Thursday, May 31, 2007

Melicity

A new word was born today. In the course of an iiluminating (I think) discussion of the philosophy of William of Ockham, a rather scary American female academic, seeking to explain to Melvyn Bragg the concept of haecceitas, coined the word 'Melicity' for the essence of Mel, that which makes Mel Mel. Brilliant. The Christian name Melvyn suggests (in Wodehouse's phrase) raw work at the font. But lo, from that unpromising soil sprang the fine flower of Melicity, with its suggestion of honeyed sweetness and electric force. The raw work came good in the end.
It sure beats Nigicity.

6 comments:

  1. hmm yes 'miele' in Italian is 'honey', i assume Latin is similar...

    but note 'malus' is not far off!

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  2. Andronicolonicolosophy?

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  3. Nigility, however, sounds delightful. Shows your mental agility, methinks.

    Who is the American academic? And we're all formidable over here, don't you think?

    As in "Formidable! Vachement bon!"

    Oh, I do amuse myself...if no one else.

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  4. Nigility I like, Susan - magnifique! The formidable dame was one Marilyn Adams, who is Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford (but definitely American - and she definitely knows her William of Ockham).

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  5. Every time I scan over this entry, I need to go back and read it over to make sure that you're not calling William of Ockham a rather scary American female academic. If he were, I'd find the razor much scarier.

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