I thought this might be an interesting bighway on the logophile hyway, and since I couldn't find a topic that fit, I decided to, godlike, create a topic ex nihilo.

Herewith a sterling example of sesquipedalianism:

Scintillate, scintillate globule vivific!
Fain would I fathom thy nature specific.
Distantly poised in the ether capacious,
Closely resembling a gem carbonaceous.

Of which familiar quatrain is this a circumlocution?

David

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

I like it. I think we could make a good game of this.

Kee-reckt, Arnie!

Sesquipedalianism: Why use a short word or phrase when a long one will do -- and then some?

I can't alzheimerly recall if I mentioned these b4, but my two favorites are "administer laxative percussion (tr.)" and "circumfornicate".

David

I have to say, I do like that word alzheimerly.

quote:

I like it. I think we could make a good game of this

Yes, you're probably right. But I can tell you right now that I wouldn't win.

I used this word in an OEDILF limerick (not yet approved) which is:

Aspartate aminotransferase:
This medical term makes your eyes glaze.
Say ASAT and you
Can simply eschew
This sesquipedalian set phrase.