From: watson@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (John S. Watson - FSC) Newsgroups: rec.arts.books Subject: You too can have a JOYCEAN vocabulary! (long) Date: 15 Mar 1995 17:54:56 GMT Organization: NASA Ames Research CenterRecently, over the last 2 months, I read _ULYSSES_ by James Joyce. As I was reading it I "marked" (the copy I owned was really old and falling apart as I read it, so I had now qualms about messing it up) every word which was completely or partially unfamiliar to me, or in some cases I just wanted to find out more about a word's etymology. My computer system has a dictionary online, so whenever I looked up a word, a little script program I wrote would save it for later review (so maybe if I ever get really ambitious I can go back and really learn some of these words :-). Last year I read _PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN_ so I also include words from that book.
The following is that list, which I thought might be edifying or entertaining to you, the rabble. The words are roughly in the order I looked them up, but words which my dictionary didn't know about aren't listed (my computer takes forever when it doesn't know a word, so I kill its search).
kip pet barbican rasher jalap dactyl prelate pap prepuce kine chemise terrene ferrule ashplant vellum buckler ineluctable diaphanous catalectic heresiarch crosier miter dun coign of vantage nuncle moiety lithia houyhnhnm monstrance commination basilisk footpace tonsure geld alb pyx monstrance housel hypostasis twine transept diphthong fubsy epiphany valise farl matin postprandial fustian damascene cataract ineluctable leprous bub jakes haugh scapular navvy moustache liana peri gutta-percha mignonette cynosure par brawn headcheese contumely afflatus hostler firedrake prepuce mesial voluble galliard usquebaugh ephebe hermetic entelechy huguenot cygnet chivy peripatetic aristotelian brogue kish caul vicereine toady atelier daguerreotype treacle communard cloaca mazurka galley par stager plinth simnel caper quiff flagon advowson nonesuch sophism sophistry lapidary embonpoint dishabille soubrette vesta lych-gate lough flitch contrition hoarding mantilla presbytery welkin vellum capuchin thurifer ostiary collop usquebaugh piaster yeomanry skivvy zouave plaudit loquat rapparee croppy avoirdupois plaice rennet sepoy aliquot lachrymal sobriquet antimacassar shebeen charabanc kip contretemps sodality retrousse fane golliwog reck calomel kismet shebeen navvy sylph diadem clout maidenhead trolley trotter scrofula parsimony coney enceinte dotard posset grot sapient sedulous mazer puissance dulcet epithalamium mollification abbatial scorbutic duenna catamenia menses consanguineous odalisque carapace esau quoit birch chukker panache ablution aperient quondam doss ingle raconteur impecunious noctambulation somnambulism sangfroid tony anent rebus epistle contretemps emolument extemporaneously militate inculcate facile embonpoint nisi lubric lubricious quietus cark soiree philippic potation pelf superannuated supernumerary soi-disant duumvirate cis- hob rhabdomancy rhabdocoele falciform oleaginous supererogatory im- catarrh rondel equanimity jocose symposiarch humectant decidua lacustrine pestilent fen luteous fulvous akimbo sciatica suint terpsichorean terpsichore epaulet gules sark jujube inverness volant argent crispation lent hamadryad quoit soubrette coutille bastinado zouave apogean inchoate oviparous moiety alimentary divan augur apothegm monkshood virgule ogham sesquipedalian somnambulant veridical connubial curricle kedge natation wherry weir rectitude covin hachure helotism dun septentrion pike enteric fete tellurian micturate valedictory plait rutilant cicatrize obviate calefactory neuralgia recrudescence tetragrammaton atelier haggadah protasis topiary quickset hornbeam primogeniture gavelkind unguiculate pruritic ormolu messuage comestible charabanc boustrophedon thaumaturgic thaumaturgy concupiscence abnegation aorist preterit frangible gimcrack pinafore gabber peseta levanter excrescence abscission
scullion monstrance ablative mare soutane arras incertitude cerement dalmatic celebrant novena sodality thurible censer chasuble diffident equivocal muff dubitation eucharist paraclete supererogation quarantine ciborium capuchin nave shite embrasure rictus plenipotentiary venial contrition quail execrate gibbet similitude collywobbles catafalque cope harridan feck sacristy cod ferule trellis marseilles japan moiety curvet simoon simoom spikenard cultus stultify demure desuetude filial drisheen mummery urbane vestry singlet hoyden guile handsel matriculate fenian cumbrous trinity vervain denarius chine tundish prelatic prelate venal ephod matic matric platinoid bursar augur ferule constable dray farrow carmelite blackguard eke perambulator patricianJohn S. Watson