Friday, February 25, 2011

lexicography \lek-suh-KAH-gruh-fee\, noun:

1. The writing or compiling of dictionaries; the editing or making of dictionaries.

2. The principles and practices applied to writing dictionaries.

Lexicography is derived from the Greek lexicon (biblion), a word- or phrase-book (from lexis, a phrase, a word) + graphein, to write. A lexicographer (thought to be formed on the pattern of geographer) is a compiler or writer of a dictionary -- as defined by Samuel Johnson in his own Dictionary of the English Language, "a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge."

laborhood

• The neighborhood in which you work, if different from the neighborhood in which you live.

Nah, I don't wanna hang out in SoHo tonight. I try to avoid my laborhood on weekends.

Trivia

What creature’s habits convinced 18th-century French scientist René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur that paper could be made from wood?

• The wasp’s. He saw how wasps built their nests with a paste they made by chewing on dry wood and mixing it with their saliva. Before Réaumur’s discovery, old clothes and rags were used to make paper.

History

• Regnans in Excelsis: Pope Pius V excommunicated Elizabeth I of England in support of the Roman Catholic rebellion; it did not go well (1570)
• Hiram Rhoades Revels: became the first African-American senator, filling the unexpired term of Confederate States of America president Jefferson Davis (1870)
• hockey: was first televised; the Rangers beat the Canadiens 6-2 at Madison Square Garden (1940)
• Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston: the boxer later known as Muhammad Ali won the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston at age 22; he lost it and rewon it twice more (1964)

Birthdays

• Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919): impressionist painter
• Larry Gelbart (1928-2009): writer/producer for screen and stage, Tootsie, M*A*S*H; also, writers whose works were associated with theater and films Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793), Marcel Paul Pagnol (1895-1974), Anthony Burgess (1917-1993), Jack Handey (62) and Neil Jordan (61)
• Bob Schieffer (74): broadcast journalist and moderator of Face the Nation; plus, talk-show host Sally Jessy Raphael (76)
• Julio Iglesias Jr. (38): singer who was the first-season winner of the CMT reality TV show Gone Country; plus, musicians Enrico Caruso (1873-1921), Myra Hess (1890-1965), Ralph Stanley (84) and Daniel Powter (40)
• Ric Flair (62): world heavyweight champion wrestler; also, athletes Bobby Riggs (1918-1995), Barney Ewell (1918-1996) and Monte Irvin (92)
• Rashida Jones (35): actor, The Office; and, actors Zeppo Marx (1901-1979), Jim Backus (1913-1989), Tom Courtenay (74), Diane Baker (73), Carrot Top (46), Téa Leoni and Alexis Denisof (both 45), Lesley Boone (43), Sean Astin (40), Chelsea Handler (36) and James and Oliver Phelps (both 25)