elucidation

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
William Hupy
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elucidation

Postby William Hupy » Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:12 pm

Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation. Sorry for submitting more than one today, but I felt compelled to share this with you. It is ironic that this phrase IS confusing to those of us who are not that well versed in latin based words.
William A. Hupy

Perry Lassiter
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Re: elucidation

Postby Perry Lassiter » Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:31 pm

Methinks the phrase "eschew obfuscation" comes from Strunk and White's The Elements if Style. A humorous way to make the point by contradicting it. Don't remember the second, but probably coined to match.
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: elucidation

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Jan 05, 2013 8:16 pm

Perry: I think the phrase "eschew obfuscation" predates Strunk and White.

In the same vein, Mark Twain’s critique of the writing of Fenimore Cooper urges a writer “Eschew Surplusage”. See: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/hns/i ... fense.html. If a writer wants a guide to writing, I suggest she/he read the “Leatherstocking Tales” and write totally differently. As a child I wondered at the absurd style of Cooper. I have never known how anyone could appreciate his writings. I remember specifically that Natty Bumppo circumnavigated a lake. I wondered why he didn’t just walk around it.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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