http://bettyk.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Betty K. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:52:43 GMT 2009-12-31T11:52:43Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976765589 Nihil Sine Numine is Colorado's state motto. The translation I've usually seen is "Nothing without Providence." Providence doesn't carry for me the meaning of the Latin word numine . . . Sat, 08 Jul 2006 13:41:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976765589 Betty K. 2006-07-08T13:41:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976764001 I think one reason so many states have Latin mottoes is that Latin is so thrify with words, and many of the words are thrifty in themselves. For example, take ergo. No, it isn't kin to ergonomics (that's . . . Sat, 01 Jul 2006 17:02:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976764001 Betty K. 2006-07-01T17:02:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976762476 More and more often these days I see writers using the word whom when who is appropriate. These days, informal, casual speakers may dispense with whom altogether, with no harm done. Who are you going to . . . Sun, 25 Jun 2006 02:28:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976762476 Betty K. 2006-06-25T02:28:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976760763 The Latin word quid can be used as an indefinite neuter pronoun, meaning some thing or any thing. English has taken over the phrase quid pro quo, meaning something for something. My favorite English quid . . . Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:11:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976760763 Betty K. 2006-06-17T13:11:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976759932 I see it in the New York Times, in books, in local newspapers. When I hear it in conversations, I'm not sure what I am hearing: free reign or free rein? What does it mean, anyway? Since hardly anyone . . . Wed, 14 Jun 2006 12:29:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976759932 Betty K. 2006-06-14T12:29:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976759024 Why do sane writers of English keep on translating English into Latin? Isn't Latin a dead language? Who reads it? I have personally possessed these books, translated into Latin: Peter Rabbit, Winnie . . . Sat, 10 Jun 2006 19:22:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976759024 Betty K. 2006-06-10T19:22:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976758528 You caregivers probably wish you had some energy-conserving allies. As a caregiven person, I want to write from that standpoint. For seven months I put off taking a trip to Colorado to deal with some . . . Thu, 08 Jun 2006 15:06:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976758528 Betty K. 2006-06-08T15:06:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976757239 This week on Gather I read an article which I found interesting and well-written, except for one flaw: the writer had used the word criteria as a single noun. This is an easy mistake to make, because in . . . Sat, 03 Jun 2006 13:07:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976757239 Betty K. 2006-06-03T13:07:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976755640 George lit a big bonfire: Celebrate Commencement! Out rushed a flustered mother hen. No thing Survived the all-devouring flames-- Only smell of sulphur hard yellowed bits Un-chicks Sat, 27 May 2006 18:43:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976755640 Betty K. 2006-05-27T18:43:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976755625 It's graduation time! Early in the program the salutatorian speaks. From salve (sahl-way), be in good health! greetings! hello! Late in the program the valedictorian speaks. From vale (wah-lay), . . . Sat, 27 May 2006 16:48:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976755625 Betty K. 2006-05-27T16:48:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976753712 Opus is the word for today. A Latin noun has one of three genders: masculine, feminine, neuter. If a noun ends in the letters -us, it is likely (but not always) masculine. Opus is a neuter noun meaning . . . Sat, 20 May 2006 15:33:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976753712 Betty K. 2006-05-20T15:33:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976752224 kittens have a real home nestling with cat-mother no more eye-dropper Mon, 15 May 2006 17:06:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976752224 Betty K. 2006-05-15T17:06:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976751693 esse=to be Since the infinitive form of any verb in Latin is contained in one word, nobody in ancient Rome ever gave a thought to split infinitives. Nowadays, some writers avoid splitting infinitives, . . . Sat, 13 May 2006 14:19:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976751693 Betty K. 2006-05-13T14:19:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750753 Kittens curled in one clump, breathing in, breathing out: two more white than black, the other blacker. Wed, 10 May 2006 15:35:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750753 Betty K. 2006-05-10T15:35:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750737 pure white marble square lying under my bedstead: reminder of death. Wed, 10 May 2006 14:39:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750737 Betty K. 2006-05-10T14:39:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750490 Interloping dog rushes in and kills the cat. Poor, mewling kittens Tue, 09 May 2006 13:28:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750490 Betty K. 2006-05-09T13:28:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750472 I tease you a lot to keep you at a distance away from danger. Tue, 09 May 2006 12:08:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750472 Betty K. 2006-05-09T12:08:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750261 Just now raven flew by with hen's egg in its beak. How does it get to eat the egg? Don't know. Mon, 08 May 2006 15:57:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976750261 Betty K. 2006-05-08T15:57:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976749798 ipse, ipsa, ipsum = self (himself, herself, itself); in person; very, identical, exactly ipsissimus--his very own self ipsissima--her very own self ipsissimum--its very own self nunc ipsum--right now . . . Sat, 06 May 2006 11:24:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976749798 Betty K. 2006-05-06T11:24:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976749180 These be three noisy things; The roaring wind...the child Who's stepped upon a bumblebee.. Cymbals Thu, 04 May 2006 02:37:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976749180 Betty K. 2006-05-04T02:37:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976748056 ad nauseam (ad NAW ze um): to the point of wanting to barf; to a disgusting or ridiculous degree. Since this phrase is often used in English speaking, the pronunciation has slid over into English. Ordinarily, . . . Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:20:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976748056 Betty K. 2006-04-29T15:20:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976745837 Who wants To grunt and sweat under a weary life? Question: to be or not to be? Sweet death Thu, 20 Apr 2006 01:17:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976745837 Betty K. 2006-04-20T01:17:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976745144 My husband's birthday: He would have been eighty-nine. We'll have root-beer floats. Mon, 17 Apr 2006 19:02:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976745144 Betty K. 2006-04-17T19:02:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976741351 Sunday saving daylight now the sun sets later and later, later, later, 'til Sunday Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:26:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976741351 Betty K. 2006-04-02T15:26:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976741083 I came across a new word in the March 26 Sunday New York Times: HYPHY (pronounced HY-fee), described as "the uptempo, dense and chaotic subset of hip-hop." It's in Section 2, "Arts and . . . Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:51:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976741083 Betty K. 2006-03-31T23:51:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738674 on the orchard trail tiny, shiny buttercup: Spring's yellow hello Wed, 22 Mar 2006 14:43:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738674 Betty K. 2006-03-22T14:43:43Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738279 I did it again! Shaved ten pounds off my true weight for driver's license Tue, 21 Mar 2006 04:18:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738279 Betty K. 2006-03-21T04:18:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738098 For a country road A deep gravel base makes sense: Otherwise, mud ruts. Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:50:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738098 Betty K. 2006-03-20T14:50:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738030 Bug or dark sock-lint? If it has legs, it's a bug. Pick it up or stomp? Mon, 20 Mar 2006 04:04:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976738030 Betty K. 2006-03-20T04:04:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976735960 Cackle chorus sounds throughout the gathered henflock: Someone laid an egg. Sat, 11 Mar 2006 11:55:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976735960 Betty K. 2006-03-11T11:55:56Z