June 20, 2004

The Devil's Dictionary. A fascinating, humourously vitriolic, ultra-cynical list of words from the turn of the last century. CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.

It's occasionally racist and sexist, so watch out.

posted by Blaise Bailey Finnegan 20 years ago
  • Monkeyfilter: It's occasionally racist and sexist, so watch out. sorry Great post, Blaise
  • KILT, n. A costume sometimes worn by Scotchmen in America and Americans in Scotland.
  • It's occasionally ... sexist HEBREW, n. A male Jew, as distinguished from the Shebrew, an altogether superior creation.
  • Bierce was ahead of his time as an author of fiction that today might get him classified with weird, magical realist, or even horror/dark fantasy fiction. In his time his prose was not well received, but today's readers should take a closer look.
  • The reason I really dislike this book it that Playboy excerpted it for years. So I get that whole Hefner/bathrobe/pipe/sophisticate type of picture whenever I come across it, or, you know, "our unabashed dictionary defines semen as ...". This is not a critique of the book per se, just me pointing out how context affects perception in my own case. Yes, of course I was reading it for the articles.
  • NEGRO, n. The piece de resistance in the American political problem. Representing him by the letter n, the Republicans begin to build their equation thus: "Let n = the white man." This, however, appears to give an unsatisfactory solution. AFRICAN, n. A nigger that votes our way. So very cutting in his assessment of his times. I fucking LOVE Ambrose Bierce. My Dover Thrift of the Devils Dictionary is still the best dollar I ever spent.
  • AFRICAN, n. A nigger that votes our way. Wolof says it should be: A nigger who votes our way.
  • freethought: Huh?
  • Just something shameful and childish that I did.
  • Well, 'fess up!
  • Wolof has twice accused me of misusing the relative pronouns "that" and "who." Wolof is a linguist, a fact that relates to his name, which is a language spoken someplace I can’t think of off the top of my head. My mind was shuffling ideas around today and I remembered that Ambrose Bierce had "misused" the word "that" in a definition quoted in this post. Furthermore, I remembered that Wolof had posted in this thread because of his humorous story relating his exposure to The Devil’s Dictionary through Playboy magazine. The connections were irresistible to me so I had to come here and post in reference to them. I guess that Bierce used "that" instead of "who" as a way to comment on the intellegence of racists (i.e. racists are too dumb to use proper English). I sometimes use "that" instead of "who" as way to either dehumanize people myself or comment on their dehumanization. So, like I said, shameful and childish.
  • Now thats a joke we can all understand!
  • I hear ya, freethought. I too often get words mixed up - I'm forever saying "hermeneutic" when I actually mean "heuristic". Ha ha! The hilarious misunderstandings that so often ensue! Ah, good times. Good times.
  • I hear Wolof is a most cunning linguist. giggle
  • I heard he was a master debater. tee hee
  • I'm forever saying "hermeneutic" when I actually mean "heuristic". I once was complacent by now am complaisant To embrace our wordly religions Though my hermeneutics were less than heuristic As a means to the charges dismiss I stand disgraced a language heretic Thus goes my appropriately opprobrious antiphon.
  • If you ever meet Wolof, be wary! His linguistic wit is quite scary! Like a wolf, he's real mean - Sharp-toothed, hungry and lean! Although, possibly not quite as hairy.
  • No, No! I see Wolof as a handsome cat. Ready to have his back scratched, and that He'll arch his back when you pet him, And opine, if you let him On topics far and wide. Though he does have his pride. With ruff and tail puffed out, He may look as though he's about To pounce. But, really, my dears, If you carefully watch his ears, No matter what plot he's hatched, He just really want to have his tummy scratched. _______________ Meter sucks, but what the hell, mehitabel.