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I ain’t no Deipnosophist
I ain’t no Deipnosophist You do not have to know a lot of words to tell a good story. You do need to know about structure and pacing. If you are a certain type of person, one who savors the tasty turn of phrase, then like me when someone drops one in conversation, you salivate like Pavlov’s and rub yourself all over them until they notice you. So, I’m at this small gathering of folks, mostly political, some journalist types and one raggedy dude who’s talking to a threesome I know, which II join. As I listened, he was finishing a story. “and as he marched off, I finally thought of the perfect esprit de l’escalier, but alas, he was a fading back.” I clapped my hands in delight. What a brilliant image. He turned to me and smiled. One of people asked what it meant and I translated loosely. (the witty remark you think of seconds after the opportunity to deliver it have passed, although that’s not the literal translation which would be the spirit of the stairs). As we sat to dinner, he pulled me to the seat next to his. I went willingly. The political discussion raged on. It was spirited, but not all that interesting. When we were nearing the cheese stage, I leaned in, asked his connection to the group. A vagabond, a portrait artist, a man with friends but no family. Called himself a decent raconteur and indeed his stories of travel, seasons, nature kept our end of the table amused. It seemed occasionally he would drop in a word for me. He was talking of the dry soil in this tiny village where he stayed, how the petrichor drove them all to the fields after a summer rain in a frenzy of jouissance. Like pagans, they danced, rolled in the sweet resin smelling earth until at last, tired they crept home to their beds to other carnal pleasures. Two words to roll in. heavenly. I laughed at how he strung the words in place, wondering if anyone knew what they meant or if they cared for, his story was fine without knowing but knowing, knowing made it so much richer. His hand slid along my thigh. My eyebrows lifted and he removed it. There is a Japanese word yuugen. There is no word in English that means what it means. The closest we can come is to describe the feeling of its intent. It is an awareness of the universe? That triggers in us an emotional response that is too mysterious, too deep to explain with words….it can only be experienced. And yet the fullness of that word is known by that word. Words in English are not like that. That don’t allow for broad open interpretation. I suppose one could say words like sorrow are more expansive than words like house. But I was struck when a friend sent me this word yuugen. Maybe we need to make up some new words like this….ones that speak to the ways of the heart, the subtleties of the soul and the desires of the mind to grow. For now, I’ll just be as I’ve always been a, a raven stealing phrases and words from other countries, claiming them for myself…. for the sheer jouissance. pic in comments since they never stay put in the blog You cannot conceive the many without the one. |
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my mother used to encourage us to go puddle jumping. and summer rains were a cause for celebration. [image] You cannot conceive the many without the one.
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What an interesting evening it sounds like you had, and yes maybe we should make up some words to fit this place.. what a cute picture..Happy Tuesday hun..
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l'esprit d'escalier is one of my favorite phrases, for who hasn't felt it? I heard it translated once as "the wit of the stairs". So fun to spend time with people who stretch your vocabulary
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I do find learning new words very interesting. . But I also appreciate someone who converses well in language that a teenager could understand. . Stories especially, should be for the masses.
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English is a very flexible but very literal language. Other languages, like French, Chinese and Spanish are less literal but slightly strangely more rigid. I love all languages. It's all about meaning and understanding.
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This is an amazing piece of tale telling!! I wonder how many bloggers had to go look up the title??? I confess to going to seek the meaning of "petrichor" as one could easily think it was a foreman or overseer even with the continuation of the story. What a fascinating word-something new for my vocabulary. I loved puddles when I was a child. There is stil a little imp in me that loves to take her shoes off as an adult and got puddle splash in the rain PS How come my photos stay put?? Am I a gifted photographer or something else I'd rather not jinx?? (Virtual Symposium Group) use Virtual Symposium Group
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I am from a place that still speaks a dialect that most closely resembles the original Elizabethan English that was first spoken here by white settlers. It's a wonder anyone can understand a thing I say. I do like reading words that require me to look them up, it broadens the mind. "Shall I tell you the secret of the true scholar? It is this: every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Here is a phrase for you, "me da ganas" Which sort of loosely translates to "It gives me desire". Add the "Tu" to the beginning of that and it is magic. kk The observant make the best lovers, I may not do right, but I do write, I have bliss, joy, and happiness in my life, Kitkat Come check out my blog KItkat1415 check out this post by me Adventures In Body Grooming #39 April Topic Link: What Lies Beneath If April Showers Oh Bloody Hell What Kind Of Weather Turns Me On Bloggers Symposium 40
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An amazing dinner part Wicked. Loved the story hugs V Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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The parties in your life are aspirations for the rest of us. Thank you for creating this one in our minds. My featured post this week: Pulling Fantasy Sex Out of My Ass.
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Lovely post McWick.........new words are fabulous. Scottish english is good for phrases and words that have no english equivalent, like 'och'...........
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English is a very flexible but very literal language. Other languages, like French, Chinese and Spanish are less literal but slightly strangely more rigid. I love all languages. It's all about meaning and understanding.
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