Apparition

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Dr. Goodword
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Apparition

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:45 pm

• apparition •


Pronunciation: æp-êr-ri-shên • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. A ghost, specter, phantom, phantasmagoric hallucination. 2. An unusual, unreal, and unexpected sight. 3. Appearance, the act of appearing or seeming to appear.

Notes: This near synonym of ghost is more loosely defined than ghost, referring to the seeming appearance of things and beings. The adjective is apparitional.

In Play: Apparition is closely related semantically to ghost: "The old house that Rodney bought seems to have an apparitions that disagrees with him on the question of home ownership." It may, however, conjure up an unusual vision, real or unreal: "Donald found himself talking to an apparition of his wife for months after her passing."

Word History: Today's Good Word was snatched from Late Latin apparitio(n) "appearance", the noun for apparere "to appear, become visible". The present participle of this word is apparen(t)s, which English "borrowed" for its apparent. English also came by appear from the same Latin verb after a bit of French remodeling. The Latin word is made up of an assimilated form of ad "(up) to" + parere "to be visible, to show". Latin came by this root from Proto-Indo-European perê- "to bring forth, produce, to give birth". The present participle of this word is paren(t)s, borrowed by English as parent. We also find this root in the English borrowings prepare and pare, how we bring forth the edible parts of fruits and vegetables. (Now, yet another bow to the Anna Jung for sharing such a hauntingly Good Word as today's with us.)
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Slava
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Re: Apparition

Postby Slava » Sat Jun 05, 2021 1:24 pm

In the Harry Potter novels, the magical people poof into and out of places by apparating.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Philip Hudson
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Re: Apparition

Postby Philip Hudson » Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:26 am

One should pause before apparating and reconsider. Perhaps it is not a wise move.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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Slava
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Re: Apparition

Postby Slava » Sun Jun 06, 2021 6:58 pm

Yes, you have to be careful not to get splinched. :cry:
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Philip Hudson
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Re: Apparition

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Jun 07, 2021 12:33 am

I had to look up the word splinched. It is a good addition to our ghoulish vocabulary.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

bbeeton
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Re: Apparition

Postby bbeeton » Thu Sep 01, 2022 6:26 pm

I hang around on a Q&A website on the subject of computer typesetting where many participants aren't native English speakers. I've just come across a question about the arrangement of a bibliography "in order of apparition". Well, ..., okay.

For what subject area might this be appropriate? Novels about the supernatural? (But they don't often have bibliographies.) Quantum physics? A treatise on Schrodinger's Cat? A puzzlement.

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Re: Apparition

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Sep 01, 2022 10:42 pm

You might try "Res Diversae" on the list of shops in the Agora.
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