The Lexicon of The Literary by F. Scott Weitz

*The Lexicon of The Literary is a collection of the words one must truly know if one would be considered erudite.

THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY
THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY

[DEAREST READER]
[IT WAS NOT MY DEGREE IN ENGLISH (BUT MY LICENSE TO DRIVE BIG TRUCKS) THAT ENABLED ME TO COMPILE THIS LIST OF THE POSITIVELY ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY WORDS THAT ONE (WHO WOULD COMMUNICATE INTELLIGENTLY IN ENGLISH) MUST KNOW.]
[I'VE READ MANY BOOKS - BUT I'VE LISTENED TO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF THEM. LET THE COUNTLESS HOURS AND MILLIONS OF MILES I DEVOTED TO THE GREATEST (UNABRIDGED AUDIO) BOOKS OF THE PRESENT AND THE PAST HELP DRIVE YOUR GENIUS.]
[WITH 'THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY', YOU WILL ACQUIRE THE WORDS YOU TRULY NEED TO HONESTLY CALL YOURSELF A MASTER OF THEE VOCABULARY (AS WELL AS THE PROPER USAGE THEREOF) WHICH AN ARTICULATE INDIVIDUAL, IN HER POSSESSION, HOLDS.]
[THIS LITTLE BOOK WILL BECOME, FOR YOU, A BIG TOOL IN YOUR EFFORTS TO RISE ABOVE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT DISCOVERED THE ONE INSTRUMENT (THIS BOOK) THAT CONTAINS THE HERETOFORE UNREVEALED MASTER LIST OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORDS IN OUR LANGUAGE.]
[YOU MAY, THEN, ENLIGHTEN AND ENLIST YOUR FRIENDS (IN THE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY WHICH YOU AND I HAVE SHARED) THAT THEY TOO MAY KNOW THE SECRET, THE SECRETS, YOU HAVE LEARNED ......OR NOT.]
[FRANK WEITZ]




THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY
THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY

[A COUNTER-INTUITIVE ADMONITION FROM AN ELDER: LIFE IS SHORT. TAKE YOUR TIME.] [REMEMBER: SPEED READING IS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO LEARN SO MUCH THAT, IN THEIR HASTE, MUCH IS MISSED.]

Foreword:
After receiving a Bachelor’s in English and Journalism (many years ago), my true study of the language of the literary began. An assiduous scrutiny of thousands of books, from classic fiction, to the modern novel and a multiplicity of nonfiction works, has enabled me to enable you to bolster your abilities with the often used, as well as the not-so-often used, words of the writer.
Now, in this single, singular, and concise work, you may easily know the words essential to the craft. You will hold in your hand, and have at your disposal, one powerful little weapon against the ignorance and apathy that are anathema to we who would intelligently communicate.
You will not have to wade through the words that everyone knows. You will not be assailed by words randomly plucked from a list of synonyms. And, with the necessary points of proper usage and pronunciation included alongside the definitions arrayed, you may easily express yourself, on paper and in speech, in a manner befitting an individual of erudition. [And, yes, you’ll know what ‘anathema’ + ‘erudition’ mean. You’ll even be able to properly pronounce the latter. – I knew neither word (let alone how to pronounce the second) when I received my degree.]
(This is the real deal folks. I kid you not. This little book is thee source for thee words that have been, for years, relevant to the writer - and, as such, relevant to the reader. I've done all the work. And, from this work, you will benefit greatly.)
[Further, in my many years upon our planet, I’ve learned quite a bit. (Huge mistake?) I’ve seen how peer pressure and bullying (the conservative crush – which still dominates our everyday existence) can shape our opinion and our personality. And, I’ve been (to some extent) like every other human (who watches TV) brainwashed by the liberal media.
I try not to buy what the people behind this push (on the TV) are selling ….though some of it is worth considering. I refuse to buy (and be, by, brainwashed) the conservative answer to this obvious attempt at manipulation (i.e. Fox News). The people responsible for the content thereon are far too biased for me.
I have, in response to these apparent influences, become, in fact, maniacally moderate. (No, I don’t believe I should have picked a side – or simply employed, more often, the mute button.) I will inform, entertain, amuse (+ occasionally irritate) you with my brazenly blistering commentary (from time to time) during the course of the palpably pedagogic pursuit that does this prose present.
But, do bear in mind that all the ballsy +/ or burbling banter is but a bonus. The words, in the end, are what matter. Fear not the fact that you may just learn a little more than you bargained for. *It’s all good - *and, know all, you should.]

(Some of the words on this master list you will undoubtedly know. Some of the information offered may be aptly regarded as ancillary to that which must, in this forum, be presented. There are, to be sure, some words listed which an astute individual would not necessarily be required, or expected, to know - but these words, along with the information aforementioned, will undoubtedly add to the repertoire of the writer, or the arsenal of anyone who, learning, loves.)
[The words which I have most often encountered in print – yet have, in conversation, been very rarely exposed to – I have, among all the words chosen for this list, presented in red.]
[If a note as to what part of speech a word belongs is necessary, I’ve provided it. Notes on pronunciation and usage have, when necessary, also been supplied – in a manner comprehensible to those who view grammar more as a necessary evil than as either a vocation or a sincere burden.]

Sincerely, F. Scott Weitz
[TRUCK DRIVER: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. LOOK NOT AWAY FOR MORE THAN A MOMENT. (NO JOKE!) AND, CALM DOWN; THE DISPATCHER CAN WAIT. DRIVING UP THAT LADY'S BACKSIDE WILL NOT GET YOU THERE QUICKER ……SERIOUSLY!]

THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY
THE LEXICON OF THE LITERARY

[‘A’ word to the wise (words beginning with the letter ‘a’) (arranged, of course, alphabetically)]:

*a posteriori – (‘a’ is long; ‘i’s are pronounced as is the name of the letter ‘e’ – though I have heard the last ‘i’ pronounced as is the word for said letter ….i.e. ‘i’.) - (Latin – ‘from the subsequent’) - from effects to causes (as with inductive reasoning). [The opposite of ‘a posteriori’ is *a priori.] [A posteriori analysis among commentators in the NFL leads many to suppose that these individuals knew what was going to happen before the evidence for it made this obvious. And then their notions start to really stretch the boundary between credulity and fatuity.] Through reason alone (no empirical evidence required) we may deduce that 2 + 2 = 4. However, if we wish to know what color Jacob’s shoes are today (as he has several pairs) we will need to gaze upon the sartorial wonder that is Jacob.

*abjure – (verb) – (long ‘u’) - forswear. [To abjure the use of tobacco products is something many people have done ……a modicum of them successfully.] (To this point in my peculiar existence, I am not one of these lucky people. - Although, I don't smoke a lot ....of anything ......anymore.) [Of course, if you're buying, we can certainly discuss the possibility of getting a little carried away. –‘You only live once’...contend I and Mr. Vonnegut.] OK, contended Mr. Vonnegut. - He smoked quite a lot ….and he was wicked old.

*abrogate – (v.) - (first ‘a’ is short, making the first syllable ‘ab’) - to, by authority, abolish or nullify. [“The abrogation of their right to, at their whim, abuse their obvious inferiors,” our professor raged, “caused these confederates of a noble and consanguineous race of men to fill the air with their rebellious cries of frustration and betrayal.] Sure, it was their right – but it was still wrong.

*abstemious – (adj.) - (‘e’ is very long; ‘i’ is long) - marked by moderation. [The wise and abstemious young man - knowing well his proclivity for producing projectiles of a vomitus nature, as well as his friends’ collective desire to goad him into reaching such a state – stopped indulging his own desire for debauchery after imbibing a mere eight fluid ounces of the intoxicating stuff.] (Good on ya mate.) [“If he had a small supply of cocaine, he may reasonably have imbibed further,” my friend Reggie, a true rebel, to me, remarked - sotto voce.]

*abstruse – difficult to comprehend. [The ‘humor’ of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche is, some believe, an abstruse and underappreciated thing.] (Yes; that was a joke.) [War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is not an abstruse work of literary art…. It’s just way too freakin’ long.] (Ulysses by James Joyce is ridiculously abstruse….and way too freakin’ long.)

*Abu Dhaby – (both ‘a’s are ‘aah’; the ‘u’ is long) - the capital of the United Arab Emirates. [As an American, especially one with a Yiddish surname, I will definitely not travel to Abu Dhaby in the year ahead. Though, on the television, it looks like a lovely place to visit - I would prefer to go on breathing for just a few more years.]

*accede – (v.) - (‘a’ is short; first ‘c’ is hard; second is sibilant; the first ‘e’ is elongated by the second) - to give one’s assent; to consent. (An intransitive verb is still a verb.) [Do not accede to those among your compatriots who would have you forgo your trip to the library for a jaunt to the headshop.] (Get wasted after you’ve studied.)

*Acheron – (name) - (short ‘a’; ‘ch’ pronounced as ‘k’) – one of the rivers of Hades (other than the Styx); or Hades itself. [I have seen Acheron described as the river of woe over which Charon ferries the dead to Hades.] [I have seen Hades itself described as Acheron.]

*acolytes – followers. [Acolytes of Aristotle participated in discussions with him at the Lyceum in Athens.]

*acquisitive – desirous of possessions. [I would have you become acquisitive as regards vocabulary words well worth knowing. I warrant you will – in this book - find quite a few you have not yet discovered in perusing the several vocabulary guides available to those who would know what should be known by the ones who know.] (Thee words every writer and every reader needs are right here. And, when notes on usage and/ or pronunciation are needed, they are provided.)

*acronym – a word formed from the initial letters of a name (such as self-contained underwater breathing apparatus - scuba); or, from combining parts of a series of words (such as radio detecting and ranging - radar). [Would CIA be an acronym for Central Intelligence Agency?] (Would many people still believe this acronym is also an appellation oxymoronic?) Would all the horrible things the people in this agency have done in the name of God and country still go unpunished?

*Actaeon – (name) – (‘ae’ pronounced as the letter ‘a’ is named) - In Greek mythology, he was turned into a stag by the goddess Artemis for having inadvertently seen this goddess naked. He was then killed by his own dogs. (Ain’t that a bitch?!)

*ad hoc – (Latin – ‘toward this’) – established to accomplish a particular task. [The ad hoc committee of native soldiers formed only long enough to condemn the zealous black ops official to death. The ad hoc firing squad then, in less time, executed the order…. along with that individual.] The scumbag in question was Russian – so it’s alright to hate him ….unless, maybe, you’re a patriotic Russian.

*ad hominem – (Latin – ‘to the man’) – appealing to personal prejudices. (An argument ad hominem will appeal to a person’s interests or emotions rather than to her reason.)

*ad interim – (Latin) – in the meantime. [“In the not-too-distant future,” said, gravely, the Oracle at Delphi, “you shall die in pain and ignominy.” “Ad interim.…. try not to worry too much about it,” she, with an insouciant smile, added.] (Now, that is definitely a bitch.) Yes, I too prefer when that term is used to describe a male which one does not particularly care for. - It’s so ironical.

*adipose – of or related to animal fat. (Adipose tissue may provide a layer of insulation beneath the skin. It can also be an energy source in reserve. A lot of it may be aesthetically unpleasing.......fat ass.) (Sorry, I couldn't help butt carry on the unfortunate - i.e. asinine - theme. I will now endeavor to leave it ...behind.)

*admonish – (verb) - to warn or caution. [An admonition against educational sloth, from anyone who strives to be truly knowledgeable, would undoubtedly be warranted by one who demeans such a desire.]

*aeonian (or eonian) – (‘ae’ as ‘a’ is named; ‘e’ as that letter is named - which I will call, at times, very long; ‘o’ is very long in either spelling of the word) - very old. [A native of the state I grew up in (of Massachusetts) may well proclaim that ‘eonian’ translates into his (or her) language as ‘wicked old’.]
*aesthete (or esthete) – (n.) – (beginning of either version pronounced as a short ‘e’) - a lover of that which is lovely – or one who affects such a sensibility. [The young esthete cocked his slender wrist and sauntered forward to wage – in his own inimitable fashion – a veritable verbal crusade upon the disaffected dolts scoffing at the canvas conveying such intimately arranged personal parts of ….Oh, my good and gracious God!..... men engaged in actions heretofore unsuspected by the outraged audience of three.] (Ain’t that…. a…. bitch??)

*affianced – (n.) – (first ‘a’ is ‘aah’; ‘i’ is long, but not very – i.e. it is not to be pronounced as is the name of the letter ‘i’, but, in this case, as is the name of the letter ‘e’) - she who is a fiancée, or he who is a fiance. [Her affianced was undoubtedly an ass man. She had a very nice one. And, he owned several burros himself.] (Prefer the comedic stylings of Nietzsche? - Kiss my ass!)

*agglutinate – (v.) – (first ‘a’ is ‘aah’; ‘u’ is very long) - to unite, as with glue. [In an agglutinative language, such as German, words are often formed by joining other words (or morphemes) together.]

*alacrity – cheerful willingness; or sprightliness. [With alacrity, did he enter the fray. He was fighting against knee-jerk liberalism. I acknowledged that the phenomenon existed and indeed was a barrier to fully rational thought. I pointed out, however, that knee-jerk conservativism – the reactionary reaction – is as big a problem, and is quite as much a barrier to fully rational thought.] [Waving the flag he didn’t deserve to bear, and thumping the Bible he had no true understanding of, he – with the full-fledged alacrity of a righteous man - strode from the room to leave me in a state of ignominious aloneness.]

*Alexandros – another name for Paris, the Trojan prince who precipitated, by carrying Helen away from Greece, the apocryphal war of which Homer wrote. [The problems of Alexandros began when he agreed to judge a contest among Goddesses. His problems were exacerbated when he allowed his desire for another man’s wife to truly warp his ability to judge wisely.] [Have you any experience in this sticky forum?] I’ve seen things from both sides – I must admit. Luckily, I’m too old to get carried away with such frivolous concerns these days. – That’s what I tell my wife anyway. (Love you dear.)

*alfresco – (from Italian) – in the fresh air; outdoors. [“I usually enjoy lunching alfresco, Janet,” I, phlegmatically, stated, “but, as the hurricane is beginning to close in, I believe it may be a good idea to eat inside today.”]
*allegorical – symbolically represented. (Our professor opined that the story of knights in search of the Holy Grail was in fact an allegory as it represented each man’s inner search for his truest spiritual nature.) [I didn’t hear him as I didn’t go to class. The night before, I got wasted.] (Just kidding. I waited ‘till the night after.) My priorities were straight ….unlike my twisted self on the night in question. (Yea, like you’ve never overdone it.)

*ambuscade – (‘bus’ is the middle syllable, with the preferred pronunciation of the ‘u’ being particularly short) - an ambush. [The invitation - afforded to the Native American Chieftain by the Spanish general - to engage in peaceful conversation, was in fact a ruse. An ambuscade awaited the unsuspecting Indians. The Chief and the majority of his braves, those the Spanish would not attempt to convert to their notion of the one and only true religion, were slaughtered in a manner that the Christian Lord would, I sincerely believe, have found most unfortunate.] Although my wife is Hispanic, I am not a huge fan of the tactics often used during La Entrada. (To be fair, I myself am, to a significant degree, Germanic – and do not advocate the methodology of the madmen who were acolytes of Adolf.)

*ameliorate – to make better (to some extent). [The fact that Achilles so thoroughly defeated Hector in battle did nothing to ameliorate his sense of loss when he, as foretold, wound up in Hades for joining the fracas.]

*amen – (from Hebrew) – verily. [Amen is a word oft repeated in the Old Testament – as the Old Testament (like the new) was written by those who spoke Hebrew (i.e. Hebrews).]

*amenable – (adj.) - willing to follow advice. [A wise individual is amenable to the axiom which dictates that learning is a lifelong concern.] (Many things I once found to be true – I now find, upon further reflection and, in light of additional evidence, to be merely possible.) I was amenable to being educated further as well as to the idea of changing my mind. (Are you aware of the Winston Churchill quote stating that, “Anyone under the age of thirty who isn’t a liberal, has no heart – and, anyone over the age of thirty who isn’t a conservative, has no brain”? Do you agree with this statement? Are you over the age of thirty – and, thus, qualified to answer ….possibly?)

*anagram – a word or phrase formed by reordering the letters of another word or phrase. [‘Angel’, for instance, is an anagram of ‘glean’.]

*Ananias – (name) - (first syllable pronounced as is the name ‘Anna’; the ‘i’ is very long) - a New Testament liar who dropped dead when Peter rebuked him. [“This Ananias shall, as did the one of old, pay dearly for his calumny,” said the preacher to the prostitute.]

*anathema – (noun) – (initial ‘a’ pronounced ‘aah’, and is, by itself, a syllable; second ‘a’ is short; ‘e’ is ‘eh’, and is, by itself, a syllable; final ‘a’ matches the first) - an accursed thing; a thing detested. (Originally, it was a condemnation issued by the Catholic church.) [Brutality is anathema to a civilized individual.] {Speed reading is anathema to one who hopes to get much out of a book.} (Of course, if you’re skimming because you were lazy and failed to actually read a book you were required to read well before your paper on or concerning it was due, that’s understandable.) Sh#t, just get the Spark Notes.
[**Knowing that the first letter of this word forms, by itself, an independent syllable, is a less-than-pedantic clue as to the pronunciation of the word - of course. If, having known the pronunciation, you felt this clue to be unnecessary, consider the word from the viewpoint of someone who hasn’t yet thoroughly, it, learned.**]

*animus – bitter hostility; hatred. [It seems, from my experience, that a significant animus yet exists among Black Americans for their White countrymen - though most White people I talk to these days seem honestly to have gotten over the worst of their prejudices toward Black folks. I suppose we’ll have to remember that the Black community in our country suffered much over a very long period of time due to the actions of Whites; and, though many Whites worked ceaselessly to advance their brothers, many others worked continually in opposition to them. Undoubtedly, we must remain patient. Undoubtedly, we must remain understanding – for as long as it takes to allow a large group of people to get over a lot of misuse.] (But, damn it, do the rest of you White people have to be such cowards? When a Black guy is being obviously racist, it’s got to be alright to admit this is the case. Just continue to remember that there is a very legitimate reason for the lingering animus.)

*antebellum – (‘before the war’) – (initial ‘e’ pronounced as the letter is named; with the vowels that follow as short) - belonging to the period before the U.S. Civil War. [“This antebellum thought process has no place in twenty-first century society,” the young man pronounced.]

*antediluvian – (semi-Latin) – (‘before the’ – Biblical – ‘flood’) – (preferred pronunciation of this word has the ‘e’ pronounced as is this letter named; with the ‘i’ and ‘u’ to follow as long) - wicked old. [“This antediluvian thought process has no place in twenty-first century society,” the young man pronounced.]

*antithesis – (n.) – (vowels are short) - polar opposite. [Antithetical to analysis, is the blind acceptance of supposition.] [The antithesis of thorough reading is speed reading.] The antithesis of a political decision to aid the elderly who had worked all their lives and deserved to be treated fairly by their government, was the one supported by Ronald Reagan – which cut the cost-of-living increase for Social Security payments. He may not technically have cut Social Security - as he insisted ….but he most definitely cut Social Security. (And, to spend money from the Social Security fund for anything other than Social Security payments is criminal – and any politician who would do so, or has done so, should be prosecuted ….whether politicians passed a law saying that they could not be prosecuted for such actions ….or not.) And, Trump is guilty of sedition – clearly. Prosecute him for that. No doubt about it. [I’m not liberal – but I’m not conservative either. The truth is not one or the other. It is merely the truth.]

*aphorism – a brief statement of a principle; adage. [‘People in glass houses should not throw stones’ is an aphorism which - although rational - is often ignored or forgotten when the (metaphorical) glass of another’s house seems so appealingly vulnerable.]

*apocryphal – (‘a’ is ‘aah’) - of questionable authenticity. [I have heard it said that, beneath a shroud of mystery, an apocryphal relic is, in a Turin church, housed.] [#In this apocryphal sky beneath my eye, blue reflections of the sea #recall to mind that time is avaricious, antithetic to what may be #if abjure I to embrace the lies that help us to feel so free, #and warm below the waves in which, seem to fly, do you and me.]

*apoplectic – having or exhibiting symptoms of apoplexy (i.e., sudden loss of muscular control due to the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain). [The absolutely apoplectic agent, according to her supervisor, had not the vivacity which a true team player should allow to shine forth from within. “Do you think I might work on working up a minor glow to start with, and maybe put actual vivacity off ‘till I can get the glow going on a semi-regular basis boss,” the woman questioned?] (Her boss looked as if she may, at any moment, have a stroke.)

*apostate – (the first ‘a’ is short; the second long) - one who has given up a belief (his religion perhaps) or cause. (An ‘apostasy’ is a loss of faith.) [I am an apostate. I believed when I was a child that I was too important for my existence to cease. I no longer believe that.] (Feel sorry for me if you must. It is quite difficult, for me, to acknowledge as a fact that I’m mortal. I feel a little sorry for myself just thinking about it.) And, if you are a believer, I advise you to continue in that belief. – No lie. [To me, ‘Intelligent Design’ is an idea with merit – though it’s dismissed as unintelligent by many. The fact that there’s a plant which mimics a corpse (producing the smell of decay, the color of blood and the appearance of rotten meat – and, additionally, presents what appears to be the remnants of a pelt) is, to me, difficult to attribute to evolution.] Further, I have come to comprehend – on a very personal basis now that I am nearing my own end – that a sentient being with an expiration date may well be better off not fully acknowledging this as fact. It is quite disturbing.

*apotheosis – (‘a’ is ‘aah’, and is a single-letter syllable; ‘e’ as is it named; ‘o’ as is it named) - deification. [The social sciences teacher argued that a form of apotheosis occurs when a man steps upon a stage in front of thousands of people and begins to sing and play.] (When addressing a crowd, I need a good dose of something calming.) I think Baker Mayfield may need a massive dose of something to mellow him out – judging by the fact that he overthrows his receivers on a regular basis. Maybe he could keep a bong by the bench now that weed is legal in many states. (Does he still play? I’m not much of a football fan anymore.)

*appellation – name. [What’s in an appellation? A rose by any other would smell as sweet – and subject you to a very nasty prick …if, careful, you are not.]
*approbation – (n.) - (second ‘a’ is long) - approval. [I do, indeed, seek the approbation of my learned colleagues. Feel free to shower me with your admiration. It will not disturb me in the least.] (Don’t appreciate the maniacally moderate me? Then, I shall liberally shower you with conservative criticisms concerning your cognitive capabilities.) So there.

*aqua vitae - (from Medieval Latin) (water of life) – strong liquor. [Too much aqua vitae may kill you. Or, it may just make you wish you were dead.] (Yes; my experience concerning this is not insubstantial. But, I do learn from experience - far too much of it (in my youth) in the case of this particular indulgence.) I also smoked way too much weed – and, for a couple of years, practically lived on cocaine. [If we ever legalize coke, you’ll see me at the dispensary – but I sure as hell won’t be ignorant enough to smoke that sh#t again. Damn, talk about Mr. Jones!]

*arcane – esoteric; understood by, or known to, few. [Let’s work to make sure that the words in this book are not – or will not become – arcane beyond all doubt.]

*asperity – (n.) – (the vowels are short; ‘per’ is the 2nd of 4 syllables) – roughness; harshness. [With asperity, the crimson little man berated his green apprentice for using such colorful language.]

*atavistic – characteristic of a thing past. [It was an atavistic instinct that caused the young man to open the door for that rather burley woman. It was a thoroughly more modern impulse that caused her to knock his little butt to the floor for doing so.] (Ain’t that a ….never mind.)

*attenuate – to make, or to become, thin. (An attenuated rod would become gradually thinner at one end.) [The attenuated western limit of Texas, a state in which I long resided, terminates at Las Cruces, New Mexico - the state in which I now (at the time of this writing) reside.]

*augurs – (v.) - serves as an omen. [The fact that every soldier on our side of the conflict this day lies in a pool of his own blood, we perceive, augurs ill for our chances to quickly win this war.] (A transitive verb is still a verb.)

*aurea mediocritas – (Latin) – (pronounced in the deliberate – letter by letter - manner of all Latin words) - the golden mean – advocating moderation in all things. [The aurea mediocritas was, and is, the epitome of common sense.]
*aureole (or aureola) – bright circle around an object. (a halo for instance). (In the modern novel, this word is often used to indicate the outer portion of a woman’s nipple.)

*avaricious – greedy. [Be avaricious in your desire to fill your mind with useful information. Turn the TV and the internet (and your phone) off for a time – and open a good book.] (By all means, allow an excellent narrator to read for you the unabridged audio version of a good book. There are so many available in this format.) Even thee good book is available. James Earl Jones, the dude with the huge voice (who was the voice of Darth Vader – before he took his helmet off), reads one version of it ….I believe. (A bit too much drama for me. – And, yes, I know that was a sentence fragment – and that I began this one with the word ‘and’. I am a rebel in all things!)
{Kingsley Amis, the last word in what’s acceptable in English grammar, says starting a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘or’ or ‘but’ is OK. But, I don’t care what Kingsley Amis thinks. I say it’s OK. And, I think I’ll fragment sentences more often as I get older. No, not because my mind is deteriorating ….jerk.} I refuse to start a sentence with ‘or’ though – and I believe anyone who does should be banned from communicating in my favorite language ….which is Spanish.
{Mr. Amis also says it’s OK to end a sentence with a preposition. I agree. To always invert would cause the language to be stilted past the point of prose which is passable – unless you are perchance a member of the English aristocracy and you enjoy sounding like a pompous ass.}

*avatar – (n.) - archetype. (This word, like so many others, has more than one meaning. Look it up – in the exhaustive word study that is a long and very thorough dictionary of the English language - if you wish to learn, mayhap, a bit about the Hindu God Vishnu.)

*aver – affirm. [I aver – that as carbon dating has shown that relic to come from well after the time of the purported demise of Jesus - that this is true. The tale claiming it was the shroud that covered Jesus – during his very brief interment ….is apocryphal at best.] But, if you want to believe it, then believe it. (I have no bone to pick with you. – The crypt was empty.)

*avuncular – (adjective) - (first ‘a’ is ‘aah’, and is, by itself, a syllable; the first ‘u’ is short; the second ‘u’ long, and, with the preceding ‘c’ forms a syllable) – having the aspect of an uncle. [An avuncular individual is caring and protective – and will not often be guilty of condemnatory behavior.] (Your actual uncle may be a complete jerk. Life will not always proceed as would we define it.)

*axiomatic – (adj.) - self-evident; universally recognized. [An axiom (a maxim, or dictum if you will) is regarded by most as truth.] It is axiomatic that, if one would communicate intelligently in English, then one must learn the words in this volume, The Lexicon of The Literary.

[Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, in my opinion, sucked.]

[American Gods by Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite books of all time. - Talk about some seriously fragmented sentences. Boy howdy!]

[*Any words (which meet the criterion expressed) you believe should be added to this book? - Contact me. – Maybe they’ll be included in the future.*]