I am an old fart, and relatively literate. But there are always new words, even when I no longer subscribe to the London Review of Books... And the latest three are... congé an unceremonious dismissal or rejection of someone."she gives him his congé, and at the same time avows her real love for him" prescind... Continue Reading →

So, just did a review of Joseph Conrad's Under Western Eyes (and another, truly atrocious book) - next up on this site.  UWE had me reaching for the dictionary on three occasions- buckram, carmine (I kind of knew) and vaticinated-   “He felt his lips go stiff like buckram, and instead of a reassuring smile... Continue Reading →

Like any teenager of a certain cohort or three, I read The Catcher in the Rye.  At one point its protagonist, Holden Caulfield observes: “I used to think she was quite intelligent, in my stupidity. The reason I did was because she knew quite a lot about the theatre and plays and literature and all... Continue Reading →

One attribute highly prized in Japanese society is that of "gaman", or "endurance". Gaman is the quality of enduring what seems unbearable with dignity and grace. The idea basically that is that if there's something unpleasant around you, it's better to tough it out in an act of self-sacrifice rather than act immediately to change... Continue Reading →

macaronic ˌmakəˈrɒnɪk/ adjective 1. denoting language, especially burlesque verse, containing words or inflections from one language introduced into the context of another. noun 1. macaronic verse, especially that which mixes the vernacular with Latin. As in Private Eye's Pig Latin Honorary Degrees, or the late Miles Kington's Let's Parler Francais... anabasis ‎(plural anabases) A military... Continue Reading →

"There is even a word in Japanese, kaisen, for these tiny steps towards growing new habits..." (Poulson, 2008)