by
Joshua Cohen
Kabbalah
(en)
the ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Bible; as an adjective, refers to something secretive or mysterious
332
Perec was the heir to this mystical—kabbalistic—practice, which he secularized and refined through his association with the Oulipo (an acronym for ouvroir de littérature potentielle, “the workshop for potential literature”)
notable
1 year, 8 months ago
Perec was the heir to this mystical—kabbalistic—practice, which he secularized and refined through his association with the Oulipo (an acronym for ouvroir de littérature potentielle, “the workshop for potential literature”)
notable
1 year, 8 months ago
catechism
(en)
a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians
355
Of course, to be fully formed—to grow up—means to be tainted by this mode of communicating, as the narrator is in a catechism with her mother about their departure for another town
strange
1 year, 8 months ago
Of course, to be fully formed—to grow up—means to be tainted by this mode of communicating, as the narrator is in a catechism with her mother about their departure for another town
strange
1 year, 8 months ago
rebarbative
(en)
(adjective) repellent irritating
382
found themselves virtually alone high up in the rebarbative Caucasus
uncertain
1 year, 8 months ago
found themselves virtually alone high up in the rebarbative Caucasus
uncertain
1 year, 8 months ago
inveigle
(en)
(verb) to win over by wiles; entice / (verb) to acquire by ingenuity or flattery; wangle
416
This, in turn, inflames you, and you move on to cajoling, inveigling, wheedling, making use of every suasion in the synonymicon, making promises you can never fulfill
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1 year, 8 months ago
This, in turn, inflames you, and you move on to cajoling, inveigling, wheedling, making use of every suasion in the synonymicon, making promises you can never fulfill
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1 year, 8 months ago
prelapsarian
(en)
(adjective) characteristic of or belonging to the time or state before the fall of humankind
417
they never believe the books to which they have dedicated their lives to have originated in some uncorrupted primordial form, some prelapsarian and unspoiled sublimity
on translators vs writers
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1 year, 8 months ago
they never believe the books to which they have dedicated their lives to have originated in some uncorrupted primordial form, some prelapsarian and unspoiled sublimity
on translators vs writers
notable
1 year, 8 months ago
coterminous
(en)
(adjective) having the same or coincident boundaries / (adjective) coextensive in scope or duration
435
Musil’s remains the prototypical modernist confusion—a book so coterminous with life that it could end only outside its covers
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1 year, 8 months ago
Musil’s remains the prototypical modernist confusion—a book so coterminous with life that it could end only outside its covers
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1 year, 8 months ago
entr'acte
(en)
an interval between two acts of a play or opera
439
from high-minded entr’acte harangues
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1 year, 8 months ago
from high-minded entr’acte harangues
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1 year, 8 months ago
tralatitious
(en)
- : having a character, force, or significance transferred or derived from something extraneous : metaphorical, figurative. the primary and tralatitious meanings of a word. 2. : passed along as from hand to hand, mouth to mouth, or from generation to generation : handed down : traditional.
449
The two literatures have similar origins: They both began as the tralatitious lore of the peasantry, of the poor and uneducated village and town, as opposed to the city
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1 year, 8 months ago
The two literatures have similar origins: They both began as the tralatitious lore of the peasantry, of the poor and uneducated village and town, as opposed to the city
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1 year, 8 months ago
apophatic
(en)
(adj, theology) (of knowledge of God) obtained through negating concepts that might be applied to him
466
and so defined the rightful Palestinian inhabitants of Palestine apophatically, or by negation, as what they were not.
notable
1 year, 8 months ago
and so defined the rightful Palestinian inhabitants of Palestine apophatically, or by negation, as what they were not.
notable
1 year, 8 months ago
feuilleton
(fr)
kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles
467
Karl Kraus, of decayed, feuilletonistic Vienna
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1 year, 8 months ago
Karl Kraus, of decayed, feuilletonistic Vienna
notable
1 year, 8 months ago