Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Oct. 14


Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!

I found a couple of new words while I have been reading A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve:

Expatriate:  to banish (a person) from his or her native country.

Here is how expatriate was used on page 8:
The distance between those who were comfortable and those who were not was a precipice an expatriate stood upon, the ground beneath subject at any moment to erosion.

Parquet:  a floor composed of short strips or blocks of wood forming a pattern, sometimes with inlays of other woods or other materials.

Here is how parquet was used on page 11:
The floor was polished wood in an intricate parquet pattern.

Askari:  [as-kuh-ree]a native African police officer or soldier, esp. one serving a colonial administration.

Here is how askari was used on page 41:
The plumber would sleep with James in the cement box just behind the garage that James shared with the evening askari.

So did you learn any new words in your reading adventures this last week?

10 comments:

Margot said...

Askari is the only one I didn't know. I have this book to read so I'm already up one new word before I start. Hope you are enjoying the book.

gautami tripathy said...

I too didn't know Askari!

Here is my Wondrous Words Wednesdays post.

bermudaonion said...

I knew expatriate from our time in France - my husband's company considered us "expats." Thanks for participating today!

Lisa notes... said...

I've never heard of Askari either. Interesting!

Sheila (bookjourney) said...

I really have to remember to write these things down. I know I have discovered new words... just did not capture them. :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

LOL - I knew parquet, because our front hallway is parquet! But the other two are new...

Karen Harrington said...

Always wonderful!

Marie Cloutier said...

the old pro basketball court in Boston was known for its beautiful parquet floors :-)

Marie Cloutier said...

the old pro basketball court in Boston was known for its beautiful parquet floors :-)

Creative Chronicler said...

Askari is the only one I didn't know either. You know Crystal at http://crystalclearproofing.blogspot.com does a Wednesday Word too. You should check it out.