Words & Language: April 2003 Archives

I came across a new word today, while waiting in a doctors office.

This word seems at the moment to have been used in rather random ways on the web. Citations I found ranged from strange new agey religions, to people talking about hair, to people complaining about rock and rolls afro-carib roots. In fact as much as I like the sound of the word, I probably won't use it much as I don't like the company this word seems to keep at the moment.

Perhaps, I'll use this one instead.

What is a chiasmus? Glad you asked.
Ask not to whom you link,
but link to those who ask.

"April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain."

These words have always been so poignant to me. It's kind of unfortunate the poem goes down hill from there. The web site referenced above is a fabulous exposition of the poem and includes translations and explains all the arcane allusions in this poem.

It makes a good April 1 entry. I found this link from First Monday in a paper entitled The Processed Book.