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waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003
Posts: 719
Location: China
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 Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 9:53 am Post subject: |
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| Dr.J wrote: |
It was used to refer to Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and his paintings in general, not as if they actually inspired fear, but rather that they gave you the sense that there was great energy and vision behind their creation.
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That feeling is definitely awe. It is something mystical. It isn't intrinsically either negative or positive. That will depend on the state of your mind. Confronting reality in all its glory can inspire either horror or ecstasy.
Most people will experience shivers up the spine, at least, in that state.
To my mind, 'evocative' is too weak for what you're describing.
Don't forget there is 'awe-inspiring' as well as 'awesome', which does nowadays have the dumbed-down interpretation.
Btw, I just remembered, I felt like that too after seeing one of Van Gogh's paintings (the one with the chair, don't know its name) in the National Gallery in London. Must have been something about that guy. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:11 pm Post subject: Stuart and Hanover |
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Yes
johnslat
It was "Jamie the Saxt", whose Foreign Minister incidentally was known to his intimates as "Daft Tam o the Coogait" since he lived in the Cowgate and was often short of all his faculties. Alas the Stuarts brought only misfortune to the personal union of the two kingdoms. Only under the House of Hanover did Scotland and England flourish.
Your prize : you can referee the duel between me and "Sara Avalon"
Last edited by scot47 on Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:22 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:15 pm Post subject: I sing of arms and the man/woman |
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Dear scot47,
And what will the choice of weapons be: haggis, hurled at 10 paces?
Regards,
John |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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| The lady has the choice of weapons. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:32 pm Post subject: Dread, scot |
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Dear scot47,
In that case, well, it's been nice knowing you, scot - any last requests?
Regards,
John |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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| You can't hurl haggises. They have feelings too!! � will write an email right now to the Haggis rights Campaigners in Auchtermuchty(sp). They will prevent this duel ever happening. |
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isabel
Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 510
Location: God's green earth
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
fat_chris
Dr. J,
Are you doing crossword puzzles again?
The New York Times Sunday crossword is a doozie, so I'm told. |
Aw, last Sunday's was pretty easy.
They were harder and better (more literate and less "clever) when they were edited by (the late) Eugene Maleska. Will Shortz has changed it into being more a game of tricks and less one of knowledge and literacy. |
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YakTamer
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 86
Location: Warszawa, Polska
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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The word 'terrible' itself will suffice for your purposes, in that it doesn't have to mean badly done, although modern usage has often confused it with this.
A good example is Pericles' funeral oration in Thucydides' History of the Pelopopponesian War: "But the man who can most truly be accounted brave is he who knows the meaning of what is sweet and what is terrible, and then goes out undeterred to meet what is to come." |
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Dr.J
Joined: 09 May 2003
Posts: 304
Location: usually Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:12 am Post subject: |
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I think "terrible" just has a negative ring to it. And I'm afraid "evocative" just doesn't seem strong, or scary enough. "Awe-inspiring" is good too, but I get the sense that it is something large like viewing the grand canyon. This is just a little painting.
I think I will have to go for something like:
"I feel a sense of awe." - so as not to cause confusion. Or maybe add in "disturbing" to help it along.
Maybe the main point to note here is the loss in English language of a convenient and easily understandable word to describe the notion that something that is at once terrible and beautiful. A reflection on the culture perhaps?
Thanks |
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rj
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 159
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| What about "exquisite"? |
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Dr.J
Joined: 09 May 2003
Posts: 304
Location: usually Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 5:38 am Post subject: |
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What about it? 
Perhaps if you are talking about Ferrero Rocher... |
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rj
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 159
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 6:29 am Post subject: |
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Entry Word: exquisite
Function: adjective
Text: 1
Synonyms CHOICE, dainty, delicate, elegant, rare, recherch�, select, superior
Related Word consummate, finished; faultless, flawless, impeccable
2
Synonyms IMPECCABLE 1, errorless, faultless, flawless, immaculate, irreproachable
Related Word superb, superlative
Contrasted Words faulty, flawed, imperfect
3
Synonyms INTENSE 1, concentrated, desperate, fierce, furious, terrible, vehement, vicious, violent
Related Word acute, extreme; consummate, transcending |
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Dr.J
Joined: 09 May 2003
Posts: 304
Location: usually Japan
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| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:40 am Post subject: |
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Hm, sorry to drag this topic out. Hopefully this is the last post?
As far as I can see, "exquisite" has a meaning similar to "intense" (which might not actually be a bad word for this situation), but only in certain contexts. For instance, "exquisite pain". Now if I said "This is an exquisite painting.", then 99% of people would take one of the first two meanings, which would just cause confusion.
I admit I didn't think of that reading of "exquisite", at first sight, so I apologise for the ferrero rocher quip. |
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lagerlout2006
Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 985
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| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Elevating---Picasso not Hitler.
Awesome was used in a famous headline on Sept 12 2001 so it means more than the teenager "totally awesome." It can mean awful/ |
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