My Word Imperfect entries, Part I
A little over two years ago, I came across a blog called Word Imperfect, which is run by a person known as the Word Imp. At that time, the blog was normally updated every day, but for quite a while now new posts have been rare, due to the blog owner being busy with other things.
Originally, each day the Word Imp put up a new word and a made-up definition, and readers submitted comments with their own made-up, "wacky" definitions of that word. The next day, the Word Imp revealed the real definition and chose three finalists from the entries submitted. Readers voted (in a poll) for what they thought was the best one, and the next day the Word Imp announced the winner. The only prize was the glory of being chosen.
Only one post was devoted to each word. The post initially introduced the word and gave the Word Imp's made-up definition. The next day the post was modified to give the finalists, and a poll was set up on the right side on the blog so people could vote. The third day the post was overwritten, removing the fake definition and giving the real one, and announcing the winner. Since a new word was given each day, each day the site had a post with a new word, a day-older post with a different word that people were voting on, and a two-day-older post with a different word in which the real definition was given and the winner announced. Plus, of course, the older posts with the previous words and winners.
My entries have won or tied a few times, and have also sometimes been nominated and not won. In the current vote (for conterminal), which has been going on for several months now, I am a finalist but am unlikely to win.
I have decided to reprint my Word Imperfect entries here in occasional posts. The first group of entries is below. The times given are the approximate times of my posts, in Arizona time(MST), from the clock on my computer.
Quaquaversal:
6:44 AM 6/8/2007
Quaquaversal is something that is true throughout the strange and magical land of Quaqua, a land that is reached by putting one's arms over one's eyes, stepping through the looking glass, and shouting, "Duck! Duck!"
Asperity:
10:09 AM 6/10/2007
Asperity is the branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of the asper. The asper is a flower related to the aster, but much more troublesome to grow and much less rewarding. Those who undertake such adventures are known as aspersions.
Horopter:
4:53 AM 6/11/2007
A horopter is a helicopter that is believed to be haunted or jinxed.
Example: After being tapped on the shoulder too many times and finding no one there, the pilot refused to ride in that "horopter."
Mattoid:
10:42 AM 6/12/2007 *** finalist
Once a year, people named Matt gather for a special celebration called MATT (Matts All The Time). Those who attend but are not actually Matts are referred to as Mattoids.
My entry for mattoid was chosen as one of the three finalists. It's allowable there to vote for yourself, and I did. I didn't win, though.
The vote count the last time I checked it:
11:39 PM 6/13/2007:
Choose a winner for mattoid
Stephen 26.92%
Karoline 46.15%
Bloodboughtme 26.92%
Total votes : 26
Nonage:
9:37 PM 6/13/2007
Nonage is a term used to describe the remaining capacity of a ship that has been fully loaded, one that already contains its maximum tonnage.
Example: "I can't put any more in her, she's at nonage now."
Jobation:
5:02 AM 6/14/07
Jobation is a general term for the activities taking place on St. Jobat's day, which include the First Feast of Jobat, Comments on the First Feast of Jobat, the Second Feast of Jobat, Comments on the Second Feast of Jobat, the Third Feast of Jobat, Comments on the Third Feast of Jobat, and naptime. St. Jobat was a 7th century monk who didn't believe in fasting, and though now little known, was very popular in his time and for several centuries afterward.
Kymograph:
9:45 AM 6/15/2007
A kymograph is used as an aid in the adjustment of chimes. It is a device containing multiple narrow extensions of different lengths, which have been set to vibrate when tones of the appropriate frequency are reached. To check a particular chime, strike the chime and see if the kymograph portion designated for that particular chime vibrates. If it does not vibrate, or if it vibrates poorly, or if more than one vibrates, readjust the chime and try again.
Splenius:
2:16 AM 6/17/2007
A splenius is the jar in which the ancient Egyptians kept the spleen and other organs when mummifying a person.
Pilose:
8:58 AM 6/17/2007 *** winner (2-way tie)
Pilose is the state of mental numbness brought on from calculating PI to too many decimal places.
My entry for pilose was chosen as one of the three finalists. It's allowable there to vote for yourself, and I did. I ended up in a 2-way tie for first place.
The vote count the last time I checked it:
12:40 AM 6/19/2007
Choose a winner for Pilose
Stephen 43.24%
Melissa 43.24%
Dan 13.51%
Total votes : 37
Wivern:
12:46 AM 6/19/2007
[I wrote this too late to be used. When I rechecked the site before posting the entry, I found that the finalists had already been chosen, so I didn't post it. I'm posting it here, though.]
Wivern means "woven fern." It is a type of fern whose branches are so woven together that they almost resemble a climbing vine.
Originally, each day the Word Imp put up a new word and a made-up definition, and readers submitted comments with their own made-up, "wacky" definitions of that word. The next day, the Word Imp revealed the real definition and chose three finalists from the entries submitted. Readers voted (in a poll) for what they thought was the best one, and the next day the Word Imp announced the winner. The only prize was the glory of being chosen.
Only one post was devoted to each word. The post initially introduced the word and gave the Word Imp's made-up definition. The next day the post was modified to give the finalists, and a poll was set up on the right side on the blog so people could vote. The third day the post was overwritten, removing the fake definition and giving the real one, and announcing the winner. Since a new word was given each day, each day the site had a post with a new word, a day-older post with a different word that people were voting on, and a two-day-older post with a different word in which the real definition was given and the winner announced. Plus, of course, the older posts with the previous words and winners.
My entries have won or tied a few times, and have also sometimes been nominated and not won. In the current vote (for conterminal), which has been going on for several months now, I am a finalist but am unlikely to win.
I have decided to reprint my Word Imperfect entries here in occasional posts. The first group of entries is below. The times given are the approximate times of my posts, in Arizona time(MST), from the clock on my computer.
Quaquaversal:
6:44 AM 6/8/2007
Quaquaversal is something that is true throughout the strange and magical land of Quaqua, a land that is reached by putting one's arms over one's eyes, stepping through the looking glass, and shouting, "Duck! Duck!"
Asperity:
10:09 AM 6/10/2007
Asperity is the branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of the asper. The asper is a flower related to the aster, but much more troublesome to grow and much less rewarding. Those who undertake such adventures are known as aspersions.
Horopter:
4:53 AM 6/11/2007
A horopter is a helicopter that is believed to be haunted or jinxed.
Example: After being tapped on the shoulder too many times and finding no one there, the pilot refused to ride in that "horopter."
Mattoid:
10:42 AM 6/12/2007 *** finalist
Once a year, people named Matt gather for a special celebration called MATT (Matts All The Time). Those who attend but are not actually Matts are referred to as Mattoids.
My entry for mattoid was chosen as one of the three finalists. It's allowable there to vote for yourself, and I did. I didn't win, though.
The vote count the last time I checked it:
11:39 PM 6/13/2007:
Choose a winner for mattoid
Stephen 26.92%
Karoline 46.15%
Bloodboughtme 26.92%
Total votes : 26
Nonage:
9:37 PM 6/13/2007
Nonage is a term used to describe the remaining capacity of a ship that has been fully loaded, one that already contains its maximum tonnage.
Example: "I can't put any more in her, she's at nonage now."
Jobation:
5:02 AM 6/14/07
Jobation is a general term for the activities taking place on St. Jobat's day, which include the First Feast of Jobat, Comments on the First Feast of Jobat, the Second Feast of Jobat, Comments on the Second Feast of Jobat, the Third Feast of Jobat, Comments on the Third Feast of Jobat, and naptime. St. Jobat was a 7th century monk who didn't believe in fasting, and though now little known, was very popular in his time and for several centuries afterward.
Kymograph:
9:45 AM 6/15/2007
A kymograph is used as an aid in the adjustment of chimes. It is a device containing multiple narrow extensions of different lengths, which have been set to vibrate when tones of the appropriate frequency are reached. To check a particular chime, strike the chime and see if the kymograph portion designated for that particular chime vibrates. If it does not vibrate, or if it vibrates poorly, or if more than one vibrates, readjust the chime and try again.
Splenius:
2:16 AM 6/17/2007
A splenius is the jar in which the ancient Egyptians kept the spleen and other organs when mummifying a person.
Pilose:
8:58 AM 6/17/2007 *** winner (2-way tie)
Pilose is the state of mental numbness brought on from calculating PI to too many decimal places.
My entry for pilose was chosen as one of the three finalists. It's allowable there to vote for yourself, and I did. I ended up in a 2-way tie for first place.
The vote count the last time I checked it:
12:40 AM 6/19/2007
Choose a winner for Pilose
Stephen 43.24%
Melissa 43.24%
Dan 13.51%
Total votes : 37
Wivern:
12:46 AM 6/19/2007
[I wrote this too late to be used. When I rechecked the site before posting the entry, I found that the finalists had already been chosen, so I didn't post it. I'm posting it here, though.]
Wivern means "woven fern." It is a type of fern whose branches are so woven together that they almost resemble a climbing vine.
Labels: posts, wordimperfect, writing
posted by Stephen at 8/07/2009 12:43:00 PM
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