Thursday, April 28, 2005

Yesterday's progress...
I did pretty well. Made it through the first 8 volumes of the OED. Plus found some useful info in some of the other reference books on the same bookcase. There are still some words/expressions I can't find. And I believe I unknowingly made up a word. Could have sworn it existed, but apparently it doesn't. What is this word, you ask? Clattertrap. Meaning, mindless nattering. Was certain I'd seen it somewhere before and that's why it came to mind. Now I have to decide whether to keep it in the ms or not. It's clear from the context what my hero means when he uses the word, but I'm no Shakespeare, to go making up words for the English language *g*.

Responding now to recent comments:

Lynn - yep, I find accountability is a really good form of motivation. At least for me. For that reason I've also told a ton of people I'm taking the motorcycle safety course in June - will keep me from chickening out!! And thanks for cheering my progress :-) It's nice to have support. Even if it comes with a ruler. And yes, permission granted to rap my knuckles (though I'm also reckoning it's a long way from Georgia to Ontario *vbg*)

Silma - I hear you on how it can drive one nuts to miss out on blogland for a couple of days. I dread my two week vacation this summer - I'll be at RWA National then with my in-laws, who have only one phone line and would likely not be amused should I choose to bloghop for two hours each morning *g*. Nor would I blame them!

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My dh needed the car today, so I'm staying home and will continue to use my sources here for those words. Am also entering a contest on the weekend so need to polish my short synopsis just a little more. I HATE 5 pagers. I have a 1 pager I don't mind and a 10 pager, but HATE those 5 pagers. Oh well - I just keep telling myself it's making me a better writer :-)

Teresa

3 comments:

Alex Bordessa said...

I've certainly heard clattertrap before. A quick search on google, doesn't throw up its history, though it's often used in conjunction with cars!

'Trap' (as in 'shut your trap') is certainly a colloquial term for mouth, much along the lines of 'gob' One of my old dictionaries from 1926 has 'Clatterer: one who clatters; a babbler.' So 'Clattertrap' could be babbling mouth, which is close to your definition.

Lynn said...

Yay on your progress! And the ruler thing? I'll just have to find a long ruler. Anybody have a resource for one a couple thousand miles long? *g*

Amie Stuart said...

WTG Chica! (can you tell I'm playing catch up =) ) maybe it's clatter-trap

=)

Cece