found poem – A passage within prose that unintentionally reads like poetry. More…
stich – A line of poetry. More…
free verse – Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter. More…
metrophobia – The fear of poetry. More…
Month: April 2021
Tucson International Mariachi Conference
Mariachi is traditional Mexican folk music performed by a small group of musicians who typically sing and play some combination of the following instruments: guitar, vihuela (a small guitar-like instrument), guitarrón (a larger bass-like instrument), violin, and trumpet. Since the early 1980s, Mexican music enthusiasts have gathered in Arizona every April for the Tucson International Mariachi Conference. Attendees take part in cultural workshops, enjoy performances by top mariachi bands, and join in the fun at the Fiesta de Garibaldi, an outdoor street festival. Discuss
have (one's) heart on (one's) sleeve
To openly display or make known one’s emotions or sentiments. Watch the video
Internet Vigilantism
In 2008, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck China’s Sichuan province, a Chinese girl posted a video of herself on the Internet complaining about the attention being paid to the victims. Incensed by her comments, some Internet users in turn posted personal information about the girl online. It is one of the more well-known cases of Internet vigilantism, in which Internet users try to punish certain behaviors or even catch criminals. What are some other notable cases? Discuss
sleight
signature
allograph – A signature or writing done for another person. More…
moniker – Originally meant a mark left by a tramp on a building or fence to indicate he/she had been there; therefore, a tramp’s moniker identified him/her like a signature. More…
signature block – The typed or printed name and title of a person appearing below a signature at the bottom of a letter, e-mail, etc. More…
paraph – As a verb, to divide into paragraphs; the noun can mean a flourish made after a signature, especially to make it unique. More…
you could hear the grass grow(ing)
It is so still or quiet that one would be able to hear even the tiniest, imperceptible sounds. Watch the video
The Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, just five years after First Bank of the United States lost its charter. It had numerous branches around the country and a close relationship with the US government—until 1833. That year, US President Andrew Jackson refused to renew the bank’s charter on the grounds that it concentrated too much economic power in the hands of a small, moneyed elite beyond the public’s control. What happened to its headquarters in Philadelphia? Discuss
misanthropic
insult
insult – In medicine and science, it can mean “trauma, something that disturbs normal functions.” More…
political correctness – Can be an insult, accusation, joke, or the name of an effort to change a society by means of wide-ranging but often small-scale cultural reform. More…
outrage – The true etymology of outrage has nothing to do with out or rage—rather, it is a borrowing from French outrage, “insult, outrage,” based on Latin ultra, “beyond,” and -agium, a noun suffix; outrage first meant “lack of moderation.” More…
umbrage – From Latin umbra, “shadow,” in English it originally meant “shade, shadow,” then shadowy suspicion, and then displeasure or resentment at a slight or insult. More…