Wondrous Words Wednesday
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post and come back and add your link to Mr. Linky!
All of this week’s words come from The Moment by Douglas Kennedy.
1. declivitous – “Up until that split second, I was in thrall to the declivitous, as there was a part of me that welcomed such existential purity; an immediate cure to all that plagued me.”
Declivitous means moderately steep.
_____________________________________________________
2. bildungsroman – “So much that emerged from the Weimer Republic – from the Brecht and Weill collaborations, to Walter Gropius and the Bauhaus School of Architectural Modernism, to Thomas Mann’s dense bildungsromans, to the visionary early films of Fritz Lang – let it be known that Germany (and, specifically, its capital city, Berlin) was so cutting edge, so out there when it came to redefining the global artistic landscape.”
I fully expected this word to be one I’d have to do a little searching to find the meaning of, so imagine my surprise when I found it in my dictionary. Bildungsroman means a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.
_____________________________________________________
3. parlous – “The stairs were in parlous condition, with large chips missing from their once-solid stone construction.”
I thought this was a typo, but discovered that parlous means full of danger or risk.
_____________________________________________________
Have you come across any new words lately?
Bildungsroman is one of very few words about literature and criticism that I know since, like, forever.
As for parlous, I would think it was a typo, too. Thanks for sharing!
I had to read that first one a couple of times. Great words this week. I had no clue about parlous.
Wohoo I knew the middle one
I love the word “bildungsroman”. I am not sure I will remember it though
Great words! I have heard declivitous, but I don’t think I knew what it meant.
My words are here.
Parlous does seem like a typo… I might read that sentence and read the word in my head as “perilous” because of the context. Similar words, similar meanings. Interesting. Thanks for sharing these words.
I have fallen in luv with the last two words. I would like to know how hard it is to pronounce “bildungsroman.” All of the words are new to me.
Holy moly — I didn’t know any of those. I do want to read the book though.
The only word I came close to knowing is “Bildungsroma,” which I know is fancier than coming-of-age, but that’s how my mind defines it.
I wouldn’t have guessed declivitous in a million years. Great finds!
Sounds like kind of a dense book!
I had a vague idea of what bildungsroman meant, but am glad to see that full definition. Thanks, Kathy!
Thanks for the full definition of “bildungsroman” and for the strange (for me!) “parlous !
Goodness! You’re reading some serious stuff here.
All new to me, although bildungsroman does sound like a useful word.
All three words are new to me. I rather like parlous but I no in everyday life I would say, “Watch out, those stairs are dangerous!”
Again some great words, thanks for sharing.
Again some great words, thanks for sharing.
http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2011/06/wondrous-words-wednesday_08.html
I learned bildungsroman in library school. The rest were new — thanks!
Now parlous I can use. I’ll never remember the other two!
I just learned an obscure-to-me word: Imago. It’s the title of an SF book I’m reading for a challenge this month. My review will be up … by next week I hope: http://bibliophage91.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/www-wednesdays-bibliophages-book-buffet-june-8/
Oh, and about declivitous – it almost sounds made-up. Like Decline and Precipitous mashed together.
Great words, I think I’m a much simpler reader….ha ha!!
I like the 3rd one.
The only word I’d known before was ‘bildungsroman’. Although not enough to define it as you did so well for us here.
“Declivitous” is a great new-to-me word! My Reading for Understanding class is doing vocabulary, and they’re ALL OVER “obstreperous.” lol
Declivitous is new to me!
Here’s my word for the week: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/06/wondrous-words-wednesday.html
Thank you for building my vocabulary up! Now how do I fit those interesting words into conversation??
You got me with bildungsroman! Great words, Kathy/
One I actually knew ahead of time!! Bildungsroman. Always makes me think of Jane Eyre though I think I first learned it while reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
Never heard “declivitous” before, but now I can’t wait to use it! The only reason I knew what “parlous” means is that one of my Latin teachers in college used to tell students they were in a “parlous situation” if their grades started slipping. Fortunately, he never said it to me!
Parlous is close to perilous. Excellent words this week! I have been out of town but am back.
Oh, I LOVE the word “bildungsroman”. Such a long complicated long for such a common thing. Fun!
I heard of the last two words but not declivitous. I love the sound of it. Great words!
Calling dibs on parlous since my stairs are in that CONDITION!