Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Quomodocunquizing

Meaning: the OED defines it as "that makes money in any possible way", and points out that it is an expansion of quōmodocumque, Latin for 'in whatever way'. It is italicised in Ekskybalauron, so Sir Thomas - or his typesetter - may have thought of this as a Latin word.

Usefulness: 1 (I'm sure you can manage your own examples for this one.)

Logofascination: 1 (Quomodocunquizing made it into Mark Forsyth's The Horologicon*a book so logofascinating that it may induce fainting if taken in too large a dose.)

In the wild: In The Daily Mail. Sir Thomas has had one of his words used in The Daily Mail! This is, of course, due to their serialisation of The Horologicon, which you will be unsurprised to learn mentions Sir Thomas five times and quotes him four times; two of those quotes are from his own works, which is even more exciting**. A number of words he invented or brought into English via the translation of Rabelais are also mentioned; I've counted ten so far, but there are no doubt more.

Degrees: 0

Connections: n/a

Used in: The Ekskybalauron: Sir Thomas was arguing that although some Scots had given the nation a bad name, it was unfair to generalise and infer that he was after money just because he was a Scot. Sir Thomas was after money, but it was probably because he was broke.
which churlish and tenacious humor hath made many that were not acquainted with any else of that country, to imagine all their compatriots infected with the same leprosie of a wretched peevishness, whereof those quomodocunquizing cluster fists and rapacious varlets have given of late such cannibal-like proofs, by their inhumanity and obdurate carriage, towards some whose shoes strings they are not worthy to unty, 


*It also appears to be capable of time travel, since it's technically not due out until Thursday - this is perhaps to be expected if you make a book Tardis-blue and put clockwork on the front.

**The Horologicon includes a warning that you should on no account read it straight through; among possible side-effects it fails to note an unhealthy fascination with lexicographers and lexiophiles long gone. 

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