Patrick James » Intriguing Words http://patrickjames.ie/blog Way of the Word Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:52:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Intriguing Words – 28th September 2010 http://patrickjames.ie/blog/intriguing-words-%e2%80%93-28th-september-2010/ http://patrickjames.ie/blog/intriguing-words-%e2%80%93-28th-september-2010/#comments Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:52:10 +0000 Patrick James http://patrickjames.ie/blog/?p=986 Feeling bored? While away a few minutes / hours pondering these types of government by number and decide which type of rule describes best the one we have in Ireland?
Arithmocracy – rule of the numerical majority
Democracy – government by the people as a whole
Isocracy – polity where all have equal power
Oligarchy – rule by the few
Pantarchy – same as democracy
Pantisocracy – Utopian political system wherein all are equal and all rule
Polyarchy (also polarchy, polygarchy, polycracy) – rule by the many or by a number of persons
Sociocracy – government by society as a whole

And just when you thought you’d found the answer to the Irish political situation, here’s a few more – the good, the bad and the plain ridiculous!
Angelocracy – angels
Aristarchy – the most qualified person
Aristocracy – literally the best person
Athletocracy – athletes
Foolocracy – fools
Heroarchy – heroes
Kakistocracy – the worst citizens
Meritocracy – the talented
Mobocracy / ochlocracy / pollarchy – a mob
Neocracy – amateurs
Riotocracy – violent action and disorder

]]> http://patrickjames.ie/blog/intriguing-words-%e2%80%93-28th-september-2010/feed/ 0 Intriguing Words – 2nd February 2010 http://patrickjames.ie/blog/intriguing-words-%e2%80%93-2nd-february-2010/ http://patrickjames.ie/blog/intriguing-words-%e2%80%93-2nd-february-2010/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:33:50 +0000 Patrick James http://patrickjames.ie/blog/?p=798 A love of words is nothing new for writers… but what about a mania to do with words? Here’s a list of Wordy Manias!

coprolalomania: the use of foul language

graphomania: morbid desire for writing

hellenomania: using cumbersome Greek or Latin terms instead of readily understandable English words

klazomania: compulsory shouting

lalomania: abnormal interest in speech

logomania (or logomonomania): overtalkativeness

metromania: mania for writing words

onomatomania: mental derangement with regard to words (inability to recall a certain word, attaching special significance to a word, and so forth)

scribblemania (or scribbleomania): mania for scribbling

scribomania: writing a long succession of unconnected words

typomania: mania for writing for publication

verbomania: morbid talkativeness
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With the weekend approaching fast and many people getting in the partying mood here are a few of my favourite drink related words… great for trivia at the Friday night party… or for a hangover the next morning. So if you’re Poculent here are a few words especially for you!

On Drinking:

Balderdash: adulterated wine

Barleyhood: bad temper induced by drinking

Cagg: a solemn vow not to drink for a certain period of time

Compotation: a drinking bout

Cropsick: stomachache from too much drink

Doundrins: afternoon drinking

Drinkmoney: money used to buy liquor

Malmsey: A strong, sweet wine

Poculent: fit for drinking

Pot-valiant: courageous because of drink

Shandygaff: a mixture of beer and ginger-beer

Shotclog: a drinking companion tolerated because he/she pays for the drinks

Slipslop: bad liquor

Snowbroth: very cold liquor

Sorbition: the act of drinking or sipping

Supernaculum: drinking the last drop from a glass or bottle

Swilbowl: a heavy drinker

Usquebaugh: the water of life (whiskey)

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Fear of… phobia

Airplanes                       aeronausiphobia

Animals                          zoophobia

Blood                              hematophobia, hemophobia, hemaphobia

Books                             bibliophobia

Everything                    pantaphobia, panophobia, panphobia, pamphobia

Eyes                               ommatophobia, ommetaphobia

Flowers                         anthophobia

Ghosts                           phasmophobia

Insects                           entomophobia

Mice                               musophobia, muriphobia

Numbers                       arithmophobia

Paper                             papyrophobia

Pope (or the Papacy)   papaphobia

Rain                                ombrophobia, pluviophobia

Sleep                               hypnophobia

Snow                               chionophobia

Teeth                              odontophobia

Vegetables                     lachanophobia

Water                             hydrophobia, aquaphobia

Words                             logophobia, verbophobia

Phobologophobia           fear of phobia words.

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Abligurition              spending lavishly on food and drink

Accubation               lying down at meals

Ambigu                     dinner in which the various courses are served together

Antepast                   anything taken before a meal in order to whet the

                                   appetite

Aristology                 luncheon talk

Coenaculous             one who enjoys a midnight snack

Comessation             riotous feasting

Epulation                   a banquet, feast

Gaudy                        a feast, a day of plenty

Groaking                    staring at someone eating with the hope that he/

                                    she’ll give you something

Jentacular                  relating to breakfast

Lickerish                    squeamish in the choice of food

Pingle                          to eat with little or no appetite

Puddingtime              dinnertime (time when pudding – the first course –

                                     was served)

Simpsonize                 to dilute milk with water

Smellfeast                   an uninvited dinner guest (one who smells a feast)

Trenchermate            a table companion

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Coprolalomania             the use of foul language

Graphomania                morbid desire for writing

Hellenomania                using cumbersome Greek or Latin terms instead of

                                        readily understandable English words

Klazomania                    compulsory shouting

Lalomania                      abnormal interest in speech

Logamania                     overtalkativeness

(or logomonomania)

Metromania                  mania for writing verses

Onomatomania             mental derangement with regard to words

                                        (inability to recall a certain word,

                                        attaching special significance to a word,

                                        and so forth)

Scribblemania               mania for scribbling

(or scribbleomania)

Scribomania                  writing a long succession of unconnected words

Verbomania                  morbid talkativeness

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Literary Divination

Name                       Divination By…

Bilbliomancy                 books, or by verses of the Bible

Graptomancy               handwriting

(gapomancy)

Logomancy                   words

Onomomancy               from names or the letters of a name

(nomancy                      (number of vowels, etc.)

onomancy)

Rhapsodomancy           picking a passage of poetry at random

Stichomancy                 lines of verse in books chosen at random

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