Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Word(s) of the day

I have been thinking of starting a series of posts on words that inhabit the depths of my mind, that occasionally bubble up and float on it's surface for awhile before sinking again into the murk of memory. Many of these words I find sweet and flavorful and I like to roll them around in my mouth, toss them off my tongue, and squeeze them into conversation. My urge to write posts on the subject is hindered by my lack of access to the OED (the first time I have not had access since 2002), but I will make do as best I can. Often words do not come to me by themselves but in alliterative or etymological groupings and so to start off I offer you a trio (let it not raise your expectations too high for future posts.)

Scrofulous
Main Entry: scrof·u·lous Pronunciation: -l&s
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or affected with scrofula
2 a : having a diseased run-down appearance b : morally contaminated

(Scrofula, by the way, is a "tuberculous infection of the skin of the neck, most often caused by mycobacteria (including Mycobacteriumtuberculosis)...by Mycobacterium scrofulaceum or Mycobacterium avium." Symptoms include "painless swelling of cervical (neck) lymph nodes, "(ulceration is rare today,) "lymph nodes may be enlarged elsewhere, fevers, chills, sweats, and weight loss can occur in 20% of individuals.")

Scabrous
Pronunciation: 'ska-br&s also 'skA-Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin scabr-, scaber rough, scurfy; akin to Latin scabere to scratch -- more at SCAB1 : DIFFICULT, KNOTTY
2 : rough to the touch: as a : having small raised dots, scales, or points b : covered with raised, roughened, or unwholesome patches
3 : dealing with suggestive, indecent, or scandalous themes : SALACIOUS; also : SQUALID


And finally,

Scurfy
Main Entry: scurf
Pronunciation: 'sk&rf
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic skurfa scurf; akin to Old High German scorf scurf, Old English sceorfan to scarify
1 : thin dry scales detached from the epidermis especially in an abnormal skin condition; specifically : DANDRUFF
2 a : something like flakes or scales adhering to a surface b : the foul remains of something adherent
3 a : a scaly deposit or covering on some plant parts; also : a localized or general darkening and roughening of a plant surface usually more pronounced than russeting b : a plant disease characterized by scurf
- scurfy /'sk&r-fE/ adjective

So you see how my mind runs. I like these words not only for the somewhat gross mental pictures they invite but also for the moral taint attached to them. Such poisonous tincture falls perfectly in line with pre-modern equations of illness and sin and points to issues discussed at length in Sontag's Illness as Metaphor and elsewhere. They become grouped together in my mind because they have similar meanings and similar sounds and I marvel at how frequently that coincidence occurs in English. In these cases particularly, the s, c, r, b and f sounds seem particularly suited to the meanings.

So if, in the future, you feel inclined to describe some dastardly fellow with bad skin who peddles porn, the words above should come in quite handy.

Note that in lieu of the OED I will be making greatest use of Merriam-Webster, to whom all the links above will lead you. Despite the annoying pop-up ads I like Merriam's inclusion of etymologies.

My next post, unless I become preoccupied by other words, will be a dilation on Bloviate and like terms.

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