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As finals loom, in an effort to understand infinity better, I tried to read a book about infinity today. It was infinitesimally interesting and had the typical math book characteristic of constantly apologizing for insulting your intelligence by actually explaining things. Things that were way over my head even with an explanation.
Vicious infinite regress
Dreadful and modern divergent series
Vicious circle
Apodictic hygiene
Creduda
Vermiculate
Horriplatively
Hankie of Death
Mutatis mutandis
surd
I read the infinity chapter in Asimov on Numbers, a few years back.
So I know that there are more points in a line that is an inch long than there are all whole numbers.
If I were to write a book with math, I hope that the English would be impeccable (or at least close to it), but the math would probably end up pretty bad.
Seems to be the reverse here.
ETA: Of course, some of those could be perfectly correct usages I just haven’t heard of, but the only time I ever saw a “vicious circle” was in a Peanuts cartoon.
I know what horripilation means (I think from a Pratchett book actually lol). uhhh that’s about it
hankie of deawhaaaaaa?
Wow, I feel dumb 8o.
Except vicious circle, which I saw as a joke in Peanuts, where it’s a circle with an angry face.
And HANKIE OF DEATH? That’s just weird.
horripilation=goose bumps
That actually makes sense, though I might be making it up post facto. horri- horrified, pil- hair, as in depilation.
I could be making that up, but it’s good exercise for my creative muscles.
I can tell you what divergent series are.. and they definitely are “dreadful,” but I’ve never heard of them being called “modern.”
Vicious infinite regress- Falling down a back hole
Dreadful and modern divergent series- The next generation
Vicious circle- The circle of life, (Freud)
Apodictic hygiene- The cleanliness of the appendix
Creduda- I think she was Cruela de Vill’s daughter
Vermiculate- immaculate vernacular
Horriplatively- In the playground at midnight
Hankie of Death- The dreaded tissue
Mutatis mutandis- bacterial silence
surd- the gist absurd
So the ones I know:
Coup d’etat – Basically a revolution, overthrowing the government.
Vicious Infinite Regress – Surprised you didn’t know this, what with your maths background. Fractals are a good example; it’s a thing that breaks down into a smaller things identical to itself infinitely, the old picture of a man looking at the picture of himself looking at a picture of himself looking at a picture of himself ad infinitum business.
Vicious Circle – A series of events that causes itself; A causes B which causes C which causes A.
Apodictic Hygiene – Not sure about the hygiene part but apodictic means a clearly constructed logical argument where the conclusion is inescapable.
Vermiculate – Basically, squiggly decoration.
Horriplatively – Doesn’t exist, but horriplation does and means goosebumps.
Mutatis Mutandis – Changing as little as possible but making necessary changes.
Surd – Really surprised you didn’t know this one. It’s a root number that can only be expressed as the root itself, e.g. root 3 or cubed root of 5 etc.
Intrigued to know what the others mean.
Thought coup d’ectat was a typo…
Well, you left out the most well known thing in infinite numbers that everyone reading this knows it’s main definition. I’m talking of course about ?. Or, specifically, the ?? series from ???all the way through.
- Vicious infinite regress: You know the vicious cycle? Meet its cousin
- Dreadful and modern divergent series: Yeridos HaDoros
- Vicious circle: Definitely not a vicious cycle. Oh no. Don’t even know the guy
- Apodictic hygiene: How miniature African deer keep themselves clean
- Creduda: A type clothing meant for elbow covering for women, popular in Eastern European countries
- Vermiculate: A well spoken rodent
- Horriplatively: Portmanteau of “horrid” and “plaintive”. Meant to convey a persons dying wishes when being torn to pieces by Lovecraftian monstrosities.
- Hankie of Death: Foreign term for the beliefs of the Jatravartids of Viltvodle VI.
- Mutatis mutandis: The scientific classification for the juke I found in my dira.
- surd: Type of strong drink made from apples. Well, mostly apples. Well, some apples. Well, an applish kind of flavor. Well, more of an aftertaste.
Yserbius – Brilliant!
yay I got a point! :3 and “coup d’ectat”…srsly corny -_-
lol @ Yserbius ^_^
I don’t like this thread.
cool it now, I’m only kidding;)
awwww thanks ^_^
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