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[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Happy new year, everyone!

Today's word is:

Peccavi [pek-ah-vee]
noun

An admission of sin or guilt.

Etymology:
From Latin 'peccavi' which literally means 'I have sinned.'

It gave rise to the most witty multilingual pun of all time. In 1843, when Sir Charles Napier sent a preliminary dispatch of a single word: peccavi. The reason? His military victory and conquest of the province of Sind (now in Pakistan). His message - "I have Sind."

Hee hee!

Jan. 2nd 2009 - Allocution

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al·lo·cu·tion [ àllə kyush'n ] (plural al·lo·cu·tions)
noun
Definition:
1. formal speech: a formal speech or address, especially one that contains an authoritative statement on a subject or an exhortation to somebody

2. question to convicted felon: a traditional formal question directed by a court to a defendant convicted of a felony before sentencing, asking whether or not the defendant has anything to say regarding why the sentence should not be pronounced against him or her

[Early 17th century. < Latin allocution-< alloqui "speak to" < loqui "speak"]

Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/allocution.html (accessed: January 02, 2009).

Example:
Bob, being the foremost expert, delivered an informative allocution. Everyone at the conference agreed, if he were actually real, Gumby would be pleased.