Today's word - aquiline

[jcljules]

That third part of the definition seems tinged with condescension.

edited when I realized how whiskey modifies my communication skill.

I always thought it just meant condescendingly amused.

[Jdr]

It's the expression one gets on their face when you hear a really bad joke. Like this: O_o

[Reiloth]

More like...With a bemused laugh, the ballsy man says: "Really? They really enjoy doing that? Hah...Alright. Sure. Whatever you say."

I see it used more often than not as a synonym to 'amused', which it isn't really.

[Salt Merchant]

smirk

–verb (used without object)
1. to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.

[Rooster]

smirk

–verb (used without object)
1. to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.

Whoops. I've been using this term wrong! I thought it was a synonym with 'frown'.

[Simple]

Bemused means puzzled/confused, I thought.

[Delstro]

I've always seen bemused as a slightly less than amused word.

It never made sense.

[Bluefae]

     With full respect to the OP, I'd have to say the word has a fairly broad range of meanings.  Here's another version of what some consider an "aquiline nose":



    Yes, it's prominent, but not overpowering.

Two very different women, also considered to have "aquiline features" to a greater or lesser extent:



and



    When I've used/use the word in my character's descriptions, it's a kind of written short-hand for "sharp features overall; high cheekbones; large nose proportionate to the rest of the features, and probably with a "bump" roughly in the center".  I don't know that it's necessarily more or less attractive than any other kind of face, but it does have the advantage in a text-based game of being a coherent asthetic that's conveyable in a relatively-short amount of space.

[Lizzie]

Tomorrow's word:
curt/curtly:

Although "short" is -one- definition..the primary definition, in each of several different dictionaries, is a variation of "intentionally, rudely brief."

So if you are trying to be polite, emoting that you nod curtly to me, will *probably* be perceived as you trying to be rude. If you are trying to be neutral, it might be perceived as a vague (subtle, if you're a Tuluki ) hostile gesture.

If you intend for me to perceive your nod as being intentionally rude, or intentionally abrupt, or rudely concise, then go for it.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/curt for the compilation of definitions from several dictionaries.

[Delstro]

My question: How can a nod be rude? In the above context, I'm always going to assume a curt nod is a short nod.

I can see how a curt bow can be percieved as rude.

[hyzhenhok]

Sorry, the common usage is as a synonym for short or brief. The only time I would agree with interpreting "curt" as denoting rudeness is when used in speech.

i.e. >tell templar (curtly) Don't know. Don't care.

And as you can see, you probably don't need "curt" to tell when someone is being rude in this manner. If it appears without the context of rudeness, you probably should not assume it is being rude.

If you ladle on IC penalties because of your OOC insistence that a certain word means a certain thing, I'll just take OOC pains to avoid playing with you. Please, please don't do this.

[Lizzie]

Since I guess you are using a different reference than I am hyzhenhok, and have chosen not to link to my reference, here it is:

"The" common useage of the word "curt" is:
rudely brief or abrupt (American Heritage Dictionary)

rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner (synonym snappish) (Random House Dictionary)

Characterized by excessive brevity, short, rudely concise (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary)

And in the case of this particular word (curt), the word "short" means, specifically:
   rudely brief; abrupt; hurting: short behavior. (Random House Dictionary)

Rudely brief; abrupt.
Easily provoked; irascible. (American Heritage)

An example: When someone you know meets you on the street, and you had a lousy day and just don't want to deal with them, you might behave or speak curtly, or abruptly, and it is called "being short" with someone. Being abrupt, impatient, trying to push to the end of something in a hurry - that's being "short," in the case of the use of the word "curt."

[Tuannon]

Curtley Ambrose is a very angry man.

[Salt Merchant]

If you ladle on IC penalties because of your OOC insistence that a certain word means a certain thing, I'll just take OOC pains to avoid playing with you. Please, please don't do this.

What if that certain word does mean that certain thing? We can't just arbitrarily redefine the English language and expect other people to understand in-game.

[hyzhenhok]

Since I guess you are using a different reference than I am hyzhenhok, and have chosen not to link to my reference, here it is:

"The" common useage of the word "curt" is:
rudely brief or abrupt (American Heritage Dictionary)

rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner (synonym snappish) (Random House Dictionary)

Characterized by excessive brevity, short, rudely concise (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary)

And in the case of this particular word (curt), the word "short" means, specifically:
   rudely brief; abrupt; hurting: short behavior. (Random House Dictionary)

Rudely brief; abrupt.
Easily provoked; irascible. (American Heritage)

An example: When someone you know meets you on the street, and you had a lousy day and just don't want to deal with them, you might behave or speak curtly, or abruptly, and it is called "being short" with someone. Being abrupt, impatient, trying to push to the end of something in a hurry - that's being "short," in the case of the use of the word "curt."

Sure. As I said, that is the usage when the word describes speech.

Regardless, when a word has multiple definitions and usages, I would hope that you would be able to use context to determine what is meant. Being unable to do this is just poor play.

If a templar started yelling at me for being rude after I emoted a "curt nod," even though I had been attempting to roleplay politeness and deference and had done so in my other emotes and speech, I would question how the hell they ever got the role in the first place, and walk a room over and quit so I didn't have to deal with it.

[Thunkkin]

The OED:

   1. Short in linear dimension; shortened.

   2. Of words, sentences, style, etc.: Concise, brief, condensed, terse; short to a fault.

Edit:  Ooo, I'd never nod curtly to a templar.

Here's how the word plays for me...
When a sergeant gives a curt nod to a private, the gesture is not rude in any way.  It is an appropriate acknowledgment. 
When a sergeant gives a curt nod to a templar, his ass is grass.  Or, on Zalanthas, possibly sand.

[hyzhenhok]

If you ladle on IC penalties because of your OOC insistence that a certain word means a certain thing, I'll just take OOC pains to avoid playing with you. Please, please don't do this.

What if that certain word does mean that certain thing? We can't just arbitrarily redefine the English language and expect other people to understand in-game.

It's not a case of misplaced vocabulary or someone not knowing the definition of a word (as is typical in the first two examples, aquiline and bemused). Curt has multiple definitions and usages. Lizzie is seizing on one of definitions and trying to force it onto every instance of the word, when this simply isn't the way our language works.

I mean, the first definition for "obsidian" in any given dictionary will be "volcanic glass." You don't roleplay as though someone with obsidian eyes as actually having a fake eyes made out of volcanic glass, do you?

[hyzhenhok]

When a sergeant gives a curt nod to a templar, his ass is grass.  Or, on Zalanthas, possibly sand.

This doesn't even make sense. For the sake of argument, let's assume that "curtly" means "rudely" in the following usage.

"The flustered sergeant nods curtly to the bored templar before running off to obey his orders."

Replace curtly with rudely.

"The flustered sergeant nods rudely to the bored templar before running off to obey his orders."

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, PEOPLE.

[Thunkkin]

To me, it's rude to nod curtly to a templar because you are making a brief, perfunctory gesture at them.  I wouldn't give a templar a small cheery wave, either.

[Lizzie]

Which is why, when in doubt, I always refer to the primary definition of a word. And in the case of the word "curt," the -primary- definition, in every dictionary I've checked so far, defines curt as a "rude" manner or speech. Speech OR Manner. It's both, either. And that is the primary definition. In all dictionaries I've checked, "brief" has been either secondary, or explained with examples that involve someone being rude in manner or speech. If this bothers someone overmuch, I suggest they take it up with the publishers of all these dictionaries. Also, if a Sergeant was curt to a subordinate, that'd be expected. Sergeants are supposed to be curt to their subordinates. It keeps them in line. Subordinates, if they know what's good for them, would never be curt to their sergeants. They might be brief. Or even concise. But not in a rude way, which is what the word "curt" is used to convey.

[Thunkkin]

Well, the OED doesn't list rude as the primary meaning.

That said, the point I'm making is that it's context-specific.  A curt nod in some instances is -not- "rude."  In other contexts, it -is- rude.

[Lizzie]

Well if you consider it contextually, you have to take the next step, and define the context. What if it's someone you don't know, who isn't indicating his mood to you, but merely speaking curtly?

You ask the green-eyed stranger, in sirihish, "Have you seen the one-armed man who killed that templar down the block just now?"
Curtly, the green-eyed stranger says to you, in sirihish, "No, I haven't seen him."

Now, in this context, how should MY character perceive it? Is the green-eyed stranger being merely brief in his answer, because he doesn't have anything else to say? Or is he being rudely abrupt in his tone, as though trying to get me to leave him alone so he can tell the murderer, who just happens to be his best friend, that he's been identified?

How am I supposed to consider the context? I mean there are people who do things curtly ALL the time. So when they really -are- trying to be snappish and rude, you'd never know the difference. I don't think they do either. And that's the point I'm trying to make.

[Eloran]

That said, the point I'm making is that it's context-specific.  A curt nod in some instances is -not- "rude."  In other contexts, it -is- rude.

I'd agree on certain actions being context-specific.

That being said, if I were a templar and a sergeant of mine offered a "curt" nod, I wouldn't mind it so much. Being of a military mindset, I'd view the gesture as something akin to a sharp, snappy salute.

Response to above pics:

I consider none of those women to possess truly aquiline features.

The only characters I play with aquiline features are elves. I'm aware humans can have such sharply defined features as well, but I like there to be a definitive difference between the two races (for my own benefit).

[MarshallDFX]

On Curt:

The word curt to me has an essence of finality.  You could nod curtly to a templar then run out to do his bidding, but you wouldn't nod curtly to a templar in the middle of his sentence.  It's got a sort of "we're done here" tone. 

Used in speech, I'd put it synonymous with being short with someone.

[valeria]

I don't see any problem with not interpreting rude into a curt gesture, any more than I see a problem with interpreting it as rude.  If someone is brief and curt all the time, or hurrying off to do an errand, I'd probably interpret their actions differently than if I was asking directions and subsequently felt like they were telling me off.  Why not just use context?  Nobody is going to interpret the same word as having the same meaning all the time. 

I only think there's a problem when people are obviously using a word that, contextually, can't possibly have the meaning they're trying to assign to it.  Other than that, it's a matter of linguistic style, which is going to vary from person to person.