Glossary of Terms Used in On Bullshit

 

“23^rd year of the effort”- A line from Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Pound was referring to 1945, the

twenty-third year after Italy came under Mussolini in 1922. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Albigeous, les- Also from Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. French for “the Albigensians”, a medieval people of southern France who were a target of Pope Innocent III's crusade against Catharism, a Christian sect. (1209-1229). (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 368. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Ambler, Eric- (1909-1998). British author and screenwriter; regarded as one of the most distinguished writers of espionage and crime stories. He brought intellectual substance to the genre by writing six novels between 1936-1940 that were widely applauded. (Pace, Eric. Eric Ambler, Thriller Writer Who Elevated the Genre to Literature, is Dead at 89. The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 24 Oct. 1998. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

antirealist- A follower of antirealism, the philosophical theory stating there are no objective facts, events, objects, or relationships that exist outside of the mind; that all such concepts are subjective reality. (Joyce, Richard. Moral Anti-Realism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University, 2015. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.).

 

Arise to Conquer- A non-fiction book by Ian Gleed, recounting his air battles over England and France in WWII. The memoir is most notable for its authentic portrayal of British dialogue. Originally published in 1942, much of it was the daily flight records of Gleed during his missions. (Arise to Conquer. Google Books-Review. Google.com, 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.).

 

balderdash- n. Senseless talk or writing; nonsense. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: 1590s, of unknown origin; originally a jumbled mix of liquors (milk and beer, beer and wine, etc.), transferred 1670s to "senseless jumble of words." From dash; first element perhaps cognate with Danish balder "noise, clatter." (“Balderdash.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

Baron, A.(lexander)- (1917-1999). A post-war London author, best known for his novel The Lowlife, and also a compelling novelist of the WWII infantryman's experience. (Whitehead, Andrew. Alexander Baron is back in print- make the most of it! Andrew Whitehead. AndrewWhitehead.net, July 2014. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.).

 

Black, Max- (1909-1988). An American analytical philosopher whose chief body of work was

concerned with the problem of clarity in language. A professor at the University of London and later at Cornell University, he was heavily influenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein. (Engst, E. and N. Dean. Guide to the Max Black Papers,[ca.1927]-1988. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. Cornell University Library, Apr. 1989. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

bolshie- Short for “Bolshevik”, (Russian: “One of the Majority”). A member of the Russian Socialist- Democratic Party, led by Vladimir Lenin, that became the dominant political power in 1917. It is used mainly as slang, with the meaning: adj.“uncooperative, subversive, obstructive.” (“Bolshie.” Oxford Dictionaries online. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

bullshit (definitions)- (1) n. Content that is made up for the purpose of placating someone, or passing an exam, or getting elected to office. Most often false or ridiculous. (2) v. To generate bullshit. (3) int. Expletive, accusing someone of bullshitting. (4) adj. Identifying or suspecting something as bullshit. (“Bullshit.” Urban Dictionary. UrbanDictonary.com, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

bullshit (etymology)- n. "eloquent and insincere rhetoric," 1915, American English slang; “bull + “shit”, probably because it smells. But bull in the sense of "trivial or false statements" (1914), which usually is associated with this, might be a continuation of Middle English bull "false talk, fraud." (“Bullshit.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

buncombe- n. Variant of “bunk.” Nonsense. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: 1900, short for bunkum, phonetic spelling of Buncombe, a county in North Carolina. The story: At the close of the Missouri statehood debates, N.C. Rep. Felix Walker began a "long, dull, irrelevant speech," resisting calls to cut it short by saying he was bound to say something that could appear in the newspapers in the home district and prove he was on the job. "I shall not be speaking to the House," he confessed, "but to Buncombe." (“Buncombe.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

(The) Cantos- A long, incomplete book-length poem by Ezra Pound , written over decades (1915 through 1962) in 120 sections known as cantos (Italian synonym for stanzas). Considered a very difficult read because of its many allusions and references, it was a highly controversial and influential work. (The Cantos. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Cholkis- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. From Greek mythology, a variant of Colchis, the kingdom of Aeētes, son of Helios, where Jason and the Argonauts sought the golden fleece. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

claptrap- n. Nonsense, rubbish. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. c. 1730, "trick to 'catch' applause," a stage term; from clap + trap. Extended sense of "cheap, showy language" is from 1819. (“Claptrap.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.).

 

Cornell University Press- A major scholarly publisher based in Ithaca NY and established in 1869, with the distinction of being the first university press established in the United States. It publishes non-

fiction. (About Us. Cornell University Press. Cornellpress/cornell.edu., 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Deferrari, R.(oy) J. (1890- 1969)- Dr. Roy J. Deferrari was the editor of Fathers of the Church, which contained St. Augustine's Treatises on Various Subjects; specifically “Lying” in relation to Frankfurt's use of it in On Bullshit. Deferrari spent most of his career at The Catholic University of America, as a professor of classics, Greek, and Latin. (Roy J. Deferrari. American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives. The Catholic University of America, 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Dirty Story- A 1967 novel by Eric Ambler, it is a sequel to The Light of Day and continues the tale of anti-hero and petty criminal Arthur Abdel Simpson. It is a notable example of the thriller novel genre of the 1960s. (Dirty Story by Eric Ambler. Kirkus Review. Kirkus Reviews.com, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

"dixit Lenin”- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Dixit is Latin for “said”, therefore “Lenin said.” (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

drivel- n. Idiotic speech or writing. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: Early 14c., drevel- "saliva, slaver." Old English dreflian- "to dribble or run at the nose, slobber," from Proto-Germanic drab- "to make muddy, darken." Meaning "to speak nonsense" is mid-14c. (“Drivel.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Economist- The Economist is a weekly English language newspaper that has been in publication since

1843. Edited in London, its mission statement is “to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.” Articles in the paper are contributed anonymously (compiled from multiple reporters by an editor). (About Us. The Economist. The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Evelyn Nursing Home- The facility where Ludwig Wittgenstein's acquaintance Fania Pascal was recuperating (from having tonsils taken out) when she told Wittgenstein that she felt like a “dog that has been run over”, much to his chagrin. Founded in 1921 and located in Cambridge, England. (A Wonderful Thing for Cambridge: The Evelyn Hospital 1921 to 2003. History of the Evelyn Trust. The Evelyn Trust, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

emeritus- adj. Having retired but allowed to retain a title as an honor. Etymology: c. 1600, from Latin emeritus: "veteran soldier who has served his time," noun use of adjective meaning literally "that has finished work, past service. First used of retired professors 1794 in American English. (“Emeritus.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Frankfurt, Harry G. (1929-)- An American philosopher and professor emeritus at Princeton University, author of On Bullshit and other titles. He is also known for his inventions of various thought experiments. An example: Frankfurt composed “The Principle of Alternate Possibilities” which states “a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise.” Franfurt then proceeded to attack this same principle, attempting to disprove it. (Harry G. Frankfurt. The Information Philosopher. InformationPhilosopher.com, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Gleed, I. (1916-1943)- Ian Gleed was a celebrated airman for England's Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The author of Arise to Conquer, he was killed in action in 1943. (Wing Commander Ian Richard Gleed. Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK (website). D.H. Markus, 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

hokum- n. Melodramatic, exaggerated acting. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: 1917, theater slang, probably formed on model of “bunkum” and perhaps also influenced by or based on hocus-pocus. (“Hokum.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Human Kind, The- A collection of war stories by Alexander Baron, published in 1953. Arguably his masterpiece, it contains a series of autobiographical vignettes. Baron witnessed the D-Day invasion of Normandy among other WWII events. (Hickling, Alfred. The Human Kind by Alexander Baron- review. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd., 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

humbug- n. Trick, jest, hoax, deception. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit”, and compared and contrasted by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: A vogue word of the early 1750s; origin unknown. "[A]s with other and more recent words of similar introduction, the facts as to its origin appear to have been lost, even before the word became common enough to excite attention" [OED]. Meaning "spirit of deception or imposition; hollowness, sham" is from 1825. (“Humbug.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

imposture- n. Act of willfully deceiving others. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit. Etymology: 1530s, from Middle French imposture, from Late Latin impostura. (“Imposture.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

inapposite- adj. Out of place; inappropriate: (“Inapposite.” Oxford Dictionaries online. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Longfellow, (Henry Wadsworth)- (1807-1882). An important early American poet; native of Portland, Maine, Longfellow wrote such classic works as Hiawatha, Paul Revere's Ride, and Evangeline. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

“Lying”- An essay by Saint Augustine in which he designates eight distinct types of lies and ranks them in their severity. Seven of these categories involve lies that are told in order to attain a goal, and therefore not complete falsehoods. He considered the worst liar one who lies purely for the pleasure of doing so, and such lies the most severe. (Augustine, Roy J. Deferrari, and Mary S. Muldowney. Treatises on Various Subjects: The Christian Life, Lying, against Lying, Continence, Patience, the Excellence of Widowhood, the Work of Monks, the Usefulness of Fasting, the Eight Questions of Dulcitus. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press, 2002. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Malcolm, Norman- (1911-1990). An American philosopher; one of the “Wittgensteinians”, as students and devotees of Ludwig Wittgenstein were nicknamed. Malcolm's studies included knowledge, certainty, memory, and dreaming. He also made ontological arguments based on Descartes. (Norman Malcolm: American philosopher. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Oxford English Dictionary- With a reputation as “the definitive record of the English language”, the OED features 600,000 words, 3 million quotations, and covering 1000 years of English. Originally published in 1884. (About. OED:Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Oxford University Press- The largest university press in the world, and second oldest (after Cambridge University Press). Founded in1586 in Oxford, United Kingdom. (About Us. Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Pascal, Fania- (?) A Russian-born friend of Ludwig Wittgenstein, she was a student of philosophy at Cambridge, England. (Campbell, Jeremy. The Liar's Tale: A History of Falsehood. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Co., 2001. Print. 236. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

perspicuous- adj. Clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid. Etymology: Late 15c., from Latin perspicuus "transparent, clear, evident," from perspicere "look through, look closely at." (“Perspicuous.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Pisa- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Pisa is a city in Italy, famous for it's “Leaning Tower.” In this reference Pisa was also near a U.S. Army Disciplinary Training Center (DTC) where Pound was held prisoner for a few months in 1945 for treasonable broadcasts on Radio Rome. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

pleonastic- adj. Using more words than necessary; redundant. Etymology: 1778, with -ic + Greek pleonastos: "abundant," from pleonazein. (“Pleonastic.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymonline.com, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Pound, Ezra- (1885- 1972). An American poet, born in Hailey, Idaho. Pound is generally considered most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist aesthetic in poetry. He was also famous for the generosity with which he advanced the work of contemporaries such as Robert Frost, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and especially T.S. Eliot. (Ezra Pound. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Prevalence of Humbug, The- An essay by American philosopher and Wittgenstein-follower Max Black, published in 1983. (Black, Max. The Prevalence of Humbug, and Other Essays. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1983. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Princeton University Press- A scholarly publisher affiliated wt the university, in Princeton NJ, founded in 1905. Publisher of On Bullshit. (A History of Princeton University Press. Princeton University Press. Princeton University, 2015. Web. 24 Oct, 2015.).

 

procrustean- adj. Enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to variation or individuality: 'A fixed procrustean rule.' (“Procrustean.” Oxford Dictionaries online. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

quackery- n. Dishonest practices and claims to have special knowledge and skill in some field, typically medicine. Suggested as a synonym for “bullshit” by Harry G. Frankfurt in On Bullshit.(“Quackery.” Oxford Dictionaries online. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Raritan Review- A quarterly journal founded in 1981, supported by Rutgers University. Original publisher of On Bullshit. (Raritan: A Quarterly Review. Rutgers. Rutgers.edu. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

Recollections of Wittgenstein- A volume of recollections from five individuals who knew philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein in some capacity (including Fania Pascal and Wittgenstein's older sister Hermine. Compiled and edited by Rush Rhees, published 1981. (Ludwig Wittgenstein: Personal Recollections.

Amazon Books. Amazon.com Inc., 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Rhees, R.(ush)- (1905-1989). A philosopher, and a pupil and close friend of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Mostly unpublished during his lifetime, after his death his papers were found to comprise sixteen thousand pages of manuscript on every aspect of philosophy. He was compiler and editor of Ludwig Wittgenstein: Personal Recollections. (Rush Rhees on Religion and Philosophy. Academic. Cambridge University Press, 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Saint Augustine (354-430)- An important Christian thinker and writer, considered one of the most influential early theologians. His numerous written works include Confessions and City of God, and he

helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought. (Saint Augustine: Christian bishop and theologian. Encyclopaedia Brittanica Online. Encyclopaedia Brittanica Inc., 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Salamis- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. An island in the Gulf of Piraeus (Mediterranean Sea) where the Greeks defeated the Persians in a sea battle in 480 B.C. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Simpson, Arthur Abdel- The fictional character who appeared in two spy novels (The Light of Day (1962) and Dirty Story (1967) by British author Eric Ambler. Simpson was a British-Egyptian living in Greece; a small-time crook who gets caught up in various nefarious adventures. (Forgotten Books: The Arthur Abdel Simpson Novels by Eric Ambler. A Hot Cup of Pleasure. Friday's Forgotten Books @Pattinase/Weblog, 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.).

 

“Snag”- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Snag is an acronym for “Snatch of GI dialogue” overheard in the U.S. Army DTC. It may also have been a nickname for Louis Till, one of Pound's fellow prisoners. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

“tempus loquendi, tempus tacendi”- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Latin: “A time to speak, a time to be silent.” (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Till, (Louis)- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. Louis T. Till was an American soldier detained at the Pisa, Italy U.S. Army DTC, and an acquaintance while there of Ezra Pound. He was executed at the facility on July 24, 1945. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Times Lit. Supp.- The (London) Times Literary Supplement, source for a definition of “bull” in On Bullshit. (About the TLS. TLS: The Times Literary Supplement. TLS Ltd., 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.

 

“Wittgenstein: A Personal Memoir”- Fania Pascal's essay in Ludwig Wittgenstein: Personal Recollections, from which Harry G. Frankfurt quotes her story of being chided by Wittgenstein for the remark of feeling “just like a dog that has been run over”. (Ludwig Wittgenstein: Personal Recollections. Amazon Books. Amazon.com Inc., 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

Wittgenstein, Ludwig- (1889-1951). One of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century, Wittgenstein's focus was on language, logic and their interrelation. Born in Vienna, Austria, his career was marked by a seeming obsession with moral and philosophical perfection. (Richter, Duncan J. Ludwig Wittgenstein: (1889-1951). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.).

 

“Zeus ram”- From Ezra Pound's Canto LXXIV. In Greek mythology, a ram with golden fleece was one of Zeus's prized possessions. (Terrell, Carol F. A Companion to the Cantos of Ezra Pound. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1984. 369. Print. Retrieved from Google Books. Google Inc. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.).

 

Professor McKinnon's comments: "Excellent Glossary Mark. Really fantastic work here. You have loads of great entries (and you got the right "Till"), really good information and sources, and excellent citation style".