supererogation

\soo-per-air-uh-GAY-shun\

noun

: the act of performing more than is required by duty, obligation, or need

Overachiever.

numinous

\NOO-muh-nus\

adjective

1 : supernatural, mysterious

2 : filled with a sense of the presence of divinity : holy

3 : appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense : spiritual

Santa Claus.

ekphrasis

\EK-fruh-sis\

noun

: a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art

In Greek, EKPHRASIS translates to explaining or pointing out. Perhaps, more specifically, it means the act of philosophically working something out in one's head.

Let's try some EKPHRASIS here. I bought a piece of art yesterday, likely my first real art purchase (as in: not from a friend). I had gone into a local coffee shop last week and saw some art that I really liked—prints of street scenes, muted colors, vivid spots of brightness, the blurriness of watercolors. I was pleasantly surprised to find the small prints were not grossly overpriced ($40). I went back a few days later and awkwardly admitted to the barista that I wanted to purchase one of the 9x12 images. I ordered a drink first and perused the prints for a moment so the transaction would seem more casual, as though I just wandered in off the street and decided to invest.

The print is titled Sapphire City. It's an image of a street view during a Portland dusk—rainy, blue, blurry reflections of taillights on the glistening pavement. Somewhat impressionistic. The word PORTLAND appears in the background, probably a sign on any number of buildings in the city. This city is proud of itself. The image reflects such a pride. Even I have that pride, part of the reason I enjoy this image. Of course, the colors are lovely, the composition is inviting, but the concept preys on my sense of regional vanity. The artist is saying, I love my place, I think its beautiful enough to emulate. The coffee shop then says, look at these beautiful representations of the beautiful city in which our business thrives. And I come in, order my Americano, hover around the images and think, this is me, in a coffee shop, looking at images of my beautiful city. I think, by purchasing the print, I am somehow part of this lovely food chain of images devouring themselves.

I am also currently reading Blues for Cannibals, which may slightly alter my perception.

exemplary

\ig-ZEM-pluh-ree\

adjective

1 : deserving imitation especially because of excellence : commendable

2 : serving as a warning

3 : serving as an example, instance, or illustration

In most cases EXEMPLARY is used to suggest excellence. Merriam-Websters illuminates us that "usage commentators" warn against using the two terms synonymously, even though excellence naturally warrants imitation. But more importantly: what is a "usage commentator?"

The Columbia Guide to Standard English describes the battle between descriptive linguists and prescriptive (or usage) commentators:

(1) A descriptive approach to language describes in full detail precisely how we use that language. The chief values of this approach are accuracy and an unretouched picture of usage, warts and all.

(2) A prescriptive approach insists that however many variables might be found, there are better and worse choices; it will specify at least which is most appropriate, or likely which is acceptable, or in its most rigorous application, which is correct.

The author further illuminates this point with the EXEMPLARY selection of the word irregardless. Prescriptive commentators would say: Don't use it! Pretend it doesn't exist! Descriptive linguists would then argue: In fact, irregardless does exist, it's in dictionaries, and people do use the word; we'll show you when, why, how, etc.

So, the battle rages on. Merriam-Webster sits in the middle, impartial, sending out emails and reporting back to the lay person like myself.

welter

\WEL-ter\

verb

1 : writhe, toss; also : wallow

2 : to become deeply sunk, soaked, or involved

3 : to be in turmoil

The sea. The sand. The dark cave where I feel my way with a dim flashlight. The walls are rough on my fingertips. My eyes adjust to the black. The sound of the outside fades, only a memory of itself, really, but I listen. The sound is my trail of breadcrumbs, a means to trace my way back out of the WELTERING I have followed into this place like one follows a movement in the woods through a pair of slivered and curious eyes. I tether myself to the air and to the light and to reality. I close my eyes and wait for a tug to pull me back. I trust I have not grown numb.

cohesive

\koh-HEE-siv\

adjective

: exhibiting or producing a condition in which people or things are closely united

In chemistry, COHESION describes the physical property of a substance whose intermolecular attraction acts to unite said involved molecules. There is probably an extremely more successful way to paraphrase that concept, but I'm sticking with the above. A lazy and yet prime example of chemical cohesion: water.

In writing, COHESION is form, structure, flow. As I write, I feel fairly responsible for the COHESION of the words I thoughtfully throw around. This is a fallacy. It is the form that holds the words together, not me. Eventually I will crumble, and for the words remain in their present arrangement they must exist in a solid form outside the temporary and imagined grip of my hands.

COHESIVE is a word used to draw attention away from the trees and to the forest. The big picture. It is a concept without which form would be nothing but disparate pieces thrown into a moldy cardboard box.

This box, of course, may become COHESIVE if one were to scribble something on its side like: JIM'S OLD BELONGINGS - NEVER PICKED UP.

There is little COHESION, in case you haven't noticed, in the writing of this blog. It is held together by the (not so) random forces of Merriam-Webster.

philately

\fuh-LAT-uh-lee\

noun

: the collection and study of postage and imprinted stamps : stamp collecting

The world saw its first adhesive postage stamp in 1840. Twenty some-odd years later, the word PHILATELY (the Greek roots phil [loving] + ateleia [tax exemption]) hit the scene to designate a growing population fascinated with the sticky rectangles. And in 1886 the APS (American Philatelic Society) formed to house a growing community of stamp lovers. The organization boasts 35,000+ members in 110 countries. In trying to find the world's most famous PHILATELIST, I discovered only the world's most famous stamp: the 1856 one-cent "Black on Magenta" from British Guiana. It has changed hands several times; at the last auction sale in 1980 the stamp sold for $935,000.

I could go on but, really, all I want to say right now is, "What have you done for me PHILATELY? Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah."

That's where I'm at right now.