Comments on: Absurd Entries in the OED: An Introduction To Ammon Shea

By: mental_floss Blog » Absurd Entries in the OED

mental_floss Blog » Absurd Entries in the OED — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:21 +0000

[...] Read more of Shea’s introductory blog entry, and be sure to consult an excerpt from Reading the OED, Ammon’s favorite words, hardcore dictionaries, and related entries by Ammon Shea. [...]

By: 21.730 pagine in un anno « Taccuino di traduzione 2.0

21.730 pagine in un anno « Taccuino di traduzione 2.0 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:48:24 +0000

[...] blog della Oxford University Press trovate qualche pagina del [...]

By: Homo Sum » Blog Archive » Early Saturday Morning Gallimaufry

Homo Sum » Blog Archive » Early Saturday Morning Gallimaufry — Sat, 03 May 2008 04:29:28 +0000

[...] “Any leucocratic tonalite, esp. one in which the plagioclase is oligoclase.” Yeah, some of those definitions in the OED need some… well, apparently they need some translation into English. I guess I was wrong about what that E stood for. (And if you knew what word that definition was for without clicking through, slap yourself. No really. Slap yourself.) [...]

By: Kathleen Shea

Kathleen Shea — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:29:59 +0000

I’m so proud.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:18:29 +0000

Well, there you go: geologists don’t do mediaeval history, and Dante’s fans don’t do rocks. Except, maybe a bit, and well outside the comprehension of most of the ones who don’t.

Anyway, for fun dictionary entries, Chambers’ is the one to go to:’a cake long in shape but short in duration’ for “eclair”, for example.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:31:40 +0000

[the previous post was truncated]
OED online “poontang, n.” reads “slang (orig. and chiefly U.S. in African-American usage),” but then, in Etymology, continues, “[Origin uncertain; perh.

By: Stephen Goranson

Stephen Goranson — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:35:37 +0000

OED online “poontang, n.” reads “slang (orig. and chiefly U.S. in African-American usage),” but then, in Etymology, continues, “[Origin uncertain; perh.

By: The Vast Jeff Wing Conspiracy » Seven things

The Vast Jeff Wing Conspiracy » Seven things — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:02:04 +0000

[...] OED’s definition of trondhjemite: Any leucocratic tonalite, esp. one in which the plagioclase is [...]

By: DV

DV — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:19:08 +0000

“For instance trondhjemite is defined as ‘Any leucocratic tonalite, esp. one in which the plagioclase is oligoclase’.”

In fairness, as long as the OED covers each of the four jargon words in simpler terms (or in terms of words that are ultimately defined more simply in the OED), I don’t have a particular problem with this.

Proper use of “jargon tree” (a term I just made up) could save considerable space. It might be better to use this approach, rather than explaining everything so that a layperson can understand without chasing up other references: in the case of trondhjemite, this would lead to rather a long definition.

Alternatively, a mixed approach could be used so that a precise definition would be available for someone who cared for it, and a less-precise but easily understood definition was also available. e.g. “A particular category of rock: specifically, any leucocratic…” etc

Obviously, circularity is to be avoided. The jargon tree should eventually lead one to simple English terms.

By: zachrahan

zachrahan — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:40:28 +0000

“Allies” used to have a specific zoological meaning (see OED definition 6 for Ally or Alliance) — a related grouping of species. So “Mouse or its allies” would mean “Mus musculus and taxonomically related species.” It is a nice turn of phrase, though, seen often in Darwin (who writes beautifully), and I’m sorry to see it go, both from the OED and from biological language in general.