a perfect explanation. Beyond the charming way of expressing his use of the comma, it is useful in actual writing. More than once since reading this, I have assessed the use of a questionable comma on this basis.

Good stuff!

From Lynne Truss, #1

First, I must explain that in order to use the label, the use of semicolons was required where commas would normally and correctly appear.

I know I am not the only fan of Lynne Truss. When I was preparing to post this particular quote, my error caused me to go online to find it again. With ease, it came up on an initial search, posted by another fan elsewhere. I enjoyed Lynne’s daily calendar every day during the year 2009. I captured a handful of favorites to enjoy later. And now I have the pure delight of sharing them on a blog.

Are you a fan of Lynne Truss?

From Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves calendar, April 3, 2009

“Here are the weapons required in the apostrophe war: correction fluid; big pens; stickers cut in a variety of sizes, both plain (for sticking over unwanted apostrophes) and coloured (for inserting where apostrophes are needed); tin of paint with big brush; guerrilla-style clothing; strong medication for personality disorder; loudhailer; gun.”

Webster’s says this of loudhailer:

chiefly British: bullhorn

First Known Use of LOUD-HAILER: 1941

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 7

Lesson 7

How about a few more vocabulary words from Gone With the Wind? Just one more lesson after this one, which started here.

quixoticism, p 383—annoyed at myself to find that so much quixoticism still lingers in me
—rash, lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly; exceeding idealistic; unrealistic, impractical

fillip, p 383—There’s nothing like danger and death to give an added fillip.
—a slight smart stroke or tape given with the flip of the finger against the thumb

timorously, p 388—timorously followed Scarlett up the avenue
—of a timid disposition; fearful, lacking confidence

scuppernong, p 402—under the scuppernong arbor
— a cultivated grape with yellowish-green plum-flavored fruits

martinet, p 409—Poor Mammy, still the martinet about such unimportant things
—a strict disciplinarian; a person who stresses a rigid adherence to the details of forms and methods

vermifuge, p 424—But the vermifuge only made the child look paler.
—an agent that destroys or expels parasitic worms

hants, p 424—[Wade] was more afraid of the Yankees than of Prissy’s hants.
—derived from haunts

pusillanimous, p 510—that pusillanimous fellow
—lacking courage and resolution; timid

paletot, p 527—and, as she took in the black velvet paletot, how short jackets are!
—A close-fitting jacket differing in  material from the rest of the costume, worn by women, especially in the 19th century         

dishabille, p 561—dirty and unshaven and without a cravat but somehow jaunty despite his dishabille
—The state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly manner

vituperative, p 626—Vituperative words rushed to her lips.
—to find fault with, to censure harshly or abusively

saturnine, p 635—one glimpse of Tony’s swarthy saturnine face
—a sluggish, gloomy temperament; gloomy; taciturn; moody

benighted, p 663—information about this benighted town
—intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened

laconic, p 679—his laconic message that Gerald was dead
—expressing much in very few words; concise

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 6

Lesson 6

These are some words from Gone with the Wind. Some were brand-new to me. Others just merited looking up and getting to know them better.

Lesson 1 started here.

abortifacients, p 233—advertisements for . . . private diseases, abortifacients and restoratives for lost manhood
—an agent (as a drug) that induces abortion
First Known Use of abortifaciaent, 1873

insouciance, p 324—their apparent insouciance in the face of falling shells and shorter rations
—lighthearted unconcern; nonchalance

dewlaps, p 326—the skin of his pink face hung down in loose folds like the dewlaps of a bulldog
—loose skin hanging under the neck of an animal

contretemps, p 330—about Rhett showing up when Scarlett was talking to Ashley: Evidently he had forgotten the contretemps, or pretended to have forgotten it
—an inopportune or embarrassing occurrence or situation; dispute, argument

presaged, p 333—presaged a declaration of love
— foretell, predict

victoria, p 354—Mrs. Elsing, standing up in the front of her victoria, reigns in one hand, whip in the other
—a low four-wheeled pleasure carriage for two with a folding top and a raised seat in front for the driver (from Queen Victoria)

Fury, p 354—as she lashed the horse like a Fury
— capitalized : any of the avenging deities in Greek mythology who torment criminals and inflict plagues

fetid, p 354—among soldiers waiting for care: until the fetid stench almost nauseated her
—having a heavy offensive smell

gabble, p 362—Scarlet would gabble something until Melanie
—to talk fast or foolishly, jabber

wraith, p 362—Prissy, scurrying like a black wraith, lit a lamp
—ghost, specter

gibing, p 378—“Take a good look at them,” came Rhett’s gibing voice.
gibed, p 382—His drawling voice gibed in her ears
—to utter taunting words, to deride or tease with taunting words

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 5

Lesson 5

When I read Gone with the Wind, I noted words that I wanted to know better

Lesson 1 started here.

suttee, p 182— “just as barbarous as the Hindu suttee”
—the act or custom of a Hindu widow willingly being cremated on the funeral pyre of her husband as an indication of her devotion to him,

dolorously p 199—“Pa is coming tomorrow and he’s going to land on me like a duck on a June bug,” answered Scarlett dolorously.
—causing, marked by, or expressing misery or grief

dishabille, p 204—when Scarlett answers the door and finds Rhett and her father: He took in her dishabille in one glance.
—the state of being dressed in a casual or careless style; negligee

attenuate, p 208—the thought either did not occur at all or was so attenuated by the delay it was not very troublesome.
to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of; weaken

tilts, p 218—After tilts with him from which she seldom emerged the victor
—a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

fusty, 219—his masculinity . . . made . . . the seem small, pale and a trifle fusty.
—rigidly old-fashioned or reactionary

furbelows, p 225—Rhett’s memory for furbelows was an excellent substitute for Godey’s Lady’s Book.
—a pleated or gathered piece of material ; especially : a flounce on women's clothing

passementerie, p 230—beneath its glittering passementerie trimmings.
—an ornamental edging or trimming (as tassels) made of braid, cord, gimp, beading, or metallic thread

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 4

Lesson 4

It’s time for another vocab list, the fourth from Gone With the Wind.

Lesson 1 started here.

spavins, heaves p 93—about intermarrying: “When my family asked me to marry a second cousin, I bucked like a colt. I said, ‘No, Ma. Not for me. My children will all have spavins and heaves.’”
—bony enlargement; breathing problems, persistent cough

temporized, p 93—Maybe there won’t be any war,” Mrs. Tarelton temporized.
—to act to suit the time or occasion; yield to current or dominant opinion

bridling, p 98—Suellen was bridling in a way that made Scarlett want to slap her.
—to show hostility or resentment (as to an affront to one’s pride or dignity)

corsage, p 10 —the corsage of her dress
—the waist or bodice of a dress

bull fiddle, p 167—named in the instruments played at the bazaar
—double bass

gaiters, pp 168, 276— named in garments worm
—a cloth or leather leg covering reaching from the instep to above the ankle or to mid-calf or knee; an overshoe with fabric upper b: an ankle-high shoe with elastic gores in the sides

lese majesty, p 184—Rhett . . . whispered: “Pompous goat, isn’t he?” Scarlett, at first horrified, at this lese majesty toward Atlanta’s most beloved citizen
an attack on a custom, institution, or belief held sacred by numbers of people

lachrymose, p 195—Over the waffles next morning, Pittypat was lachrymose, Melanie was silent and Scarlett was defiant.
—given to tears or weeping

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 3

Lesson 3

Here are some more words from Gone With the Wind. This is all quite interesting to me—looking up words, many with which I used to be more familiar. When I first made this list, I realized I had become quite removed from reading, writing, and words! I look at some of these and recall vocab lessons from high school, but it’s great fun to record them here and look for the tighter meanings of words that are remembered to a degree, obvious in context, but calling me to take a closer look. And so I continue.

Lesson 1 started here.

redolent p 76—heavy with velvety smells, redolent of many blossom, of newly fledged trees
—exuding fragrance, aromatic, full of a specified fragrance

riot p 76—a bright riot of the twin lanes of daffodils bordering the graveled driveway, and the golden masses of yellow jessamine
—a random or disorderly profusion

sprangles p 76— yellow jessamine spreading flowerey sprangles modestly to the earth like crinolines.
—relates to aimless or random

obdurate p 80— Seeing the obdurate look on Scarlett’s face
—stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing, hardened in feelings; resistant to persuasion or softening influences

lugubrious p 84—Irish ditties or the more lugubrious lament for Robert Emmet
—mournful, gloomy, dismal or the like, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner

vociferous p 88—the four girls . . . gave such vociferous cries of greeting that the team pranced in alarm.
—marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry; clamorous, blatant, strident , boisterous, so loud or insistent as to compel attention; implies a vehement shouting or calling out

sallies p 89—Scarlett laughed with the rest of these sallies but, as always, the freedom with which the Tarletons treated their mother came as a shock.
—a clever, witty, or fanciful remark

hoyden p 90—It was the same conflicting emotion that made her desire to appear a delicate and high-bred lady with the boys and to be, as well, a hoyden who was not above a few kisses.
—a girl or woman of saucy, boisterous, or carefree behavior

broad p 91—“Our cook is the broad wife of the Wilkes butler
—female slave whose husband was owned by another master

Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 1

Lesson 1

This begins some fun, for me, with vocabulary. The words are not necessarily unknown to me, but are less commonly used. When I read Gone With the Wind in early 2008, for the first time, I decided to write down words I wanted to know better.

basque p 5—About Scarlet O’Hara: The dress set off to perfection the seventeen-inch waist, the smallest in three counties, and the tightly fitting basque
—a Victorian-era bustier, a sort of corset

mettlesome p 6—About the Tarleton twins: They were all healthy, thoughtless young animals, sleek, graceful, high-spirited, the boys as mettlesome as the horses they rode, mettlesome and
—spirited, courageous

approbation p 16—Stuart had courted India Wilkes with the approbation of both families and the entire County. The County felt the perhaps the cool and contained India Wilkes would have a quieting effect on him.
—formal approval; sanction

skylark p 20—but regretfully refused to elect them, because the Tarletons to lickered up too quickly and liked to skylark
—from running up and down the rigging on a ship: to frolic, sport

importunate p 28—never so importunate as the younger Fontaine boys, but, still, never the week went by that Ashley did not come calling at Tara
—troublesomely urgent : overly persistent in request or demand

temerity p 32—the temerity to think of Gerald O’Hara as a ridiculous little figure
—suggesting boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger; audacity

code duello p 47—poker and horse racing, red-hot politics and the code duello, States’ Rights and damnation to all Yankees, slavery, and King Cotton, contempt for white trash and exaggerated courtesy to women.
—rules of dueling

poteen p 49—“Never mix cards and whisky unless you were weaned on Irish poteen,” Gerald told Pork grave the same evening as Pork assisted him to bed.
—illicitly distilled whiskey, typically from potatoes

manumitted p 51—Old Angus had never manumitted a single slave and had committed the unpardonable social breach of selling some of his negroes to passing slave traders
—to release from slavery