I came across this in an online blog and thought that GI & McF (wordsmiths both) especially would be interested:
All good stuff, but my favourite part was when he pointed out that the Greek word
"borborygmos" has been excluded from the new Ancient Greek-English Lexicon being prepared in Cambridge. Since none of the assembled classicists at last night's lecture seemed prepared to tell me what this word meant, I had to email Prof Cartledge today, who replied that it refers to an
"ominous rumbling in the bowels", a precursor, frankly, to a f*rt. Which proves, ladies and gentlemen, that you learn something new every day, particularly if you happen to make a visit to Cambridge university.
The full blog is here for any Classical scholars amongst you:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charl ... university