As I suspected. The co-ordinator was of the opinion that the only
thing more amazing than the word itself was the fact that I knew it.
(Smug grin attached).
Actually, it was after the class and knowing Brett as I do, I suspect
it was a reasonably elegant silent roll off the window ledge into the
shrubbery below. Having jumped without an Irwin, he will very soon
find a well ignited Martin Baker under him (and the canopy firmly shut).
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 01/11/2009, at 6:20 PM, Chris Barker wrote:
> How rewarding, to be able to use the word, especially in an age when
> we add prepositions to any word which feels too short (e.g. "head up",
> "swap out")! But it's a transitive verb, of course, Andrew, and
> requires a direct object. So if you want to keep it compact it would
> have to be self-defenestrate.
>
> But more to the point, what sort of undisciplined class do you run,
> old chap, in which your students feel that it is acceptable to leave
> by such untidy means?
>
> :-))
>
> Chris
> On 31 Oct 2009, at 22:38, Andrew Fildes wrote:
>
>> Speaking of Windows, Chris, I had the opportunity to use the verb
>> 'defenestrate' the other day - they don't come around too often! A
>> student jumped out of a classroom window while my back was turned, to
>> avoid being kept in after class. But in writing the incident report
>> for the co-ordinator, I was bothered. Did he simply defenestrate,
>> defenestrate himself, self-defenestrate or auto-defenestrate? You're
>> the man with the Latin - which is it? And can it be applied sensibly
>> to someone who has sensibly migrated to Mac?
>> Oh, and the co-ordinator had to go look it up and I did use the verb
>> orchestrate in the next sentence, just for dramatic effect.
>
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