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Jan 21, 2014
This week's theme
Toponyms

This week's words
stellenbosch
campanology
perse
iliad
damask

Campania, Italy
Campania, Italy
Map: Wikimedia

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

campanology

PRONUNCIATION:
(kam-puh-NOL-uh-jee)

MEANING:
noun: The art or study of bell-ringing or making bells.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin campana (bell). From the Campania region in Italy, known for the bronze that was used to cast bells. Earliest documented use: 1847.

NOTES:
The term bell-ringing is preferred over campanology by people involved in it. In general, those in the know go with simpler terms. For example, caving over spelunking, coding over developing software, and so on. At any rate, here's an introductory video on campanology/bell-ringing that has managed to stuff as many puns as are legally permitted in a five-minute video. Did they miss any? Chime in.

USAGE:
"A woman who has helped secure the future of bell ringing across the east of England has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list for her services to campanology."
Norfolk bell ringer Betty Baines Appointed MBE; BBC News (London, UK); Dec 30, 2013.

"The call buttons were pressed so frequently that the passengers were in danger of getting a suntan from the lights, and the galley sounded like a campanology convention for the deaf."
Jack Leonard; Bad Altitude; AuthorHouse; 2005.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Remorse is a violent dyspepsia of the mind. -Ogden Nash, poet (1902-1971)

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