Since "fan" already has the meaning of "fanatic," a melomaniac sounds dangerously obsessed.

Apo

Well, what can I say?

Apo

This word is not worth biting my tongue over!

Apo

For those who missed this "gem," (apparently it was only accessible for a short time at the NYT site Henri linked to) here is the article on another website: Almost Before We Spoke, We Swore Evidence also suggests that cursing can be an effective means of venting aggression and thereby for...

It's easier to use if you think of it as a sort of brand name, notorious for making cheap or useless goods. Margarine is ersatz butter. Tofurky is ersatz turkey. Sugar substitute is ersatz sugar. Chicory was used to make ersatz coffee. Ersatz Coffee Makes Coffee-Makers Explode Of course, it can be u...

A buffoon can be a type of clown and most clowns (or jesters) use some kind of make-up (or mask). I think that is probably the connection.

Semantic drift

Apo

You are certainly a character, JJ! LOL! I'm glad you like the forum here.

Keep posting!

Apo

I only got 17!

Apo

Henri: Sibilants are unvoiced in modern Scandinavian languages.... Thank you, Henri! I hadn't ever noticed this before! Swedish and Norwegian And, BD, I have never heard "brothel" pronounced with a voiced dental fricative, (or replaced by a voiced labio-dental fricative [v] either). broth·...

n. disuse; obsolescence

Apo

Hey, Kate! Spell it out for us when you can!

Welcome!

Apo

For those interested in Scripophily, I found this site: HUGO VAN DER MOLEN'S Scripophily site scripomaniac I am not a linguist,but a psychologist. So, with some authority, I can say that a person, who's activities in the hobby of scripophily have become so intense that this becomes detrimental to hi...

* There is much to admire in those who refuse on principle ever to take up arms under any conditions. But that does not make pure pacifism, like no-torture absolutism, any less a form of moral foolishness, tinged with moral vanity. Not reprehensible, only deeply reproachable and supremely impractica...

You had me at "hello".

Apoclima

Beautiful Sophocles quote, Sunny!

He's my favorite playwright!

And, yes, the princess thing is pretty sensitive!

Apo