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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Back Cover

Word Ways

Back cover of this issue.

Front Cover, Publication Information

Word Ways

Front Cover, Publication Information, Table of Contents

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

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

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

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.

A Proposed Structural Model, David D. Thomas

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

No abstract provided.

Some Forthcoming Titles, David D. Thomas

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

No abstract provided.

What Is Why? (Or, Why Is What.), David D. Thomas

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

No abstract provided.

A Diplomatic Edition Of "Guillaume De Palerne." (Volumes I And Ii)., Ruth Jean Glindmeyer Moorman

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Five Old Testament Plays Of The Chester Cycle: A Paradigm Of Salvation-History, Richard Floyd Norlin

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

During the nineteenth century critics looked upon the English medieval cycle drama, or "Corpus Christi plays" as colorful folk art, having value to antiquarians but not meriting systematic critical attention. Consequently, the plays were treated chiefly from the standpoint of literary history. In more recent decades scholars have been making a fresh effort to understand and judge the Corpus Christi cycles as coherent works of religious dramatic art.

Of the four English cycles extant in manuscript---from Chester, York, Wakefield, and Lincoln·-- the cycle at Chester, though considered by some to be crude and simple, is widely regarded as the most …

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

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

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

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.

Language Levels, Ramona J. Quincunx

Word Ways

In the May 1973 issue of Word Ways, David L. Silverman posed the problem of finding common names of mammals beginning with each of the 26 letters of the alphabet. For reasons not entirely clear, flying or gliding mammals such as bats and flying lemurs, and aquatic mammals such as seals and whales, were excluded from consideration.

Front Cover, Publication Information

Word Ways

Front Cover, Publication Information, Table of Contents

Beheadments, Ralph G. Beaman

Word Ways

A beheadment is the removal of the first letter of a word to generate a new word: WHERE - W = HERE.

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.