Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday


Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme, started by Bermudaonion where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.
It seems that this week the spotlight is on Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris, even though I am not anywhere near to finishing it. She uses plenty of words that I am either not familiar with or have heard but until checked in the dictionary, weren't sure of the exact meaning.

"bifurcate" - to divide into two branches or parts

Here's how it's used in the book:

I was worried that my writing did seem to bifurcate for a time.

"proselytize" - 1: to induce someone to convert to one's faith 2: to recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause

Here's how it's used in the book:

I have long appreciated the rock-bottom truth of Wallace Stevens's remark that poetry does not address itself to belief, and knew that I could not let my writing become mere proselytizing.

2 comments:

  1. I know the second. The first one seems a bit contrived to me.

    The word verification is ictivere - what do you think that means???

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