Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday - October 14, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Kathy aka Bermuda Onion where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

NINE DRAGONS by Michael Connelly

funicular - "It was accessible by car and funicular tram and was a destination with tourist year-round and with locals in the summer months, when the city below seemed to hold humidity like a sponge holds water." (p. 185)

funicular: of or pertaining to a rope or cord, or its tension.

HUMMINGBIRDS
by Joshua Gaylord

koans - While all the other girls are whining about how unfairly they have been treated at the hands of their parents, Monica sits cross-legged on her bed and utters koans hat bend your mind back upon itself. (p.181)

koans: a nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating.

What new words did you discover this week?

6 comments:

gautami tripathy said...

Like the sound of it!

Here is my Wondrous Words Wednesdays post.

Jo-Jo said...

Great words...maybe I will spout koans at my son when I see him this weekend...lol.

Margot said...

I like your words. I'd love to see some examples of koans. They sound like they would be fun.

bermudaonion said...

I knew funicular from our time in France, since there's a funicular train in Lyon, but koans is new to me. Thanks for participating!

The Westie Loving Therapist said...

I'm looking forward to reading Michael's new book and throwing out some koans in the future!

Anonymous said...

Never heard the word koans - thanks for sharing!

Here's mine