SPUME

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Dr. Goodword
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SPUME

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Nov 16, 2012 12:35 am

• spume •

Pronunciation: spyum • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: Froth or foam from a liquid, especially sea foam.

Notes: Today's Good Word allows us to distinguish sea foam from other types, since "sea foam" is its default meaning. This word may be used as a verb, as the volcano spumed forth a froth of fire. It comes with two adjectives, the Latinate spumous and the Germanic spumy, both meaning "showing or having foam". There is also a French adjective, spumescent, which we have already explored.

In Play: Today's Good Word offers us the opportunity of avoiding the cliché "foaming at the mouth": "The senator loudly pontificated at his audience, arms flailing about and bits of spume forming at the corners of his mouth." As the previous example indicated, the verbal applications of today's word are not limited to froth in the literal sense, as is the noun: "When Lana Jorgia saw the smoke spuming out of the oven door, she knew she'd left the roast in too long."

Word History: Today's Good Word comes from a PIE root with a Fickle S, an initial S that is sometimes there and sometimes not. In Latin it was spuma "foam" and in Lithuanian it became spaine "mousse". But the Germanic and Slavic languages lost the initial S, so we find foam in English, Feim in German, and pena in Russian. (Today we thank Grogie, the mysterious Lexiterian in the Alpha Agora, for suggesting this lovely foamy Good Word.)
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MTC
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Re: SPUME

Postby MTC » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:51 am

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

LukeJavan8
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Re: SPUME

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Nov 16, 2012 12:32 pm

If you watch movies and TV closely in
violently filmed scenes there is spumescence.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Philip Hudson
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Re: SPUME

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:37 pm

MTC: "Sea Fever" by John Masefield is a great poem to share. I remember when I learned is as a child. To me, a landlubber, it would have been ultimate adventure to feel the spume of the sea blow in my face. I bested Emily Dickinson because I have actually been at sea, but not in a tall sailing vessel. It was a Navy destroyer. I was an electronics engineer, not a seaman.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

LukeJavan8
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Re: SPUME

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:44 pm

I loved sea-faring stories, and longed and dreamed
to be (even though it was far from glorious) to be
a cabin boy on a 3-4 master.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

MTC
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Re: SPUME

Postby MTC » Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:03 pm

Humble beginnings set the stage for triumphant endings, Luke.
John Paul Jones of "I have not yet begun to fight!" fame began his naval career as a cabin boy. Richard Henry Dana, Jr. wrote Two Years before the Mast about his experience as a cabin boy "before the mast."

It's not too late to ship out, laddie!

I spent my days at sea on a U.S. nuclear submarine spying on Russians in frigid northern waters. Some of our Cold War exploits have been recorded in "Stealth Boat." Just to make sure that my personal history was not too warlike, however, I returned to civilian life where I completed my undergraduate degree as an English major at UC Berkeley, and exchanged torpedoes for flowers.
Last edited by MTC on Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: SPUME

Postby Perry Lassiter » Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:55 pm

This verbal crowd has an amazing collective resume. I wonder whether we should all greatly lengthen our profile vitas or continue with surprising disclosures as we comment?
pl

LukeJavan8
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Re: SPUME

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Nov 17, 2012 12:57 pm

I loved the big masted ships during the Bicentennial. And
was fascinated and aghast at the sinking of the
model of the Bounty during Sandy's rampage. I hope
they restore it.

I would have even loved to see the river boats here
on the Missouri back in the day.

As for updating the profile.....hummmmm. I don't
think I've ever even looked at it. You know its
like it was back in the days of radio. You picture
the characters, and then when you saw them on
TV how different it was. Even in the case of
a rock and roll DJ, then seeing them "live" at
a mall or somewhere. I could post my picture
if I knew how to do it, but then Doc would probably
close down the site.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Philip Hudson
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Re: SPUME

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:06 pm

Perry: while we might all improve our profile vitas on this forum, it will not serve as well as the surprising facts we reveal about ourselves in our comments. I have really come to understand and admire the participants by their contributions. May our tribe increase.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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Dr. Goodword
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Re: SPUME

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:20 pm

Hear! Here!
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Slava
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Re: SPUME

Postby Slava » Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:50 pm

The tribe does seem to be increasing, if we look at subscriber numbers. How do we get them to post seems to be the question.

Perhaps if they were offered a bottle of spumante for reaching a certain number?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: SPUME

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:57 pm

Does spumante come from sea foam?
pl

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Slava
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Re: SPUME

Postby Slava » Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:50 pm

Does spumante come from sea foam?
They may be related, but I'd wager that spumante tastes a tad better. :)
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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