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Articles 4411 - 4440 of 4911
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Still More Websterian Errors, Darryl Francis
Still More Websterian Errors, Darryl Francis
Word Ways
The August 1972 issue of Word Ways carried an article of ours entitled "Further Websterian Errors". In that article, we attempted to bring to the reader's notice a number of previously uncatalogued errors that appear in the Second and Third Editions of Webster's New International Dictionary, the so-called Unabridged Webster's.
Instructions To Authors
Word Ways
Instructions to authors wishing to contribute to the publication.
Language Levels: Another Look, Ramona J. Quincunx
Language Levels: Another Look, Ramona J. Quincunx
Word Ways
Amid the frozen fastnesses of the winter wonderland known as Little America, Antarctica, I have been contemplating a further exploration of the subject of language levels, first broached in a previous article devoted to the names of mammals and birds.
The Words Of Songs Without Words, R. Robinson Rowe
The Words Of Songs Without Words, R. Robinson Rowe
Word Ways
Fortunately for me, with a great love for good music and no talent, my late wife was a concert cellist. Her musical education had included fifteen years of private study in this country and a formal course at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruxelles, from which she was a prize graduate in 1914. Ignorant and curious, I asked her the reason for foreign study -- what could she learn in Belgium that wasn't taught in the United States? She listed a number of topics in reply, with emphasis on counterpoint, ensemble and solfege.
A 1961-Point One-Move Scrabble Score, Darryl Francis
A 1961-Point One-Move Scrabble Score, Darryl Francis
Word Ways
In the February 1974 issue of Word Ways, the editor summarized the results of the year-long Games & Puzzles competition to devise a single Scrabble move scoring as many points as possible. The article detailed the winning solution, a 1949-point construction based on the key word BENZOXYCAMPHORS. The article suggested that it would be "extraordinarily difficult, perhaps impossible" to improve this solution by as much as ten points. This task has now been accomplished, in a collaboration between myself and Ron Jerome of Bracknell, Berkshire, England.
The Highest One-Move Scrabble Score, A. Ross Eckler
The Highest One-Move Scrabble Score, A. Ross Eckler
Word Ways
The November 1972 issue of Word Ways reported that the British monthly magazine Games & Puzzles had just launched a year-long search among its readers for the highest possible single-move score in the game of Scrabble. As an incnetive, the editors of the magazine offered two prizes: 5 pounds sterling to be awarded at the middle of every month to the highest Scrabble score received since the beginning of the contest, and 100 pounds sterling to be awarded to the first Scrabble score to exceed a single-move score devised by Darryl Francis (the value of the score, however, was not …
Colloquy
Word Ways
Webster's Dictionary defines colloquy as mutual discourse. Readers are encouraged to submit additions, corrections and comments about earlier articles appearing in Word Ways. Comments received up to a month prior to publication of an issue will appear in that issue.
Palindromic Letter-Sequences, Leslie E. Card, A. Ross Eckler
Palindromic Letter-Sequences, Leslie E. Card, A. Ross Eckler
Word Ways
There are about 7800 different trigrams which occur in words listed in boldface in Webster's Second Edition, making it feasible to compile a dictionary of types. Approximately 80 per cent of these trigrams (those appearing in Webster's Collegiate) were published in the August 1969, November 1969 and November 1970 Word Ways; since that time, Philip Cohen of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania has discovered examples for most of the remaining Websterian trigrams, as well as others in Webster's Third. However, a type of dictionary for tetragrams or longer letter-sequences is a far more laborious undertaking, requiring the assistance of a high-speed digital computer; …
Rebus Poetry, Willard R. Espy
Rebus Poetry, Willard R. Espy
Word Ways
Rebuses have been around for a long time. Most of them exploit letters only; some contain both letters and numbers; but relatively few use letters, numbers, and other typewriter symbols. If the reader will keep in mind that two identical letters, such as EE, can be pronounced either "ease" or "e-e", the following poem should not be too difficult to decode.
An Onomastic Study (Part 4), Dmitri A. Borgmann
An Onomastic Study (Part 4), Dmitri A. Borgmann
Word Ways
Before plunging into new territory, we pause to take note of a congeries of addenda to subjects probed in previous articles of this series.
Still More Specialty Definitions, Al Muller
Still More Specialty Definitions, Al Muller
Word Ways
In the February 1970 Word Ways, Louis Delpino introduced Specialty Definitions, hoping that his contribution would "serve as a keystone in a linguistic archway which has yet to be constructed". In the May 1973 Word Ways, Bernard Couvillion took up the construction of the archway. Being genetically unable to leave well enough alone. I make my belated contribution to the archway to Neurosia -- a distant but densely populated region. I believe all the specialty definitions listed below are original, but I extend my apologies to anyone who has been unintentionally plagiarized.
A Definitive Pocket Webster List, Murray R. Pearce
A Definitive Pocket Webster List, Murray R. Pearce
Word Ways
When reporting discoveries in recreational linguistics, the careful logologist always specifies the stockpile of words he has used. The most convenient and widely-available stockpile of words are, of course, found in dictionaries. Unfortunately, dictionaries are not always easy to search through for words with certain characteristics, and various types of word lists have been compiled to make the task easier. One of the commonest ways to rearrange a dictionary is to list together all words of the same length. Within each length, words are then listed alphabetically; sometimes (in positional word lists) the alphabetization is done not only on the …
An Overview Of Isograms, Dmitri A. Borgmann
An Overview Of Isograms, Dmitri A. Borgmann
Word Ways
From time to time, cryptic references have appeared in the literature of logology to isograms, words or terms consisting of letters each one of which appears "n" times. There has, however, been no general review of the subject since my initial essay on it in Language on Vacation (Scribner's, 1965). The purpose of this article is to update the subject, displaying the present state of research regarding it.
A Decade Of Neologisms, Darryl Francis
A Decade Of Neologisms, Darryl Francis
Word Ways
Logologists everywhere welcome the appearance of a new dictionary, particularly if it fills a niche not occupied by ones already on the market.
Two Superb 144-Letter Word Squares, Mary J. Youngquist
Two Superb 144-Letter Word Squares, Mary J. Youngquist
Word Ways
When I read Dmitri Borgmann's article on 100-letter tautonymic word squares in the November 1973 Word Ways, it was with elation (amidst some rather queasy emotions) that I realized "word" had taken on a new meaning. Now that multiple-word phrases have been accepted as "words", the building of tautonymic word squares is child's play. Hence, with childish delight I set about to whip up a couple of examples.
A Spelling Rule, Ramona J. Quincunx
A Spelling Rule, Ramona J. Quincunx
Word Ways
Spelling English words correctly is not the easiest thing in the world. To help students of the language master the intricacies of orthography, a number of simple, logical rules that govern spelling have been devised. One of these rules concerns the IE and EI diphthongs. The following jingle sets that rule forth clearly and concisely, telling us which words to write with IE and which ones to write with EI.
Letter Structure Of Long Words, Ralph G. Beaman
Letter Structure Of Long Words, Ralph G. Beaman
Word Ways
Long words have always fascinated both layman and logologist alike. No matter that the definitions of "long" and "short and of "words" usually are nebulous or lacking. Many a know-it-all schoolchild has attempted to impress his mates with the incomprehensibleness of the tongue twister ANTIDISHESTABLISHMENTARIANISM as the longest word. Strangely, they never add an S for the plural. The logologist, as a counterdemonstration, would protest that this "word" has never appeared in any edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionaries.
Above And Below, Dmitri A. Borgmann
Above And Below, Dmitri A. Borgmann
Word Ways
In the very first issue of Word Ways, published in February, 1968, an issue I had the honor of editing, I discussed word ladders, citing some interesting examples. Somewhat in the nature of a casual afterthoughts, I mentioned the fact that a seemingly very difficult problem was that of constructing a ladder to convert ABOVE into BELOW.
Answers And Solutions
Word Ways
Answers and solutions to the puzzles contained in this issue.
Front Cover, Publication Information
Front Cover, Publication Information
Word Ways
Front Cover, Publication Information, Table of Contents
Impeach!, Jezebel Q. Xixx
Impeach!, Jezebel Q. Xixx
Word Ways
From time to time, a relatively plebeian English word, sheltered from prying eyes by hordes of more active companions, catches the attention of the public. At such times, the obligation devolves on logologists to examine the word of the moment from their special point of view, reporting their findings to an interested public.
Elementary, My Dear Watson!, Merlin X. Houdini Iv
Elementary, My Dear Watson!, Merlin X. Houdini Iv
Word Ways
In the May 1973 Kickshaws, David L. Silverman presents the problem of halving a six-letter word to form two three-letter words, in each of the ten mathematically possible subdivisions of the six letters involved. All words used must appear in boldface type either in the Second or in the Third Edition of the Merriam-Webster unabridged dictionary.
Sequential Tetragram Permutations, Darryl Francis
Sequential Tetragram Permutations, Darryl Francis
Word Ways
Since the title of this article sounds rather forbidding, perhaps we ought to start by explaining the terms involved.
Instructions To Authors
Word Ways
Instructions to authors wishing to contribute to the publication.
Kickshaws, David L. Silverman
Kickshaws, David L. Silverman
Word Ways
Readers are encouraged to send their own favorite linguistic kickshaws to the Associate Editor. All answers appear in the Answers and Solutions at the end of this issue.
Shaded Fright On Hade Street, Walter Shedlofsky
Shaded Fright On Hade Street, Walter Shedlofsky
Word Ways
From your appearance, Mr. Graham -- or, rather, Alistair -- I presume you had a most trying night. Did you see the vision again?
"Palindromes And Anagrams", Jezebel Q. Xixx
"Palindromes And Anagrams", Jezebel Q. Xixx
Word Ways
The year 1973 will be remembered as witnessing the publication of a book that goes to the very heart of logology: Palindromes and Anagrams, by Howard W. Bergerson (Dover Publications, Inc., New York, paperbound, $2.50). The author is a former editor of Word Ways, and he has collected into one, compact volume much essential material available nowhere else. Consequently, the book becomes a sine qua non for all serious logologists, as well as for all laymen interested in verbal curiosities.
Scrabble Pangrams, Darryl Francis
Scrabble Pangrams, Darryl Francis
Word Ways
Using the letter-distribution of the game of Scrabble (allowing the two blank tiles to represent any desired letters), what is the smallest number of words that can be made using all the letters? This problem was posed on the Competitions page of the June 1973 Games & Puzzles Magazine; the winner, R. E. Jerome of Berkshire, England, managed to use up all 100 Scrabble tiles in only seven words.
A New 100-Letter Word Square, Dmitri A. Borgmann
A New 100-Letter Word Square, Dmitri A. Borgmann
Word Ways
Since my first report on the attempt to construct a modern tautonymic 10 x 10 word square, Darryl H. Francis and I have continued to work on the project, and we are happy to report a second solution to the problem. The new word square overcomes all of the esthetic objections leveled against our first effort, and exhibits other improvements as well.