Word of the Day Challenge

[Chasing Dreams]

circumlocution
noun| ser-kum-loh-KYOO-shun
 

Definition

1  : the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea
2  : evasion in speech


Weekly Theme

Slice of Life

Did You Know?

In The King’s English (1906), lexicographers H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler advised, “Prefer the single word to the circumlocution.” It’s good advice: using more words than necessary to convey a point can confuse and annoy one’s audience. Circumlocution itself combines two Latin elements: the prefix circum-, meaning “around,” and locutio, meaning “speech.” In essence, circumlocution may be thought of as “roundabout speech.” Since at least the early 16th century, English writers have used circumlocution with disdain, naming a thing to stop, or better yet, to avoid altogether. Charles Dickens used the word to satirize political runarounds in the 1857 novel Little Dorrit with the creation of the fictional Circumlocution Office, a government department that delayed the dissemination of information and just about everything else.

[Chasing Dreams]

qua
preposition| KWAH
 

Definition

1  : in the capacity or character of : AS


Weekly Theme

Slice of Life

Did You Know?

A preposition is a word—and almost always a very small, very common word—that shows direction (to in “a letter to you”), location (at in “at the door”), or time (by in “by noon”), or that introduces an object (of in “a basket of apples”) or a capacity or role (as in “works as an editor”). As such, prepositions tend not to attract as much attention as other parts of speech (unless there is some foofaraw about whether or not it’s okay to end a sentence with one). Qua, however, though very small is not very common—at least in everyday speech or writing. As one 20th-century usage writer commented, “Qua is sometimes thought affected or pretentious, but it does convey meaning economically.” Qua’s meaning is quite specific—it can substitute for the phrase “in the capacity or character of” or the preposition as in the right context, as in “they wanted to enjoy the wine qua wine, not as a status symbol.”

[Chasing Dreams]

Their plans had been something they had made over a month ago for the music festival that was coming up. She knew they had planned on meeting up before the festival started to avoid having to track each other down once inside the festival grounds. The night before the festival one of their friends was determined to discomfit their plans by making new ones without telling her of another one of their friends. She heard what their friend was offering and knew it was something the others would easily ditch their original plans for the others that left them out.

[Remec]

Word: qua
Theme: Slice of Life
Tags: VAN
Notes: Bee(s) Gees Mini-challenge [1/4]



It was pretty much just another day in the wood. Hatter and Hare sat about the large circular table, ignoring the slight mess of used dishes and utensils sitting before them, and lamenting tea parties of the past--when all of the seating at the table was filled and conversation flowed as easily as the freshly brewed tea from the large pot at the center of the table.

That had been, of course, before they had stuffed Dormouse into said pot after losing the Queen's favor--and, thus, all of their party guests besides themselves. Hatter reached over for a slice of bread, then looked about the table. "Have we used all the butter, again?" he asked.

"Quite probably," said Hare, "after all, it was the best butter. You said so yourself."

Hatter sighed. "Must I eat my bread plain, then? I mean, if I must then I must. I have nothing against the bread qua bread; I just like having something to bring it more, you know, there."

Hare gave a shrug while, behind him, the lid of the teapot rose up. "Perhaps there's still honey?" he said.

"No, the bees don't like us any more than the rest of the wood. I think the only ones who will deal with us is the Cat, now and then, and Cook because we still take in this pepper-loaded bread of hers. Such a shame, I miss having honey."

Sleepily, Dormouse's head came into view in the teapot, wearing the ceramic lid as a hat. "I miss the bees more. although, it was the best honey, too," they said.

[Chasing Dreams]

She had no clue how she was supposed to ignore the fact that the person she had been interested in had a surfeit of spirits that he tended to overindulge in. It was off putting and made her dislike the guy because he wasn't being responsible about it.

[Chasing Dreams]

She had been looking forward to starting work in her new position, but had a rude awakening when she met her new boss. The man's brusque attitude was off putting and concerning as she needed to be able to get along with the man. She knew she needed to figure out if this was his normal demeanor or if he was just having a bad day.

[Chasing Dreams]

She wasn't completely new to doing Equestrian riding, but she wasn't a pro at it either.  She had take lessons when she was in her late teens and had just gotten back into it. Her instructor took them to a race to see another form of riding and pointed out the marked furlongs along the track.

[Chasing Dreams]

She had no idea how to trust her friends again after what they had done. They claimed they did what they did for her own good, but she didn't think that was true. Her friends had purloined her secret that she had been keeping until she could make the announcement herself. She was angry and hurt because she thought she could trust them, but they didn't like the idea that she was trying to move cross country away from everyone in her support group and had told the only two people who could possibly stop her from doing what she wanted.

[Chasing Dreams]

There hadn't been a time she could remember having to stand up for herself with her friends group because one of their associates was rather pushy and demanding. She ran into trouble when that associate was trying to force his way into the small performance her and her friends were going to. He was trying to force her to give up her spot yet her ticket was inalienable as it had her name printed on it amd could not be removed.