Words I've learned because of my Kindle

[Leslie]

I've never been one to look up words in the dictionary while I am reading, mostly because the dictionary was never handy. I'd just puzzle out the word and keep on going. But, because of the look up feature in the Kindle, I have been looking up words and I've learned quite a few new ones, to my surprise! On this thread I thought people might want to share their new vocabulary additions...

Today at lunch, I learned flamen which comes from Roman history and is "a priest serving a particular deity." I read it in The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose, a book that is currently available for free at Amazon (link to the book and an interesting article by the author on this page).

L

[jmiked]

I learned irruption a few days ago. It was in a James Blish SF novel from the fifties, and shows up in Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad, as well as H. P. Lovecraft and a Thousand Nights and a Night.

I thought it was poor proofing until I looked it up.

ir·rupt  (-rpt)
intr.v. ir·rupt·ed, ir·rupt·ing, ir·rupts
1. To break or burst in.
2. Ecology To increase rapidly and irregularly in number:

Ya gotta love being able to just type a word into the search field and have it search the dictionary as well as everything else.

[Newbie Girl]

Funny you should bring this up, Leslie:  What you said could have come from me.  My first "oldie but goodie" book was 'Little Women'.  Knew I had read it before but I'm thinking it was a "young person" version- sure don't remember all the unknown words...or how very LONG it is.  LOL.  One day I decided to start looking up words and it is just the coolest thing- I feel so SMART!  I've always had an expanded vocabulary because I read a lot and so it continues- yippee!  I've had my Kindle about 2-3 weeks and I'm so in love- carry him with me everywhere I go, my family just rolls their eyes- they are SOOOO jealous, I think.

[colleen]

There's so much I can't list. 

I'm with you Shizu!  (hey, that rhymes!!!)

Seriously I use it frequently.  I am reading Gone With The Wind right now.  My sister first read it when she was about 12 or 13 (and has probably read it at least 50 times since).  I find myself looking up a word or two in each chapter - I love the convenience of the built in dictionary.  At the same time I am in awe of my sister's vocabulary at such a young age!!  (She always was the smarty-pants of the family!)

BTW, the pic of your puppy is TOO precious!!!

[Shizu]

I'm with you Shizu!  (hey, that rhymes!!!)

Seriously I use it frequently.  I am reading Gone With The Wind right now.  My sister first read it when she was about 12 or 13 (and has probably read it at least 50 times since).  I find myself looking up a word or two in each chapter - I love the convenience of the built in dictionary.  At the same time I am in awe of my sister's vocabulary at such a young age!!  (She always was the smarty-pants of the family!)

BTW, the pic of your puppy is TOO precious!!!

Thanks Colleen.    Maybe I'll put a bigger picture of him in the pet thread. 

[asordu]

I learned a new word, too. Kindler. I now refer to myself as a Kindler. I looked it up and it wasn't in the dictionary, but with all of us Kindler's out here, one of these days it will be!   

[Vegas_Asian]

Since I am going back and reading the classics (jane austen and so forth) I've been coming across a great numbe of words not so commonly used in the US or in mordern casual english diction.

[oddsoxx]

I came across the word "coruscated" today in this sentence..."...then, indeed, his eyes suddenly coruscated, and he turned to me almost excitedly." It means his eyes suddenly flashed. Love that look up feature.

[Kirstin]

I learned apocryphal tonight!

definition: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

If everyone knew this word but me - I apologize for my interuption. 

[Ann in Arlington]

I learned apocryphal tonight!

definition: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

If everyone knew this word but me - I apologize for my interuption. 

As in "the pictures of Kindle 2 on Boy Genius are apocryphal" 

Ann

[Jen]

As in "the pictures of Kindle 2 on Boy Genius are apocryphal" 

Ann

Exxxxcelent.   

[sjc]

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up. 

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

I occasionally would take the time to pull out the dictionary when reading dead tree books.With my Kindle I have lost count of the word looked up, 2 today; of course I can't recall either of them. Luv that feature of the Kindle.  I wish I had kept a list now.

Linda

[Leslie]

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up. 

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

I do!! LOL

L

[Kirstin]

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up. 

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

HA!  I found Gone with the Wind:  http://feedbooks.com/author/297

I couldn't remember where I'd downloaded it from.  And YES - I remember that skit. 

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

Oh, yes I do!!!  I think it's one of the best things CB & Family ever did.  Dinah Shore is in it too.  She plays Melanie/Melody.  You can watch it on youtube.  It's in two parts.  There's also Tim Conway as the little old fireman with Harvey Korman.  Another one of my favorites.

[chynared21]

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up. 

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

OMG...that was one of my favorite skits of hers!!! I used to love that show :-)))

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

OMG...that was one of my favorite skits of hers!!! I used to love that show :-)))

Another favorite, also on youtube, is Tim Conway's elephant story.  Vicki Lawrence's comeback is classic!!!!

[colleen]

pusillanimous - lacking courage or conviction; marked by contemptible timidity.

From Gone With The Wind.  I had NO idea what it meant!!!  LOVE that dictionary look up feature!

[Newbie Girl]

SJC- I know what you are talking about on the Carol Burnett show- it was hysterical!  "Gone with the Wind" is my favorite book of all time.  I too have a very old copy and too funny:  I JUST finished it again right before I got my Kindle.  Was going to make it my first download (seemed appropriate) but couldn't find it.  That being said, I didn't really know what I was doing (being a newbie and all) and I would guess it is out there somewhere on a free site.

[colleen]

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up. 

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window." 

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.

Are you kidding me???  Of COURSE I remember that Carol Burnett skit!  SOOOO funny!!!  I love Carol Burnett.  When I was a little girl (age 5 or so) we lived with my grandparents for a couple of years while my folks were saving for a bigger house.  Every Saturday night was bath night, and we 3 girls would hurry through it so that we could be squeaky clean and parked on the living room floor in front of the TV to watch Carol Burnett.  Those were the days!  (wait, that's a different show)

I got Gone With The Wind off of the feedbooks.com site for FREE!!!!!  So far I've noticed maybe 3 or 4 typos (apostrophes missing), but otherwise it's wonderful.

[Leslie]

All of you can relive those happy memories, thanks to YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aRMZ4ePmMM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjhtxfSMIWk

Part 1 and 2. It's close to 20 minutes long to watch the whole thing, but worth it.

L

[Kirstin]

I'm almost ashamed to admit how many words I've looked up while reading Dreams of My Father...   I feel illiterate.

[pidgeon92]

I'm almost ashamed to admit how many words I've looked up while reading Dreams of My Father...   I feel illiterate.

I just read a book like that.... The Senator's Wife. I enjoyed the book, I see the reviews on Amazon are mixed. I've always liked Sue Miller's books.

[Leslie]

I just read a book like that.... The Senator's Wife. I enjoyed the book, I see the reviews on Amazon are mixed. I've always liked Sue Miller's books.

I haven't read a Sue Miller book in years. Thanks for the reminder, Pidgeon, I'll add this to my ever expanding list of samples.

L