Sunday, September 23, 2012

Vocabulary #7


aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Vocabulary List #6


Beatitude- a state of supreme happiness
The little girl was beatitude when she saw all the candy in the store.
bete noire- a detested person

bode- indicated by signs
Knowing people get things done fast bodes well with me that I will trust them.
dank- unpleasantly cool and humid
When it is dank my hair gets untamable
ecumenical- of worldwide scope or applicability
The ecumenical businessman knew a lot about world trade.
fervid- extremely hot
Coffee can be fervid when heated up too long.
gargantuan- of great mass
The fetid man could not walk quietly.
heyday- the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
The heyday of my career at Sprinkles and Scoops was when I became a barista and ran Birthday parties.
incubus- someone who depresses or worries others
My dog sometimes is the incubus of our family because she is so old.
infrastructure- the basic structure or features of a system or organization
When planning a business you need to have an infrastructure or your business will fail.
inveigle- influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing or flattering
To get me up in the morning I must be inveigled out of bed.
kudos- an expression of approval and commendation
Kudos to me for having worked at such a disasterous place for more then a year.
lagniappe- a small gift
The women who works at the craft store gave me a lagniappe as a token of gratitude for visiting her all the time.  
prolix- tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
When I make speeches I know I make them prolix when I am talking about something I care for.
protégé- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé’s career
I would feel so honored have a protégé.
prototype- a standard or typical example
I am a prototype for a great student in ASB.
sycophant- a person who tires to please someone in order to gain personal advantage
If you are a obsequies sycophant then you need to have your priorities set straight.
tautology- useless repetition
Rewriting vocabulary to memorize it is just tautology.
truckle- a try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
If you want someone to like you for who you are, truckling is not the answer.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Vocab List #5


acumen – noun. a tapering point; shrewdness shown by keen insight
            - My only question mark would be over his tactical acumen in the premier league.
adjudicate – verb. bring to an end; settle conclusively; put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of
            - The Judge adjudicated the case.
anachronism – noun. an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
            - The anachronism history teacher was very out of place in a computer class; especially with his tweed jacket and bowtie.
apocryphal - adj. being of questionable authenticity; of or belonging to the Apocrypha
            - The apocryphal paper that the student turned made the teacher weary.
disparity – noun. inequality or difference in some respect
            -Two friends had a disparity over who gets to date the boy.
dissimulate – verb. hide (feelings) from other people
            -I dissimulated what I was feeling from my friends because I was not in the mood to share.
empirical - adj. derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; relying on medical quackery
            - Empirical investigation in scientific history
flamboyant - adj. richly and brilliantly colorful; elaborately or excessively ornamented; 
            - When going to a ball you may or may not want the most flamboyant dress you can find.
fulsome - adj. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
            - Kathy holds herself in a fulsome manor sometimes which people don’t respond to well.
immolate – verb. offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction
            - In Africa tribes immolate people like it is a regular thing.
imperceptible - adj. impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses
            - Kathy told everyone a imperceptible story that everyone thought was a lie.
lackey – noun. a male servant (especially a footman); a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
            - The lackey for the manager earned no respect from any of his co-workers.
liaison – noun. a channel for communication between groups; a usually secretive relationship
            -The Liasison to the CEO was not doing his job because he was horrible at communicating.
monolithic - adj. characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity; imposing in size or bulk or solidity.
            - A group of monolithic students came into the museum and were too hard to handle.
nihilism – noun. a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake; complete denial of all established authority and institutions; the delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal
            -
patrician - adj. of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe; of honorary nobility in the Byzantine empire; belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; noun a person of refined upbringing and manners; a member of the aristocracy
            -
propitiate - verb make peace with
            -  The two friends propitiated their friendship after realizing it was a stupid thing to fight over.
sic - adv. intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase); verb urge a dog to attack someone
            -
sublimate - adj. made pure; noun the product of vaporization of a solid
            - The women sublimated herself after realizing she did not want to sin anymore

Beowulf Translation


Beowulf ond Godsylla

Meanehwæl, baccat meaddehæle, monstær lurccen;
Fulle few too many drincce, hie luccen for fyht.
Ðen Hreorfneorhtðhrw, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Æsccen æwful jeork to steop outsyd. Þhud! Bashe! Crasch! Beoom! Ðe bigge gye
Eallum his bon brak, byt his nose offe;
Wicced Godsylla wæld on his asse.
Monstær moppe fleor wyþ eallum men in hælle.
Beowulf in bacceroome fonecall bamaccen wæs;
Hearen sond of ruccus sæd, "Hwæt ðe helle?"
Graben sheold strang ond swich-blæd scharp
Stond feorth to fyht ðe grimlic foe. "Me," Godsylla sæd, "mac ðe minsemete."
Heoro cwyc geten heold wiþ fæmed half-nelson
Ond flyng him lic frisbe bac to fen
Beowulf belly up to meaddehæle bar,
Sæd, "Ne foe beaten mie færsom cung-fu."
Eorderen cocca-cohla yce-coeld, ðe reol þyng.
\

Beowulf and Godsylla 

Meanwhile, back at mead-hall, (the) monster lurked;
Full of few too many drinks, he lurked for (a)  fight.
Then Hreorfneorhtðhrw, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Asked (the)  awful jerk to step outside. Thud! Bash! Crash! Boom! The Big guy
All of his bones break (broke?), bit his nose off;
Winced Godsylla wailed on his ass.
Monster mopped (the) floor with all men in (the)  hall.
Beowulf in backroom (was making a)  phone call back home was;
Hear the sound of ruckus say "What the hell"
Grab the shield strong and switch blade sharp.
Stand forth to fight the grim like foe. "Me," Godsylla said, "make the mince meat."
Hero quick getting held framed half-nelson.
And flying him like a Frisbee back and forth.
Beowulf belly up to the mead-hall bar,
Said,"No foe beaten my fearsome kong-fu."
Ordering a coca-cola ice cold, the real thing.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hero to me


Not to be to generic, but my hero is in no doubt in my mind is my mother. Elaine Susan Nahin Furst is the strongest person that I know. She not only has a stressful job dealing with pre-teens all day helping with their home lives, but also teaches them. She puts her whole heart into everything she does and sacrifices a lot for that. For as long as I can remember she always put others in front of herself and what she wants. One of the many reasons why she is self-less and deserves so much more then she gets. Our family has gone through some tough times and her being as strong as she is and carrying our family means the world to me. God knows I couldn’t do that. Her heart is so big and carries it on her sleeve. She puts my sister and me first before anything and will drop whatever for us if it means she needs to help us. We don’t give her enough credit for everything she has to deal with. I love her with all my heart. 


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Vocab List #4

apostate - adj. not faithful to religion or party or cause; noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
effusive - adj. extravagantly demonstrative; uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
impasse - noun a street with only one way in or out; a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
euphoria - noun a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
lugubrious - adj. excessively mournful
bravado - noun a swaggering show of courage
consensus - noun agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
constrict - verb become tight or as if tight; squeeze or press together
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
punctilio - noun strict observance of formalities; a fine point of etiquette or petty formality
metamorphosis - noun a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals; a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances
raconteur - noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes
quixotic - adj. not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic
vendetta - noun a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other
mystique - noun an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing
quagmire - noun a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
parlous - adj. fraught with danger

sine qua nonAn essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary: "grammar and usage are the sine qua non of language teaching and learning"
non sequitur-A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Literature Analysis

For my first "Lit Analysis" I decided to choose Sophie's Choice by William Styron. 

The reason I choose this book is because last year Mrs. Nylander gave us a choice to read a few different novels and I went for a different one. Then talking to Ryan Cecile, he told me that this book was very good and he really enjoyed it. So then I was interested, I still haven't gotten a chance to read it. So here is my opportunity. He said it was very interesting and I read a summary on it, this looks as it is going to be a nice read. 

(Clocking out now)