tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219735658025200238.post7850543510974688338..comments2023-04-10T00:18:08.712+12:00Comments on Overkill: A word, pleaseVanda Symonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956034768397598056noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219735658025200238.post-41566375819227117622008-07-08T09:59:00.000+12:002008-07-08T09:59:00.000+12:00Very nice! Sprezzatura would be what Maxwell Smart...Very nice! Sprezzatura would be what Maxwell Smart displayed as he leaned toward his desk, smiling and looking down his nose at 99, but lost when his elbow missed the desk, and he tumbled to the floor. I believe the word achieved its greatest fame thanks to Baldessare Castiglione's <I>The Courtier</I>, which I probably should have read when I was studying art history.<BR/><BR/>I like <I>afterwit</I> for its potential variants. A writer who strains after but fails to achieve a certain verbal sprezzatura may be called an afterwit. And "Afterwit? He's not even a prewit!" has a nice edge.<BR/>==============<BR/> Detectives Beyond Borders<BR/>"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"<BR/> <A HREF="http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/</A>Peter Rozovskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977933481463759162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219735658025200238.post-53426718123011601052008-07-08T09:33:00.000+12:002008-07-08T09:33:00.000+12:00This book has a couple of meanings, the one Hertno...This book has a couple of meanings, the one Hertnon likes best is 'Studied carelessness' which is as he puts it 'a delicious oxymoron.'<BR/> <BR/>Peter, after your recent blog posts you'll be interested to see the author states that "Sprezzatura is what Maxwell Smart and Inspector Clousseau passionately desired but comically failed to achieve..."Vanda Symonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956034768397598056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219735658025200238.post-48599394498089013672008-07-07T14:29:00.000+12:002008-07-07T14:29:00.000+12:00It's a nice touch that discussions of the top word...It's a nice touch that discussions of the top word on the cover, <I>sprezzatura</I>, often begin by discussing its untranslatability into English. And <I>afterwit</I>? Now, there's a word with which one could have lots of fun.<BR/>==============<BR/> Detectives Beyond Borders<BR/>"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"<BR/> <A HREF="http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/</A>Peter Rozovskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977933481463759162noreply@blogger.com