Idris: It means "the smell of dust after rain."Thanks to Doctor Who, and by extension Neil Gaiman, I knew that the smell in the air following the brief shower this afternoon was petrichor.
Rory: What does?
Idris: Petrichor.
Rory: But I didn't ask.
Idris: Not yet. But you will.
Doctor Who, The Doctor's Wife
***
Initially, that's where I was going to stop - this was going to be another "you know you're a geek when..." postings. But really, I think I owe my adopted homeland a little bit more credit than just that.
You want to increase your word power? Forget Reader's Digest*. Spend forty years reading science fiction and fantasy, and trust me, you will end up with a vocabulary that will result in bafflement, envy, and awe - perhaps all three at the same time, depending on the audience.
But every once in a great while, you'll enjoy the distinct pleasure of finding someone who can reply in kind.
- Sid
* Reader's Digest Magazine used to run a feature called Increase Your
Word Power! - for all I know they may still have it, I haven't picked up a Reader's
Digest for decades.
No comments:
Post a Comment