phthisis

Post by **Dale** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:23 pm

phthisis

Easy for you to say.

Don't recall ever encountering this word until today.

THE WELSH HILL COUNTRY

Too far for you to see
The fluke and the foot-rot and the fat maggott
Gnawing the skin from the small bones,
The sheep are grazing at Bwlch-y-Fedwen,
Arranged romantically in the usual manner
On a bleak background of bald stone.

To far for you to see
The moss and the mould on the cold chimneys,
The nettles growing through the cracked doors,
The houses stand empty at Nant-yr-Eira,
There are holes in the roofs that are thatched with sunlight,
And the fields are reverting to the bare moor.

To far, too far to see
The set of his eyes and the slow phthisis
Wasting his frame under the ripped coat,
There's a man still farming at Ty'n-y-Fawnog,
Contributing grimly to the accepted pattern,
The embryo music dead in his throat.

--R.S. Thomas

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:26 pm

Oh, I use that word all the time. You know, "phthisis this, phthisis that."

peteinmn · Post by **peteinmn** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:33 pm

Wow especially festive at this joyous time of year.

phthi·sis Pronunciation (thss, t-) also phthis·ic (tzk, thz-)
n.
1. A disease characterized by the wasting away or atrophy of the body or a part of the body.
2. Tuberculosis of the lungs. No longer in scientific use.

Yuk! On the other hand, ain't archaic words fun, I kind of collect them myself.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 9:37 pm

... not to be confused with ptosis.

djm

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:42 am

djm wrote:... not to be confused with ptosis.

djm

Old droopy we called him.

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:46 am

FlyingC wrote:Old droopy we called him.

Aye, an' fer all the wrong reasons.

djm

perrins57 · Post by **perrins57** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:06 am

I thought it was just a noise you made to attract someone’s attention.

Dale wrote

phthisis

Easy for you to say.

Actually it is easy to say if you're Welsh - just look at our place names!

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:19 am

DaleWisely wrote:There are holes in the roofs that are thatched with sunlight

What an image!
I hear the Old Dun Cow was thatched in flame.

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:26 am

fearfaoin wrote:
DaleWisely wrote:There are holes in the roofs that are thatched with sunlight
What an image!
I hear the Old Dun Cow was thatched in flame.

I'm thatched with chocolate, I think.

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:50 am

Is this like going out and getting phthisis on a Saturday night?

djm

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:54 am

djm wrote:Is this like going out and getting phthisis on a Saturday night?

djm

That depends on if it's something you can catch or if you can catch something by gettin' unprotected phthisis

NancyF · Post by **NancyF** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:38 am

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:08 pm

Or, as the <a href=http://sawdoctors.com/index.htm>Saw Doctors</a> would put it, "If phthisis Rock and Roll, I want my old job back."

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:05 am

I phthought it was the dawning of the age of Aquarius.

Steve

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:38 am

... and here I thought phthisis was a helmet one wore to keep the monkey phthisis off of the ol' noggin.

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