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The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Sunday 22 July 2018

Sunday Rest: laevorotation.

A matter of laevorotation solves the mystery in one of Dorothy L Sayers marvellous novels (I won't say which one because I don't want to spoil anyone's fun) but as far as I can remember she doesn't use the word laevorotation once - and if Dorothy L Sayers can avoid it then so can the rest of us.

It means round in a leftwards direction and was coined to describe what happens when you shine light through various chemicals. 

In the real world, no one needs it. 

If you are a practitioner of ancient magic then widdershins will do.

For the rest of us, then, to speak plainly, anticlockwise will make you look much less of a dork.

Sunday Rest: laevorotation. The Latin laevo- comes from laevus, which means left. 

This word is used without shame among chemists, but even then only, surely, when safely disguised in their white coats.


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