Weird words
I was thinking about how written and verbal communication grows and changes and just how many thousands and thousands of words there are in the English language. We would all love to build our vocabulary to the extent of perfect knowledge but I doubt anyone ever has. Still for many, the quest for understanding goes on and whilst pottering through some word sites on the internet I found a great site which is well worth a recommendation. The site is www.worldwidewords.org. There is a section in this website dedicated to weird words. Probably these are words are not for everyday use but I found it great fun reading about them and their origins. As an example, following is the information on “petrichor”
“The smell of rain on dry ground. More specifically, it’s the pleasant smell that often accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather in certain regions. Didn’t you always want a word for it? It was named by two Australian researchers in an article in Nature in 1964, who discovered that the smell is an oily essence that comes from rocks or soil that are often (but not always) clay-based. The oil is a complicated set of at least fifty different compounds, rather like a perfume. It turned out that the oils are given off by vegetation during dry spells and are adsorbed on to the surface of rocks and soil particles, to be released into the air again by the next rains. I can’t find any record of anybody having tried to bottle and sell it, but can’t help thinking it would be a hot item (my agent’s fee will be the usual modest 10%). The word comes from Greek petros, a stone, plus ichor, from the Greek word for the fluid that flows like blood in the veins of the gods. So the word means something like “essence of rock”. Alas, it is rarely encountered.”
The site also has articles, questions and answers, reviews, topical words, turns of phrase and much more. For anyone interested in English it is a great resource. The site has been put up by Michael Quinion. Thank you Michael for all the word work and interesting items!
Avoidance is always the best treatment for allergies regardless of which allergens are the triggers. Allergy treatment. Interestingly enough, the most effective, least expensive, and simplest options are not always followed. Many people choose medications or vaccinations instead, despite their drawbacks. Fortunately, there are lots of simple methods, both old and new, to help with avoidance. Remember, putting into practice any of these measures can only be helpful in managing your allergies.
The good news is that you really don’t have to strip your house down to the bare bones to make it allergy proof. Thorough and regular cleaning generally makes a huge difference in keeping your house as mold and dust free as possible. Patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis that are due to dust mites, molds, or other indoor allergens can feel better by taking these simple measures:
* Keep the home cool (between 68 and 72 degrees F);
* Maintain a low humidity (between 40 and 50%); and
* Make certain there is good ventilation.
When patients get started with the process of “allergy- proofing” their homes, one of two things usually happens.
They either do nothing or “overdo it.” Some patients become so overwhelmed with all the different methods of allergy- proofing that they simply do nothing. That’s always a disappointing outcome, especially when the process is so straightforward and inexpensive. Just focusing on the basics of a routine and thorough cleaning and temperature and humidity reduction can lead to fewer asthma symptoms and a vastly improved quality of life.