Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Understanding ~ Ignorance

Until you understand a writer's ignorance, presume yourself ignorant of his [or her] understanding.    ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge


Until you understand a writer's understanding, presume yourself ignorant of his [or her] ignorance.    ~ not Samuel Taylor Coleridge


Saturday, December 26, 2015

Words of the week

reject:  / 'rɪ: dʒɛkt, rɪˈdʒɛkt /

(noun)  1. A person or thing that is refused as not meeting a required standard or is otherwise unsuitable or unacceptable   2. a product that is damaged or not perfect, an item sold cheaply because of minor flaws.  

(verb)  1. Refuse to accept, agree to, make use of or believe in someone or something   2. dismiss as inadequate, unacceptable or faulty   3.  rebuff, or behave in an unkind or unfriendly way towards someone   4. discard or throw something aside.

[From Latin reject- ‘thrown back’, from the verb reicere, from re- ‘back’ + jacere ‘throw’].

deject:  / dɪˈdʒɛkt / 

(verb)  archaic  To depress the spirits of; dispirit, dishearten.  

(adjective)  dejected   Disheartened, low-spirited, feeling or showing sadness and lack of hope, especially because of disappointment.

[Late 16C. archaic deject, from Latin dejectus ‘thrown down’, from deicere, ‘throw down’, from de- ‘down’ + jacere ‘throw’].

object:  / 'əb:dʒɛkt, əbˈdʒɛkt  /

(noun)  1. A thing that is visible or tangible or can be perceived with the senses   2.  a person or thing that is the focus of someone's attention or emotion (an object of curiosity)   3. an aim, goal or purpose, an end towards which effort is directed.

(verb)  To oppose or be averse to something, or to argue against or express opposition to something.

[From medieval Latin objectum ‘thing presented (to the mind/sight)’, from Latin obicere ‘throw in the way of, present’, from ob- ‘in the way’ + jacere ‘throw’].



Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Monday, December 21, 2015

Tools of the trade

It's been a while since I've served up some original writing. The wheels of denouement have been turning in the background, but at this time (for many reasons) the stony glare of the internal censor rests heavily upon me. So I'll do what writers do, and keep writing steadily (and privately) until the censor backs the hell off.