Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Obscure Words-- Part 1

From the Feb. 23, 2014, Chicago Tribune by those noted researchers Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer.

This crazy winter has brought us some never-heard-before weather-speak words such as BOMBOGENESIS and WILLIWAW (not to mention that cursed P.V. thing.  In case you're wondering, the first is meteorologist slang for a type of rapidly intensifying storm and the second is a windstorm caused when cold air rushes down a mountain to the sea.  "Here's more about obscure language that we hope you'll be goshbustified (very pleased) to learn.  By the way, P.V. is that gosh-awful polar vortex thing.

I hate to say it, but I think some of these words were on my GREs.  I am sure they were making words up.

1.  A DOZENALIST is a person who advocates that people adopt a base-12 counting system, saying it will be easier.  And, besides that, our clocks are set to dozens already.  I thing I had some of that base stuff back in junior and senior high.  Didn't know them then, still don't.

Bombogenesis That Dozenalist.  --Cooter

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