Sunday, February 18, 2007

Polynia

Polynia is a space of open water surrounded by ice such as might be found in the Arctic Sea. I would never have guessed that in a million years, but there you go. A nice variety of meanings on the blog today, with some new entrants as well which is always encouraging. Auntibeck's meaning found favour with the voters. Well done, again Auntibeck!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Polynia is a type of helpful criticism discussed in Masters-level university communications courses.

"An example of polynia," said the professor, " would be when the hairdresser tells her client that she would look much better and healthier with her hair blunt-cut to her shoulders instead of with long, stragling dreadlocks."

LauraLee said...

A polynia is a secluded underground cavern with a regular waterflow.

"As we were spelunking, we happened upon a polynia, where we decided to rest and refill our canteens."

Anonymous said...

Polynia are minute insects found only in the Polynesian Islands.

desert flower said...

Polynia are minute insects found only in the Polynesian Islands.

auntibeck said...

Polynia are the tiny little fibers that roll into balls off of polyester slacks when the thighs rub together.

Georgina had gained a little weight over the holidays. To her utter horror, she noticed little hard balls on her polyester pants where her thighs were now touching. The polynia could only be removed with a razor blade which took hours and if she wasn't careful could tear the fabric. She vowed to lose 10 pounds by Easter.

Anonymous said...

Polynia -abstract noun, a condition whereby one state is perceived as another; more commonly as an adjective, polyniacal. In biology, a sudden relaxing or elongation of muscles as a precondition to weakening spasms after robust use, ie uncontrollably weak-at-the-knee. Marx brought the idea to economics and historical materialism with the notion 'when all that's solid melts into air' a polyniacal shift has occured prior to the next stage of stability; in psychology, waking up to the smell of the coffee: the realisation caused an inate tightening of the skin around her eyes and a pale to sweep across her face, until her humors raged, their polynia, a blush burned deep into her cheeks.

Anonymous said...

Polynia is an old square dance. The polynia is very tiring, because it involves lots of knee-lifting. Therefore dancing the polynia is only for the very ypung or the very fit.

Anonymous said...

Polynia is the accumulation of murmurs and chin scratchings with which a timid person almost disagrees with you, that nevertheless don't quite add up to a single "No".

Anonymous said...

And just for the young as well! No doubt all word imps out there are a very intelligent bunch, so i'm sure you all know what I meant.

Anonymous said...

Polynia was Pollyana's evil twin.

Molly Malone said...

Polynia. N. - a cousin to the puffin. its nose is slightly larger and more purple. it inhabits a small chain of islands off the northeast coast of Iceland. once thought to be an imaginary species, they were verified in 1974 by a team of biology students from Nova Scotia.

Shari said...

Polynia is a condition of "many." Too many, in fact. Like hoarding a collection and never having enough. One just keeps on collecting things and having a double of everything stored somewhere...just in case.

Aunt Margaret collected salt and pepper shakers. She had a cabinet with glass doors stuffed with salt and pepper shakers. It didn't stop there, polynial as it is, she bought double of everything in case one broke (but you know she will try to find another set to replace her second one).