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Permalink Reply by Mo Trauen on February 9, 2011 at 9:06am

Kris Feenstra wrote:  "It confounds me that anyone would think a Webter's abridged Dictionary definition printed in 1976 is a solid foundation for their argument."

 

Kris, next time this happens you should point out what they are doing--it's called grasping at straws.  Another good point to  make about dictionaries (and all reference works) is that they are only as good as their editors or authors. 

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Permalink Reply by T A A on February 7, 2011 at 5:16pm

Epigene bugged me too. Googling it leads to several interesting and technical geological documents, the best short one I could find is this:

Geological Agents: Definition and classification - Epigene and Hypogene
University of Mysore Geology MSc Syllabus
Epigene Agents:

1. Weathering: Types; Mechanical, Chemical and Biological Weathering and their products.

2. Wind: Geological action of Wind: Erosison _ Deflation, Abrasion, Attrition, Erosional Features - Pedestal Rock - Transportation Suspension, Saltation, Traction: Depositon - Sand dunes, Barchans, Loess.

3. River: Geological action of Rivers: Erosion - Hydraulic action abrasion, attrition, erosional features - potholes, V-shaped Valleys, waterfalls, Canyons - Base level erosion, Meanders, Oxbow lakes. Transportation Deposition- Alluvial Fans, Deltas
4. Ground Water: Definition, porosity, permeability, water table zone of aeration, zone of saturation, movement of ground water - springs and artesian wells. Geological action of ground water; Erosional features - sinks, caverns, solution valleys- Transportation - solution: Depositional features - concretions, stalactites and stalagmites.
5. Oceans: Topography of the Ocean floor -continental slope shelf, Abyssal zone: Geological work of oceans. Coral reefs - Fringing, Barrier and Atoll.

6. Glaciers - Type - Geological action.

B. Hypogene Agents:
1. Volcanoes: Definition and classification of volcanoes - Active, Dormant, Extinct, Central, Fissure - Products of volcanoes, Hot springs, Fumeroles, Geysers: Causes of volcanoes.

2. Earth Quakes: Definition, causes and effects of Earthquakes Seismic waves P.S. and L-Waves, Seismograph and Seismogram Intensity of earth Quakes.

I'm not geologist, but in this case we need to look at technical documents, dictionaries are usually insufficient scientific jargon. Epigene refers to geological activity at or near the surface whereas hypogene means deep within the earth. Epigene also describes water movement, as I underlined. Aqueous is what I ended up choosing, though I was going strictly on instincts :(

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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on February 7, 2011 at 5:43pm

I tried the technical angle as well, but there are sometimes strange informal usages or technical usages in other fields.  I would think, for technical definitions, the quiz author wouldn't delve too deep into technical details or obscurity.

 

In rhetoric, 'meiotic' and 'hyperbolic' are antonymic.  It's odd because both words also carry definitions in biology and math respectively.  I would expect people to struggle a bit if I set a question up like this:

 

Meiosis:

- asexual cell reproduction

- inflammation of brain tissue

- litotes

- a Turkish desert

 

I mean, I'm not wholeheartedly against the question if it gets me to look stuff up.  I just don't like multiple choice questions where it feels like there is no correct answer.  I'll lapse into a fit of unsatisfactory over-analysis until something else distracts me.

 

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Permalink Reply by T A A on February 8, 2011 at 2:18am

=D

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on February 7, 2011 at 6:20pm

186%

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Permalink Reply by gueguemon on February 7, 2011 at 10:07pm

44622 words

Congratulations! You scored ###!

You scored as knowing approximately 44622 words and word meanings. This officially qualifies you as "college material."

i guess that's good cause i am in college, but i guess that also means i need to read more.

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Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on February 8, 2011 at 6:34am

That site is a fake! The site just makes you sing in, which I didn't do.

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Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on February 8, 2011 at 7:50am

I was thinking about something like this: Test Your Vocabulary Size

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Permalink Reply by Bill on February 7, 2011 at 5:29pm

I love that people here have large vocabularies and aren't afraid to use them. There are many elite users here, but few elitists. Thanks to all for sending me to the dictionary on a regular basis!

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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on February 7, 2011 at 5:52pm

Sesquipedalian is a good word to use on vocabulary elitists when you do come across them.  It's funny because the etymology makes sense, but you can't decipher the word's meaning directly from the root words.

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Permalink Reply by Bill on February 7, 2011 at 11:15pm

It may be a foot and a half long, but I think antidisestablishmentarianism perfectly describes the philosophy of the Tea Party. Though I'm not happy to see this concept return, I am pleased to be able to use it in a meaningful sentence.

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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on February 7, 2011 at 8:34pm

One term I use a lot more is "peer reviewed evidence". BTW I also heard the word "gullible" is no longer in the Atheists dictionary as it has become obsolete - :)

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