September 2016 – Princeton Writes

Words at Play

Stephanie Whetstone2020-01-14T14:02:14-05:00

Words at Play Although wordplay has a long and rich history, writing an annual report or senior thesis can form a strong association in our minds between words and toil; we can easily come to think of them as widgets, often produced under pressure, as in, “I need to crank out 500 words by 5:00 p.m.” We lose sight of the fact that juxtaposing 26 letters in infinite combinations to generate meaning is a fundamentally creative process that lends itself as much to play as to work. Devotees of Jane Austen may recall a scene in Emma that revolves around unscrambling letters to [...]

Words at PlayStephanie Whetstone2020-01-14T14:02:14-05:00

pernicious (pər-NĬSH-əs)

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-26T12:00:41-04:00

Definition (Adjective) Of a thing, action, intent, etc.: causing or likely to cause harm, especially in a gradual or insidious manner; dangerous, destructive; evil. Also in weakened use: having a harmful influence; undesirable. In Context "His mother was affectionate, but also exacting and somewhat censorious; she was firmly persuaded that only the pernicious influence of ill-chosen friends had seduced her son from the evangelical principles which she had inculcated in his youth." Edward Tyas Cook, The Life of John Ruskin: Volume 2, 1860-1900, 1911.

pernicious (pər-NĬSH-əs)Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-26T12:00:41-04:00

jocular (JŎK-yə-lər)

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-19T12:00:44-04:00

Definition (Adjective) Of persons or their dispositions: Disposed to joking or jesting; speaking or acting in jest or merriment; mirthful, merry. In Context "Perdue exhibited a light-hearted personality but contemporaries often criticized his jocular behavior on the diamond." John A. Simpson, Hub Perdue: Clown Prince of the Mound, 2014.

jocular (JŎK-yə-lər)Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-19T12:00:44-04:00

Princeton Writes Adds Drop-in Hours Tuesdays, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-12T13:24:05-04:00

Beginning Tuesday, September 20, 2016, Princeton Writes will offer drop-in hours from 1:00-3:00 p.m. every Tuesday during the academic year for any member of our University community. Stop by for help on your writing and speaking projects, whether you have a quick question or need assistance that's more in depth. As always, we will provide you with a supportive and confidential setting in which to discuss your communication challenges. Of course, help remains available by appointment throughout the week. We look forward to seeing you!

Princeton Writes Adds Drop-in Hours Tuesdays, 1:00-3:00 p.m.Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-12T13:24:05-04:00

vacillate (VĂS-ə-lāt)

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-12T12:00:39-04:00

Definition (Verb) To alternate or waver between different opinions or courses of action. In Context "Humanitarians continue to vacillate between 'needs-based' and 'rights-based' approaches, still prioritizing interventions deemed to be 'life saving' over those considered nonessential, such as education." Dana Burde, Schools for Conflict or for Peace in Afghanistan, 2014.

vacillate (VĂS-ə-lāt)Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-12T12:00:39-04:00

scrivener (SKRĬV-ə-nər)

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-05T12:00:59-04:00

Definition (Noun) A professional penman; a scribe, copyist; a clerk, secretary, amanuensis. In Context "Soon after their return that fall, Eli Fly, a law student with neat handwriting, secured a position as a scrivener in a New York law office, a job that involved 'incessant writing from morning to evening.'" Nick Yablon, Untimely Ruins: An Archaeology of American Urban Modernity, 1819-1919, 2009.

scrivener (SKRĬV-ə-nər)Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-05T12:00:59-04:00

Season of the Rainbirds (1993) by Nadeem Aslam

Stephanie Whetstone2016-09-01T12:00:56-04:00

Critical Assessment "The early chapters describing life in an unnamed Pakistani village lead one to expect something praiseworthy and exceedingly dull. But this first novel by the young writer Nadeem Aslam grows startlingly better. "The sleepy little place turns out to have intrigue underway – murders, conspiracies and suspected adulteries, all sifted and judged by choruses of scandalised townsfolk lounging in shops and hanging about doorways. Aslam gives a forceful picture of a tightly meshed community in which the very notion of privacy seems an invitation to sin and the least consequential deed ripples out to encompass everyone. . . . [...]

Season of the Rainbirds (1993) by Nadeem AslamStephanie Whetstone2016-09-01T12:00:56-04:00