inkhorn

[k8cre8.livejournal.com]

My apologies, as I had posted the last two weeks of words in advance, and one appeared, and the other did not. This is the one that did not appear.



( A new program... )

inkhorn / INK - horn / adj ostentatiously learned: pedantic, pretentious language

Since 1543, the adjective form of this term has been floating around. As a noun, it's more obvious that it's a vessel for ink.

Timshel

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

Tim·shel (′timˌʃɪl):
origin: coined by John Steinbeck, in his book East of Eden (1952)

noun {second person imperfect; an act that has not yet occurred}
1. the choice between good and evil.
2. a phrase constructed of four Hebrew words taken directly from The Bible, that loosely translate to: "thou mayest".


"Timshel" is a word born of Steinbeck's midrash (interpretations of biblical text, specifically the Talmud) on the classic tale Cain and Abel: of sibling rivalry, jealousy, ego, murder, and desire for (parental) love. East of Eden stands out not only as a classic in literature and film, but additionally as a most modern midrash on the subject.

Ultimately, the word is meant to reflect the freedom and empowerment that every human has, every day and moment of their lives, to its very last, to do good -- amid the struggle and cruelty that can be life -- beyond the curse, the weight of knowledge that we may also choose to do otherwise.


( note on pronunciation )