The Teacher's Closet: Characterization as action

Friday, February 20, 2009

Characterization as action

Have a character use an item intended for one specific purpose for a purpose other than that for which it was originally intended. See what happens. Could be a sentence, could be a story. Could be both.

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Words both Curious and Valuable

Surrreptitious - adj - Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.
Sententious - adj. - abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims; given to excessive moralizing... self-righteous.
Fatuous - adj. - foolish or inane especially in an unconscious complacent manner.
Deshabille - adj - the state of being partly or carelessly dressed.
Tchotchke - n - an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament; also a pretty girl or woman.
Bloviate - v- talk at length, esp. in an inflated or empty way.
Excoriated - v - censure or criticize severely; damage or remove part of the skin
Modicum - n. - a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something considered desirable or valuable.
Flensing - v - slice the skin or fat from a carcass (especially that of a whale).
Sacrosanct - adj - (especially of a principle, place or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.
Discrepant - adj- differing; disagreeing; inconsistent
Depilate - v - remove the hair from.
Opprobrium - noun - from the Latin, literally "against" and "disgraceful act"
sophrosyne- n. soundness of mind, moderation, prudence, self-control.
Diadem - n. - a jeweled crown or headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty.
Marquetry - n. - Inlaid work made from small pieces of variously colored wood or other materials, used chiefly for the decoration of furniture.
Gestalt - n - an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.
Riposte - n - quick clever reply to an insult or criticism.
Utilidor - n - a utility tunnel, corridor, a passage built underground or above ground to carry utility lines such as electricity, water supply pipes, and sewer pipes.
Limn - v - depict or describe in painting or words; suffuse or highlight (something) with a bright color or light.
Prescient- adj - Having to showing knowledge of events before they take place.
Moue - n- a pouting expression used to convey annoyance or distaste.
Perigee - n- The point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.
Apogee - n - either the highest point in the development of something, or the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is farthest from the earth.
Estivate - v. - spend a hot or dry period in a prolonged state or torpor or dormancy.
Sacrum - n. -a triangular bone in the lower back formed from fused vertebrae and situated between the two hipbones of the pelvis. Doesn't sound nearly as sexy as it is.
Ebullient - adj. - from the Latin "boiling up;" modern usage = usually cheer or energy.
Salmagundi - noun - a dish composed of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, onions with oil and condiments. derived from the French word salmigondis which means disparate assembly of things, ideas or people, forming an incoherent whole.
Histograms - noun- a diagram consisting of a number of rectangles or lines drawn from a base line, their portion along this line representing the value or range of one variable and their height the corresponding value of a second variable.
Ubiquitous - adj.- Present or appearing everywhere; omnipresent; of single persons or things.
Cruciverbalist - n- Someone given to complete crossword puzzles.
adumbrated- adj. shadowed forth; represented faintly or in outline.
oneiric- adj. of or belonging to dreams.
o'neiromantist- adj. one who divines by dreams.
pathos- n. that quality in speech, writing, music, or artistic representation which excites a feeling of pity or sadness; power of stirring tender or melancholy emotions; pathetic or affecting character or influence.
lacuna- n. In a manuscript, an inscription, the text of an author: A hiatus, a blank, missing portion.
askesis- n. strict self discipline or self control, as for religious or meditative purposes.
apperception - n. The process of understanding by which newly observed qualities of an object are related to past experience.
ridunculous - adj. (urban dictionary) extremely ridiculous.
bald-head - adj.(Rastafarian) a straight person; one without dreadlocks; one who works for babylon (care of Lisa Lalli)
obsequious- adj. compliant with the will or wishes of another, esp. of a superior; prompt to please serve or follow directions; obedient; dutiful. (now rare)
gewgaw- n. a gaudy trifle, plaything, or ornament; a pretty thing of little value; a toy or bauble.
swagger jacker- n. someone who steals someone else's flow, lines, jokes, swagger.
somnambulist- n. sleepwalker
houri- n. a nymph of the muslim paradise; adj. hence applied allusively to a voluptuously beautiful woman.
egregious- adj. remarkable in a good sense; remarkable in a bad sense.
detritus- n. matter produced by the detrition or wearing away of exposed surfaces, especially the gravel, sand, clay, or other material eroded or washed away by an aqueous agency; a mass or formation of this nature.
qiviut- n. (Eskimo) the underwool of the arctic musk ox; fibre made from this.
woodwright- n. a worker in wood, as in a carpenter. see also, wood-sawyer- n. one who saws wood.
subaqueous- a. of or pertaining to underwater swimming or diving performed with the assistance of an aqualung.
Vesperugo- n. Evening, or the evening star.
avuncular- adj. of, belonging to, or resembling an uncle.
feuille- n. A thin plate; a leaf; the name of a color.
satori- n. (zen buddhism) a sudden indescribable and incommunicable inner experience of enlightenment
savoir-faire- n. (French) tact, address; the instinctive knowledge of the right course of action upon any given emergency.
noc'tambulator - n. one who walks at night.
quirt - n. a kind of riding whip used in the Western United States and Spanish Americas having a short handle and a braided leather lash about two feet long; v. quirting v. to stop up an opening.
malabathrum- n. an aromatic leaf mentioned by ancient writers; a perfumed ointment made from this.
nacre- n. the smooth, shining, iridescent substance forming the inner layer of many shells; mother-of-pearl.
concomitance - n. coexistence; Theol. coexistence of the body and blood of Christ in each of the eucharistic elements.
catafalque n. – (French, from Italian catafalco) a decorated platform or framework on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral; Roman Catholic Church: A coffin-shaped structure draped with a pall, used to represent the corpse at a requiem Mass celebrated after the burial.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- n. Fear of long words.
portmanteau- n. a case or bag for carrying clothing and other necessaries when traveling; originally of a form suitable for carrying on horseback; now applied to an oblong stiff leather case, which opens like a book, with hinges in the middle of the back.
hogan- n. The rude hut of Navajo and other American Indian peoples of the south-western United States.
asterperious- adj. superior attitude in an inferior place. From Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat." Having trouble finding an actual definition of this! Is it an ethnocentric term?
legerdemain- n. sleight of hand; the performance of tricks which by nimble action deceive the eye; jugglery; conjuring tricks.
tatterde'malionism- n. the style or practice of one appearing in tattered clothing; style or practice of one appearing ragged or beggarly.
pyrolatrous- adj. (Greek) of the Fire- Worshipers.
goblinry - n. The doings or habits of goblins.