Friday, August 29, 2008

Some new words (for me, anyway)

ubiquitous: being everywhere.

The Raggedy Man is a percussion instrument used in folk music to tap out rhythms, often played with old-time string band music. More common names for this unique instrument are "Limberjack", "Ricki-tick" or "Dancing Dan". The realistic dancing motions produced by this little man are remakably similar to the actual "buck-dance", a pre-cursor to "clogging", both of which are popular dance styles in the Appalachian region. Because it is so easy to play, this little toy is a perfect "first instrument" for anyone wishing to be involved in folk music.

Worry is the opposite of peace; they cannot coexist. Our word worry comes from the German word wergen, which means "to choke" That is what worry does--it chokes your life. – Betty B.

Iatrogenesis literally means "brought forth by a healer" (iatros means healer in Greek); as such, it can refer to good or bad effects, but it is almost exclusively used to refer to the causation of a state of ill health or adverse effect or complication caused by or resulting from medical treatment.

lucullan: Lavish, luxurious.

The Finnish word "sisu" means resilience and survival under difficult circumstances. In shorthand, it's often translated as “guts,” and is regarded as a characteristic Finnish trait.
-- From the introduction to Sisu Cinema: Nine from the Finnish New Wave

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