Come, tell me about your dishevelled zinc finger...

[desperance]

The ESRC Genomics Network is holding a short story competition. Stories about genetic influence, policy, issues. My baby-SF-writer soul wants to play, and thinks you should too. If that's the bag you're into.

Also, the subject line above is the first time I have ever typed "dishevelled" (yes, I am sure of this; I always know. The fingers recognise a strange pattern even as they shape it), and it occurred to me as I did, it's one of those words; it should be twinned, and isn't. Only the negative form exists. People - and genes, apparently - are frequently dishevelled (I myself am dishevelled as I type this; it's my natural state), but no one is ever hevelled.

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

OK, I'll bite: shevelled, surely, meaning with one's hair in good order? Which I certainly never am...

[lagilman]

shevelled: To be so perfectly coiffed a Cat 4 storm couldn't muss you. See also shellacked.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Hee. I have a Cat 2 storm in this house who reckon they can muss anybody. Why else would I shave my head...?

[lagilman]

Boomer (see icon) is absolutely Cat 3 and rising. But I don't think I could work the shaved head look quite so well....

[dedbutdrmng.livejournal.com]

Re: Hevelled.

Never 'Gusted' either. Although I do like the sound of it.

I got to use the word 'frangible' earlier this week. I've been looking for an opportunity for ages but never found the right one. Then I did. I was very pleased.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Can a finger -- even a zinc one -- be dishevelled? I think to be dis-, one has to be shevelled first, and I think shevelling involves fur or hair or at the very least some kind of covering. So one might, I suppose, have dishevelled gloves (though I doubt it. It sounds wrong).
My word of the working-in at present is transhumance. I've used it many times in non-fiction, but getting it into fiction is a new goal.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

I've known some men with very hairy fingers...?

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I'm not at all sure I wanted to know that!

[martyn44.livejournal.com]

Could it be a mispelling of antiquity? Should it be 'hovelled' and the twin 'dishovelled'? Think Highland Clearances.

Sorry, I've been watching Neil Oliver's series on Scottish history.

[agoodwinsmith.livejournal.com]

You can't be gruntled, either. And then there's the whole regardless, irregardless thing.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Gruntled, absolutely. Irregardless, absolutely not: it is a non-word, an expression of ignorance. What's it supposed to mean, for cryin' out loud...?

[pennski.livejournal.com]

Whereas I am full of gorm.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

You are, indeed you are! And couth with it.

[agoodwinsmith.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I just inherit'em, y'know? It probably seemed part of a matched set with irredeemable, irregular, and irreligious. In the same vein there's flammable and inflammable - although now it turns out that flammable doesn't exist. Huh. I'm sure I've see it is cautionary literature. Well, how 'bout that. I think my gruntle has achieved dis.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have the germ of a story already which may fit the bill. Ta for the heads-up.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Excellent news. Hevel those genes!