READING UPDATE: The Dictionary- Part 28- Steady State Theory - Tierce

Note: This update covers the pages I read between July 1 and September 30, 2017.

The third quarter of 2017 was a very productive one when it came to reading. My fourth quarter progress has been all but nonexistent, so I guess that balances out. I ended September close to the mid-point of the letter T. If I can avoid too many more distractions (which is nigh impossible between birthdays and holidays at the end of the year), I may be in the homestretch come 2018. I’m going to temper my expectations but we’ll see what happens.

As you'll see, I've added a new countdown to the end of my posts. The last 200 pages or so of my dictionary are supplemental material. I suspect these sections will be easier to read through than the definitions section. As I am excited to grow close to those sections, I added a page countdown to them.

Now then...


STEATOPYGIA- If you have ever seen someone with almost shelf-like buttocks, this is the technical term for it. It’s a genetic trait that comes originally from certain ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa.

STELLA- This term amused me because I have seen A Streetcar Named Desire and I enjoy Stella Artois. This was the name given to a prototype universal currency developed in the United States. It did not catch on and several of the coins wound up being incorporated into jewelry worn by Washington D.C. brothel madams.

SUNBOW- Technically, this is what you’re seeing when you see a rainbow-like prismatic effect when there is mist of vapor in the air but it has not rained. It seems to me like there would be more science weenies advocating the usage of this term for accuracy’s sake.

SUNROOF- My dictionary and MW online date this term all the way back to 1952. The age of this term for an automobile feature surprised me. Then again, I’m not much of a car guy.

SURD- We’re all familiar with the word absurd but this root word is not the opposite of that. Surd means irrational or lacking sense. Absurd just takes it to a higher degree of irrationality. I think I may add this word to my personal lexicon for situations or statements that are just irrational and instead of wildly so.

SYRUP- Did you know this word is of Arabic origin? I didn’t either until I got to page 1,235.

TABLOID- This word was originally a trademarked name for a condensed pill created by a London pharmaceutical company. The term became widely used to describe other condensed goods for sale, including short, sensational publications.

TAXIDERMY- This word dates back to 1820, not long after it became popular for hunters to take their trophy skins to upholsterers instead of tanners to have their kills stuffed for a more life-like look rather than tanning the skins for clothing and decorative pelts or rugs. I have an uncle who is a taxidermist, so this word would have interested me anyway. Researching the history of the trade was fascinating because early mounts had to have looked crude and taxidermists used to use very toxic chemicals in treating their work.

TEEN- The second definition for this word is the term for a young person, which predates the word teenager by over 100 years. The first and oldest definition for this word is now archaic, unused, and means misery and affliction. One could argue that this coincidence is fitting.

THINGNESS- This word from 1896 blew me away with its weirdness. It means the quality or state of objective existence or reality. If existence and reality are subjective, then does anything possess thingness? Does the word thingness itself possess thingness? Does your head hurt yet?

THONG- Even my 1996 dictionary doesn’t list the barely-there form of underwear among its definitions. Nowadays, that’s the first thing one thinks of when they hear the word.

Page Count: 1271/1600 (79.44%)
Countdown to the Letter U: 47 pages
Countdown to the Supplementary Material: 145 pages

READING UPDATE: The Dictionary- Part 27- Sidecar – Steady State

Note: This update is actually coming a month later than when I finished my last reading session.  This post represents my reading through June 30th.

Despite still working my way through the letter S, this is a very upbeat progress report. I set a goal for myself this time. While I failed to meet that goal, I only missed it by a little bit. I came just three and a half pages short of my target for the last three months.

I’m still not averaging even a page a day (hey, I’ve got a life, a wife, and two kids!) but if I can match my page count from the second quarter, I will be on the letter T the next time you hear from me. I consider the letter T to be the final battle. Once I move on to U, the letter sections are far shorter and I will be within 100 pages of the supplemental material at the back of my dictionary.

I’ve got a lot of work to do, but the reward is coming. In a few more months I just may see it on the horizon. Here are the many interesting words that I came across on this leg of the journey:

SISTER- This word originates from Old Norse. I still have not lost my love for words of Scandinavian origin.

SITH- The Star Wars geek in me could not pass up the chance to include this on my list. It’s an archaic word equivalent to ‘since.’

SIZZLE- MW traces this word back to 1603, which is far older than I could have imagined!

SKEET- It comes from the Norwegian word for ‘shoot.’ This makes perfect sense, as it is also the name of a type of clay bird shooting.

SKIRT- This word is of Old Norse origin. The root word is kirtle, which is a garment worn by men and women alike back in the Middle Ages. Kirtles started out as a loose, full-body garment but I can’t seem to find a clear explanation of how kirtles morphed into what we now know as skirts.

SKIVVIES- I’ve always hear to underwear being called this word as a nickname but it was actually once used as a trademark for a brand of men’s underwear.

SKOAL- How ironic that this 17th Century word for a toast to health is now used by a chewing tobacco company.

SKUNK- No, it’s not another Old Norse word. This one is of Algonquian origin. We took their land and their words. Go figure.

SKY- Now we’re back to the Old Norse words. Sorry, I just can’t help myself! Take that, Greek and Latin!

SLACKER- This word dates back to 1898. I guess work ethic was pretty good until the cusp of the 20th Century or they would have had a word for a lack of it by then.

SLOGAN- I like the etymology of this word and its original meaning. I haven’t come across too many Scottish-Gaelic words that were very interesting but everyone knows what a slogan is now. It’s basically a catchphrase. Originally, slogans were the war cries of clans. Pause, let that sink in, and then imagine corporate and political slogans being shouted like a war cry.

SLUSH FUND- This word now gets bandied about as a pejorative but it used to be a novel thing. A slush fund was an accumulation of monies by a ship’s crew from the sale of scrap and refuse. They would use the money to purchase small luxuries. When life hands you refuse, turn it into a slush fund!

SMART- The oldest definition (12th Century) means to cause someone pain. The one downside to my dictionary, is that it doesn’t list dates for subsequent definitions. Thus, I cannot tell you how ‘smart’ went from meaning painful to intelligent.

SNARKY- This term hit critical mass a few years ago and has grown stale. I was surprised, however, to learn that it dates back to 1906 and the meaning hasn’t changed much at all since then.

SPOOF- Anyone who has a basic understanding of comedic terminology is familiar with this word. Did you know that the word actually come from the title of a game created in the late 19th Century? It was a card game that involved nonsense and deception.

Page Count: 1187.5/1600 (74.22%)
Countdown to the Letter T: 48 pages

READING UPDATE: The Dictionary- Part 26- Scarious – Side-by-side

The best laid plans… Despite my determination, my reading progress waned in February and was virtually nonexistent in March. Needless to say, I have almost no chance of completing the dictionary this year now. With the NHL playoffs looming, I might be able to get some reading in between periods and during overtime games. Time will tell.

Interesting words for January, February, and March of 2017:

SCOUNDREL- Star Wars fans know the appeal of this word but it’s also another surprising word with no traceable origin. It’s an old word of unknown origin to, dating back to 1589.

SCOWL-This word is older than I would have guessed but the date has shifted. My dictionary placed it in the 14th Century, while MW online now dates it to just 1520.

SCRAM- I never consciously knew that this word was short for scramble. It makes perfect sense but it never clicked until I reached this word.

SEQUACIOUS- This word flows and sounds beautiful but it is not a very kind word. It means intellectually servile. It’s a shame that such a pretty word can mean something so nasty.

SET- I was blown away by how many definitions there are for this simple little word. It took my dictionary over half a page in itty-bitty dictionary font to get through them all.

SEVENTEEN-YEAR LOCUST- Their life-cycle phenomenon had been recorded well before, but the term itself finally became official in 1817, making this word 200 years old this year!

SHADE- What you might think is the most recent definition of shade (expressing sadness or displeasure at something or someone) was actually included in my 20-year-old dictionary. Seems throwing shade isn’t as new a phenomenon as one might think.

SHAMPOO- It’s etymology is Hindi and only entered the English language in 1762. Perhaps that’s around the time those big white wigs started going out of style.

SHELTER- Yet another common word with an unknown origin. What a misfit language English is.

SHRAPNEL- Did you know that this word comes from the last name of 19th century English artillery officer? Neither did I.


Page Count: 1126.5/1600 (70.41%)
Countdown to the Letter T: 110.5 pages

READING UPDATE: The Dictionary- Part 25- Readout – Scarcify

My progress has been shameful and disappointing.  I'd like to blame it on having two kids and being busy with work.  The truth is, I've just been lazy.  Perhaps I've lost all interest in the dictionary but I think it's more that I've given in to not bothering to try.  Well, no more.

It is now 2017.  I have 520 pages to go.  It will require the strongest pace I've read at so far for this book but I will finish the dictionary this year.  I want to move on.

Interesting words since my last update:

RE- WORDS- A lot of the ‘re-‘ words that don’t just mean doing something over again or in reverse (rewrite, rewind) were of French origin.  It was about 50-50 on those French-derived words going back to Latin but it was refreshing for around half of them not to.  The dictionary seems to try to force as many words as possible to Latin, even if it’s a pretty blatant stretch to get it there.  Another interesting aspect of the ‘re-‘ words is their pronunciation.  While I don’t have an accurate count, my mental notes suggest that more ‘re-‘words with a ‘ri’ sound (like in ‘rib’) than a ‘ree’ sound.  It gave that stretch of pages some decent variety.

RECK- Everyone is familiar with the word reckless (meaning careless or irresponsible) but no one really uses the root word ‘reck’ anymore.  It means- no surprise here- to worry, care, or hold in regard.  It’s an old word, dating back to before the 12^th Century, so perhaps as the word ‘wreck’ grew in popularity, ‘reck’ waned in usage so not to get the two words confused.  ‘Wreck’ is only a few centuries younger, so it’s hard to say.

RED ALERT- My dictionary dated this phrase to 1951, which seemed too young.  Sure enough, MW online now dates it to 1941.  That still feels a little young but smack in the middle of World War II makes sense in some ways.

RED CARPET- Here’s another one that seemed too young.  Given the history of Hollywood, I was surprised that my dictionary dated it only to 1951.  MW online nudged it back to 1934, which feels right.  Red carpets have actually been used for centuries as walkways for formal processionals but the term in regards to an intentionally showy processionals for celebrities sounds just about right to have developed during the early talkie and TV era (even though TV was in black and white back then).

REDNECK- The gentrification of America started a long time ago, it seems, as this demeaning term for a member of the Southern rural labor class dates back to 1830.  It’s older than I’d have thought but it’s not the first time I’ve been wrong and it won’t be the last.  The meaning of the word has expanded slightly to encompass all things rural Southern white culture and ideals, and just like many pejoratives, some wear it as a badge of honor.

RENAISSANCE- The time period we call the Renaissance ran from the 14^th Century to the 17^th Centuries (aka the 1300s through the 1600s).  And yet, the word itself is only dated back to 1845 as a descriptor of this time period.  We look back on this part of history as an important era for cultural advancement but did the people living back then think they were part of something special and important?  Were they like the stereotypical Baby Boomers who grew up thinking they were part of something new, exciting, and significant simply because the times were changing and they seemed to be the catalyst of it?  Or did the people of the Renaissance just think they were being quirky and different?  We call it the Renaissance but I bet they just called it the present.

REPRISTINATE- This is one of those words that appeals to me simply because it sounds cool.  It was a flow about it that I cannot quite explain.  The meaning of the word is pretty neat to, though I have to wonder how difficult it is to bring something back to pristine conditions.  Is there a way to return something to the exact same conditions as it was found in?

RIFT- Another Scandinavian word that is widely used!  You might think these discoveries get old as this quest drags on, but it hasn’t yet.

ROADKILL- My dictionary dated this word back to 1979 and MW online has since dated it back to 1972.  Neither one strikes me as old enough.  What did people call it before this word came about?  I’m sure people were running over animals in their cars and trucks long before 1972!

ROCKING HORSE- The fact that this word dates back to 1724 isn’t what surprised me.  The fact that it is roughly 40 years older than the ‘rocking chair’ is.  Did they name the rocking chair after its similarity to the rocking horse?  So far, I haven’t been able to find out.

ROUND ROBIN- The original meaning of this phrase is fascinating.  It was originally a way for dissenters to sign their names to a document of protest.  People signed their names in a circle so it could not be determined who signed it first.  I’ve never seen a group of people sign their names in a circle before.  Now I want to.

RUB- This everyday word is of Icelandic origin.  It never gets old to see a small or obscure place produce a now common word.

RUMP- At this point, it’s pretty much official that Scandinavian-derived words are some of my favorite to find.

RURBAN- This sounds like a word that someone thought was a very clever hybrid but the rest of us failed to agree.  It’s almost 100 years old, which surprised me.  Yet, it’s nowhere near as old as suburban.  Perhaps the person coining the term thought we needed a fresh alternative.  I think he or she was wrong.

SALVIFIC- I didn’t know there was an adjectival form of the word salvation.  It sounds good and the consonant sounds flow very well.  I like it.

Page Count: 1080/1600 (67.50%)

Countdown to the Letter T: 156 pages