Aside from finding new sources for design, art, fashion, food and any other of my many obsessions, I just love learning interesting and quirky facts. Maybe my unintentional accumulation of information is the reason I can’t remember people’s names or where I’ve put things – I have all this extraneous enlightenment taking up precious space in my gray matter. But it’s also why I loved discovering these everyday things you never knew had names. Assembled on a site I can no longer remember (of course), I hope you enjoy learning some of these new tidbits as well:
tittle
The dot over an “i” or “j”
lunule
The white, crescent shaped part of a nail – so next time you are having a French manicure, you can specify that you want only the lunule painted white.
crepuscular rays
Also known as God rays, they are rays of sunlight that appear to originate from a singular point in the sky.
ferrule
A metal band strengthening the end of a stick, handle or pencil.
gynecomastia
There’s just no other way to say it – man boobs.
desire path
The road most traveled – literally. A path created naturally by being the shortest or most convenient way to get somewhere.
skeuomorph
This is one of my favorites. It is a design feature that was necessary in the original but is now copied merely for that “old and familiar” feeling even though it is no longer a functional feature – like the click sound of a shutter reproduced in a digital camera by playing a sound clip or the dial on this reproduction rotary phone.
brannock device
Who knew that’s what this shoe measuring apparatus was called!
armscye
The armhole opening in a piece of clothing.
wamble
Stomach rumbling.
peen
The opposite side of the hammer from where you strike.
petrichor
The smell of rain – or rather the smell of rain on dry ground.
philtrum
The indentation between upper lip and nose.
purlicue
The space between your thumb and extended forefinger.
Hope you’ve enjoyed expanding your visual vocabulary today!! Now go forth and spread knowledge (and beauty of course)!!
Interesting….Did you know that the skin between the tongue and the bottom of the mouth is called the “frenulum” – who knew?
skeuomorph! Too interesting! I am sharing this post on Facebook with my sister-in-law. She loves editing and will so enjoy it!
Loretta
OK, I have to share this with another friend too. One who will appreciate “desire path”
Loretta
If only I knew you before the SAT’s – these little words will be filed away in my gray matter for future use!
xxoo
That’s why I wrote a book called Paths of Desire—the way we actually go, and want to go!
Loved this post, just fantastic, every jot and tittle. Thank you!
Desire path! Love that!
A ‘Brannock device’ can only conjure-up one thing in my mind… The Darien Bootery! ‘Petrichor’ is a good one.. it yearns for a British accent! ox ; )
I should commit to remembering one of these a day and really impress those who know me! LOL…..who knew! A few of these could come in handy….I could call someone I know a “wambler” …..one who wambles? Yes, the one who is constantly hungry and whose stomach in quiet settings always lets everyone know it! The gyenecomastia…….wow, no wonder no one knows what that is, if we don’t say it we hope it will just go away :)
I love this. You need to make this a weekly post. Just make sure you add in voice prompts so we know how to properly say the words LOL! This was great. I’m forwarding it to my friend who’s a writer. She will love this. Of course, I can use all the help I can get. My stomach is wambling right now. The brannock device reminds me of when I was a kid and went to Stride Rite.
Fun facts! Ooh I have such a great God rays picture from a San Diego sunset (now I know what it’s called!)
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
Petrichor! One of the best smells ever!
You’re so awesome Q–I can’t believe that you found all of this. :)
Suddenly feeling like I wasn’t paying attention during school! Such fun and interesting words. I’ll try to work one or two into my converstations!
Happy sunny day!
~ E
Such fun! The only one I knew was ferrule–also used to describe the little metal wrap at the base of a furniture leg. These days we often request silver ferrules rather than brass to go with the taste for silver tones right now. Details, details……
Thanks for a most interesting posting! I am particularly intrigued with the whole idea of the skeuomorph. My favorite skeuomorph is the metal trim on some stationwagons made to look like the wood of the original stationwagon “woodies.” Skeuomorph. I’ll remember that one!
I haven’t stopped laughing yet! Of course, I needed to know these words, Stacey. xx’s
So funny! Love all of these interesting little tidbits but since I can’t pronounce most of them my feeble little brain probably won’t remember them. Although I think it might come in really handy if I could remember the word for “man boobs”. I might get a few laughs out of that one. Have a great day. Mona
I am now enlightened!… :)
maureen
This is priceless, what an amazing number of oddities you discovered. I’m still loving the term for man boobs!
Sending you a smile,
tp
I think the rays and the ferrule are my faves. Something so beautiful about that tight shot of the gleaming metal with the red stripe. Now I’m in the mood for a fresh bouquet of pencils!
Fascinating facts! Love this kind of stuff…now lets see how my brain matter does with remembering it all…although I’m going to try very hard to not allow the man-boob image to take hold!
xo J~
hi,
just to clarify… the lunula (as the more modern term) is actually at the other end other finger nail, the area adjacent to where the skin meets the nail. Besides being a goal of expose for manicure purposes, abnormalities in the lunula are characteristic of particular disease or syndrome states, and hence why that particular piece of anatomy why ever even named.
also, I love your blog.
I remember that foot measuring thingy! I’ve already forgotten all these interesting bits I just learned, but it was soooo fun to read about them.
enjoyed this so much. i delight in words as much as you do.
thank you for enlightening me today!
Such a cute post. Who knew??
Lynn
This was a one of a kind post! I have never seen such and I love the plethora of facts and examples given. Man boobs….Man, those boobs! Yikes, has my philtrum quivering! Ha :) Have a great weekend XO, Kelly
okay, I didn’t know any of these! Loved learning the proper term for god’s light and the road less travelled…well done!
Wow! I knew one of those. How interesting xx