Books Limn
posted by on March 6 at 11:24 AM
Once I counted up the number of times New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani used the word “limn” since she started reviewing for that newspaper—the total was over 50. I just noticed she did it again recently. I wish I could limn my feelings about this word, this annoying, annoying word, more articulately.
You've mentioned this before. This is really, really bothering you.
And yes, I just wanted to link. It makes me feel specialz.
http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/books/n_7968/
Why not send her a nice package of limnburger (sic) cheese? Preferably by book rate, so it'll smell even nicer by the time it reaches NYC...
This is critical. Provide counts for other annoying, annoying words. Report back in two years.
I tried linking to all of the fuz on this word, but it wouldn't let me (probably) because I'm gay. Just type in "limn" in the search box on top of the Slog to see the historical obsession.
Didn't Shirley Maclaine write a book about this affliction?
At least the NYT realized how much smarter they are than their readers and added an online dictionary that tells you what all their clever words mean with a quick double click. My simple middle American vocabulary as grown so much now I feel almost like I could converse with a real New Yorker. If I ever met one. And they were willing to talk to me.
Sigh. Some day.
While you're at it, why don't you keep track of annoying uses of the word "meme" as well?
well meme has a unique meaning, limn is just painting.
What's “limn”? Is that the stuff they put in Sprite?
Holy pretentious! I admit it, I had to look it up! (BTW, if you're on a Mac, you can highlight a word and hit cntrl + apple + D and the definition of the word will pop up. It works in Safari and quite a few other apps)
If you google it, you'll get a definition that is tied to many different resources to give you a fuller picture, not just a small pop-up definition. This takes, mmm, five keystrokes.
Limn isn't a bad word; it just needs to be used sparingly, and in it's fuller sense of "illuminate", not just as a synonym for "describe".
I assumed it meant something dirty. You know, like a limnjob. New York people are so sophisticated!
@12: amazing! when i used firefox i had an add-on that would do that, and ever since i switched to safari i've been missing such a function.
If I don't know it, it doesn't need to be used.
I don't know from limn, but the limb I want is...an enormous penis!!!
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