Annoying members?

[xilman]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

Also enjoyed some of the distinct Scots words, e.g. when Spud mentions "kacking himself", which invokes a Germanic word for "shit". (In modern German "Scheiße" is the more formal highbrow term; "Kacke" is its lowbrow cousin.)

"Kack" is common in Northern and Midlands English as well as Scots. I knew it as a boy growing up in the southernmost edge of Derbyshire, though I've no idea how common it may be in the south of England.

FWIW I very frequently use Scheiß as an expletive when under extreme stress, most often when caused by severe pain. It's been employed a few times in the last three days during my current episode of gout. Fortunately the colchicine seems to be working.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

We actually had one of those in the forum's early days, but its throughput capacity was soon overwhelmed by torrents of the stuff, and alath, it doth hath crankethed itth latht. [Why am I lithping? Mutht've been my uthage of 'doth'.]

You've not rethently been programming in a language widely known for uthing Lotth of Infuriating Thpuriouth Parenthetheth have you? That hath a thimilar effect on thome people.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by xilman

It's been employed a few times in the last three days during my current episode of gout.

I'm lead to understand that a single judicious application of a tourniquet can end all gout pain.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

I'm lead to understand that a single judicious application of a tourniquet can end all gout pain.

Indeed. I believe that one applied around the neck is very effective.

[ewmayer]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

I'm lead to understand that a single judicious application of a tourniquet can end all gout pain.

[Zounds! Paul beat me to the "neck tourniquet" quip by several seconds.]

With or without hacking off the offending limb?

[Batalov]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

Porno, the Trainspotting sequel, was one of my reads earlier this year.

They turned it into the T2 movie (two+ novels into one film). Which didn't suck too badly I must say.

[Dr Sardonicus]

Originally Posted by xilman

"Kack" is common in Northern and Midlands English as well as Scots. I knew it as a boy growing up in the southernmost edge of Derbyshire, though I've no idea how common it may be in the south of England.

FWIW I very frequently use Scheiß as an expletive when under extreme stress, most often when caused by severe pain. It's been employed a few times in the last three days during my current episode of gout. Fortunately the colchicine seems to be working.

Interesting that the synonymous near-homophone "caca" is Spanish. Must be from a really old term.

My grampa had gout and took colchicine for it. He said he was supposed to take it until he started tasting it. Gotta be careful, that stuff is quite toxic.

May your spell of gout pass quickly!

Colchicine has another use: inducing polyploidy in plants. The Wikipedia page on polyploidy explains:

The induction of polyploidy is a common technique to overcome the sterility of a hybrid species during plant breeding. For example, triticale is the hybrid of wheat (Triticum turgidum) and rye (Secale cereale). It combines sought-after characteristics of the parents, but the initial hybrids are sterile. After polyploidization, the hybrid becomes fertile and can thus be further propagated to become triticale.

In some situations, polyploid crops are preferred because they are sterile. For example, many seedless fruit varieties are seedless as a result of polyploidy. Such crops are propagated using asexual techniques, such as grafting.

Polyploidy in crop plants is most commonly induced by treating seeds with the chemical colchicine.

[Batalov]

Originally Posted by Dr Sardonicus

Interesting that the synonymous near-homophone "caca" is Spanish. Must be from a really old term.

It is a root in both Roman and Greek.

I just recently quoted a word. A like it so much that I will not miss an opportunity to use it again - kakistocracy!

Also - Libcaca! Cacophony!

[Nick]

It also gave rise to the 19th century U.S. slang word "poppycock".

[Dr Sardonicus]

Originally Posted by Batalov

It is a root in both Roman and Greek.

I just recently quoted a word. A like it so much that I will not miss an opportunity to use it again - kakistocracy!

A form of government in which the ruler is the kack of the walk...