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midnightsmum

Weekend Trivia ~ Saturday

Happy Saturday Morning Cottagers!! It is a brilliant sunny morning here - haven't checked the temps yet, but that usually means cold!! And yes, surprise - I am here early. Off to a meeting, but I'll be back after lunch with clues, if you smart people need them.

Cynthia - I apologize!! I have stolen the 1st of February!! I just saw this, and being uninspired by anything else, here we are!!
FYI - If you know the answer - try to not give it away too quickly. No fair looking up the answer! We always continue to give clues which are often embedded in what may appear to be random musings throughout the day until it is obvious that everyone either knows the answer or those who don't give up. So do our players - it's part of the fun.

So:
- On this day in 1861, Texas seceded from the Union.
- Terry Sawchuk posted his 103rd shutout - he's a goalie, it's a Canadian thing. 1970
- Operation 34A commences. 1964. I have no idea what that is or was.
- Nixon announced his candidacy for President. 1968.

Oh yeah, and in 1884 the first fascicle of a work of the members of London's Philological Society was published. They thought would take 10 years to finish. They were wrong - it took 40 years.

Oh, so easy? What is it?

Nancy.

Comments (15)

  • thinman
    9 years ago

    Happy Saturday morning to you, Nancy. Quite here this morning.

    I have an idea what this might be, though the word fascicle is throwing me off a little. I know its anatomical use, meaning a bundle of nerve or muscle fibers. but I don't think the Londoners published one of those.

    TM

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    9 years ago

    No worries, Nancy.

    I have no idea on this and will wait for clues. Trying to apply TM's knowledge to come up with an idea. Sitting at the car dealership waiting for my car to be finished. A $16 state inspection is costing me $550. Sigh. However, I am getting a free carwash, so all is not lost. Feeling happy about that. Love when my car is clean.

    Cynthia

  • thinman
    9 years ago

    Still don't have the fascicle connection, but think they published something big, and maybe something with a well-known abbreviation.

    TM

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ahh TM - do I ever fool you??!! A fascicle is a small bundle or cluster. It can be nerves, or in this case a first portion of something which became quite large. It was a staggering undertaking. As noted, it took 40 years to complete with the final fascicle was published in April 1928. As soon as it was complete, they began updates!! Hmmmm.

    Nancy.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    9 years ago

    Hmmm, abbreviation...n. To shorten

    I may have it.

    Cynthia

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    lol. Cynthia, by George, you may have gotten it!!

    Nancy.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    9 years ago

    Sssh...don't tell anyone I am a teacher...sheesh. N= to shorten...yikes. Meant to say shortened version or should have turned it into the verb form. Yes, burned out might describe my brain these days. I am so embarrassed!

    Nonetheless, I am still a bit of a word nerd.

    Cynthia

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    As were the Philological people!!

    Nancy.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    9 years ago

    Oh, I wish I were as knowledgeable as they were/are!

    Cynthia

  • thinman
    9 years ago

    So, for the record, my thought on this is the OED. Who's with me?

    TM

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago

    I'm with you, TM, as that was my first thought from the 40 years clue.

    I'm in Fort Collins, CO, on vacation. Have another busy day tomorrow but will try to check in.

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    9 years ago

    Checking in late, it's a good job too or I wouldn't have had a clue as to what the answer is. T.M.'s OED clinched it for me :).

    Annette

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    lol -the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), or as it was originally called - A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles. Unlike most English dictionaries, which only list present-day common meanings, the OED provides a detailed chronological history for every word and phrase, citing quotations from a wide range of sources, including classic literature and cookbooks. The OED is famous for its lengthy cross-references and etymologies. The verb "set" merits the OED's longest entry, at approximately 60,000 words and detailing over 430 uses. That in itself would have been a worthy trivia question!! Plans for the dictionary began in 1857 when members of London's Philological Society, who believed there were no up-to-date, error-free English dictionaries available, decided to produce one that would cover all vocabulary from the Anglo-Saxon period (1150 A.D.) to the present. In 1984, Oxford University Press embarked on a five-year, multi-million-dollar project to create an electronic version of the dictionary. The effort required 120 people just to type the pages from the print edition and 50 proofreaders to check their work. In 1992, a CD-ROM version of the dictionary was released, making it much easier to search and retrieve information.
    Today, the dictionary's second edition is available online to subscribers and is updated quarterly with over 1,000 new entries and revisions. At a whopping 20 volumes weighing over 137 pounds, it would reportedly take one person 120 years to type all 59 million words in the OED.

    So, everyone jumped on TM's coattails!!

    Thanks for playing!! See you all next week. I'm off to see Cynthia's question!!

    Nancy.

  • thinman
    9 years ago

    Wow, I had no idea how big it was. I've heard of it for years, but I guess I never realized its scope and sheer size. I wonder how many print versions exist. Something fun to look up.

    Thanks for the fun and the stars, Nancy. Great question.

    TM

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the question and stars, Nancy. I remembered this from the book I read about the American in a British Pyschiatric Instituion submitting a huge number of words for the original OED.

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