Monday, 20 December 2010
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
XMAS STUFF:Copy of a post at Transalpine Redemptorists at home: Taking Christ out of Xmas
Click here for origainal post WITH SOUND:Transalpine Redemptorists at home: Taking Christ out of Xmas: "At this time of year, it is possible to hear that by writing Xmas to abbreviate the word Christmas, we are joining the secular world and, ef..."
Their emphasis in RED so my fisking is in GREEN-Mike
In our own language we find the Greek Xp
first rendered in English as Xr.
In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written about 1100 we read
Christmas
abbreviated to
Xres mæsse.
another
Their emphasis in RED so my fisking is in GREEN-Mike
Taking Christ out of Xmas
At this time of year,
it is possible to hear (especially from weirder protestantistas, even some secularists, who deliberately write and use this(the most common written!) form of spelling to affirm their non- or anti- Christianity!) that by writing
Xmas to abbreviate the word Christmas,
we are joining the secular world
and,
effectively,
taking Christ out of Christmas
as if we had put an X through His Holy Name.
(note to put an x through=to cross out=tachar)
But not so!
Such is not a traditional insight.
This is a false new notion
that threatens to take Christ out of Xmas
and fill us with fear of using the hallowed abbreviation.
This is then a good time to remember
that the use of the letter X
comes from the original Greek of the Gospel
and is one of the very ancient abbreviations in our language
that precisely means
Christ.
it is possible to hear (especially from weirder protestantistas, even some secularists, who deliberately write and use this(the most common written!) form of spelling to affirm their non- or anti- Christianity!) that by writing
Xmas to abbreviate the word Christmas,
we are joining the secular world
and,
effectively,
taking Christ out of Christmas
as if we had put an X through His Holy Name.
(note to put an x through=to cross out=tachar)
But not so!
Such is not a traditional insight.
This is a false new notion
that threatens to take Christ out of Xmas
and fill us with fear of using the hallowed abbreviation.
This is then a good time to remember
that the use of the letter X
comes from the original Greek of the Gospel
and is one of the very ancient abbreviations in our language
that precisely means
Christ.
When we look at the picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour
we see that the letters above the Infant Jesus
are
IC XC
the abbreviation for
Jesus (IC) Christ (XC).
we see that the letters above the Infant Jesus
are
IC XC
the abbreviation for
Jesus (IC) Christ (XC).
In the Greek of the Gospels,
the word Christ
Christos is written as Χριστός,
and the letter X
is just the first letter of his name.
Thus the icon writes the first and last letter of Χριστός
as
XC.
Not all did this.
Some abbreviated Christ to the first two Greek letters Xp.
the word Christ
Christos is written as Χριστός,
and the letter X
is just the first letter of his name.
Thus the icon writes the first and last letter of Χριστός
as
XC.
Not all did this.
Some abbreviated Christ to the first two Greek letters Xp.
The X in Xmas
is the Greek letter equivalent to the English letters Ch;
monks and priests have used it for centuries
when writing the Holy Name of Christ.
In English Xt is a common ecclesiastical abbreviation fo Christ.
Seminarians with fast speaking professors
often come to writing
Xt for Christ or even Xh for Church.
The most ancient way to abbreviate Christ's name
was Xp
which in English is the same as
Xr
(since the Greek for 'r' is written as 'p').That abbreviation -the XP- shown above to the right of Christ
comes from the catacombs.
The XP is also is often seen on sacred vestments;
it is the abbreviation and monogram for Christ.
is the Greek letter equivalent to the English letters Ch;
monks and priests have used it for centuries
when writing the Holy Name of Christ.
In English Xt is a common ecclesiastical abbreviation fo Christ.
Seminarians with fast speaking professors
often come to writing
Xt for Christ or even Xh for Church.

was Xp
which in English is the same as
Xr
(since the Greek for 'r' is written as 'p').That abbreviation -the XP- shown above to the right of Christ
comes from the catacombs.

The XP is also is often seen on sacred vestments;
it is the abbreviation and monogram for Christ.
The Anglo Saxon Cronicle.
In our own language we find the Greek Xp
first rendered in English as Xr.
In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written about 1100 we read
Christmas
abbreviated to
Xres mæsse.
About the same time that we have this abbreviation for Christmas,
we also have an example in the donation Inventory
written by Bishop Leofric
of England(1046 - 1073)
who records the gift of a Saxon Gospel thus:
Englisc Xres-boc
(=English Christ-book)( The modern English word Gospel is probably older in origin, it was originally "God's spell" -we no longer use, except in song, the expression "Gospel-makers" for the four Evangelists, Mathew, Mark, Luke , and John.)
He also used the Xr abbreviation in Xres-boc for Christ-book.(presumably a vulgate latin volume of the gospels, not English)
(Illustrations of Anglo Saxon Poetry, John Conybeare, London, 1826, p. 199)
Xmas is an ancient abbreviation for Christmas.
Its use does not "take Christ out of Christmas".
Its use continues the ancient style of
uniting the Greek X of the Gospel to our English language,
as our forebears(=ancestors =antecessores/antepasados) have done
for nearly a thousand years provably,If not more like 1400 in fact !
Let us keep Christ both in Xmas
and indeed in Christmas too.
we also have an example in the donation Inventory
written by Bishop Leofric
of England(1046 - 1073)
who records the gift of a Saxon Gospel thus:
Englisc Xres-boc
(=English Christ-book)( The modern English word Gospel is probably older in origin, it was originally "God's spell" -we no longer use, except in song, the expression "Gospel-makers" for the four Evangelists, Mathew, Mark, Luke , and John.)
He also used the Xr abbreviation in Xres-boc for Christ-book.(presumably a vulgate latin volume of the gospels, not English)
(Illustrations of Anglo Saxon Poetry, John Conybeare, London, 1826, p. 199)
Xmas is an ancient abbreviation for Christmas.
Its use does not "take Christ out of Christmas".
Its use continues the ancient style of
uniting the Greek X of the Gospel to our English language,
as our forebears(=ancestors =antecessores/antepasados) have done
for nearly a thousand years provably,If not more like 1400 in fact !
Let us keep Christ both in Xmas
and indeed in Christmas too.
_______________________________________________
More on Xmas, mostly from Mike.
A lot of oddities about Anglosphere Christmases derive from their PROHIBITION


This happened in the midseventeenth century.
There was a civil war. About half a million dead, the same number as in Spain three centuries later, but greater in proportion( the then population was only about 5million).
Cavaliers versus Roundheads
Cavaliers versus Roundheads
On the one side were the ROYALISTS (MONARCHISTS) aka Cavaliers,(also= uncircumcized, or intact,) mostly after their dashing romantic hairstyles, and clothes. 
They lost the war.
(We still use the word "cavalier" as an adjective for somebody perhaps dashing, debonair, perhaps a bit inconsiderate regarding social norms and the importance of bourgois ideas.Teenagers typically have a cavalier attitude to their parents' rules. It comes from the French word cognate with"caballero" but the meaning in English is different from either. Except in games or in contrast etc "Roundhead" has a much more limited modern use. Many places in England reeanct Civil War battles at festivals, there is even a nationwide society, the "sealed knot",(press for link, or here for video)with tens of thousands of members, dedicated to dressing up as Roundheads and Cavaliers and reenacting battles.)

They lost the war.
(We still use the word "cavalier" as an adjective for somebody perhaps dashing, debonair, perhaps a bit inconsiderate regarding social norms and the importance of bourgois ideas.Teenagers typically have a cavalier attitude to their parents' rules. It comes from the French word cognate with"caballero" but the meaning in English is different from either. Except in games or in contrast etc "Roundhead" has a much more limited modern use. Many places in England reeanct Civil War battles at festivals, there is even a nationwide society, the "sealed knot",(press for link, or here for video)with tens of thousands of members, dedicated to dressing up as Roundheads and Cavaliers and reenacting battles.)
On the other side were the Parliamentarians.( All of them, constitutionalists, anarchists, commmunists, etc) except the puritans, lost too.) ParliamentariaN-Puritan aka Roundheads.( also= circumcized). from their simple,(if still longish) haircuts a bit like the beatles , and
.
.

their very distinctive helmets. They were noted for their more sober dress and simpler ways.
The real winners were a Generalisimo, Oliver Cromwell
a Puritan , and his "New Model Army "(especially once he had purged it) and their Puritan Ideologues. Some of the nastiest Puritans, who were quite nasty anyway, came over from the Puritan colonies in New England to help impose Puritanism.
The real winners were a Generalisimo, Oliver Cromwell

They prohibited Christmas. And Christmas food.And even not working at Christmas. So had the Puritan colonies in America. (The Americans call their Puritan colonist forebears "freedomloving founding fathers".The freedom they were looking for was not just freedom of worship*-for themselves- but freedom to control everything and everyone.)
*Freedom of worship: worship
For these historical reasons,while in USA the word Puritan has very positive and warm connotations, and the puritans are idolized at "thanksgiving", which they celebrate MORE than Christmas!
in the UK the word maintains distinctively negative connotations.
I had an image of the parliamentary report on this at the EOI on computer, but can't find it, so Ive copied the above image from: (click on to read more )http://marymagdalen.blogspot.com/2010/12/london-defies-banning-christmas.html)
*Freedom of worship: worship
For these historical reasons,while in USA the word Puritan has very positive and warm connotations, and the puritans are idolized at "thanksgiving", which they celebrate MORE than Christmas!
in the UK the word maintains distinctively negative connotations.
I had an image of the parliamentary report on this at the EOI on computer, but can't find it, so Ive copied the above image from: (click on to read more )http://marymagdalen.blogspot.com/2010/12/london-defies-banning-christmas.html)
They executed the king ( after a show trial) and called the country a "commonwealth", the then translation of republic in English.
Cromwell was the Lord Protector.(of the commonwealth).
In fact it was the first modern Dictatorship and Cromwell was the Dictator.
Not just regicides, liberticides.
Awful, but:
Cromwell was the Lord Protector.(of the commonwealth).
In fact it was the first modern Dictatorship and Cromwell was the Dictator.
Not just regicides, liberticides.
Awful, but:
another
Saturday, 11 December 2010
clothes fashion and the like
Warm-up:
We go brave in our apparel* that we may be taken for better men than we be. We use much bombastings*** and quiltings to seem fitter -formed, better-shouldered, smaller-waisted, fuller -thighed than we are. We barbe** and shave often to seem younger than we are. We use perfumes both inward and outward to seem sweeter than we be. We use courteous salutations to seem kinder than we are; and sometimes graver and Godlier communications to seem wiser than we be.
— Sir John Harrington, 16th century. (* = garments, outfit, clothes, the clothes we wear, the clothes we are wearing. ** today we still use "a barber" for a hairdresser,cf a barbers', a barbershop, but to barbe = have someone shave you/cut your hair/ groom you, we don't..***Bombast is now only used metaphorically., adjective:bombastic)
Do you agree? Disagree? Is this a typical masculine point of view? Are men only real men when they are sloppily or shabbily dressed ( like me) unshaven, with illkempt hair, and smell of... ..? Is this still relevant today, or oldfashioned?
He was talking about other men - did this , does this, apply to women too?
And ENJOY:
Masses of vocab! in purple, italic, bold .YOU can look it up for yourselves!
Lyrics:(my fisking in red)
They seek him here, they seek him there,
His clothes are loud, but never square.
It will make* or break him so he's got to buy the best,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
And when he does his little rounds,(to do one's rounds is the decription of a JOB, a postman or repairman etc. It's used ironically here)
'Round the boutiques of London Town,
Eagerly pursuing all the latest fads and trends,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
He thinks he is a flower to be looked at,
And when he pulls his frilly nylon panties right up tight,
He feels a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
There's one thing that he loves and that is flattery.
One week he's in polka-dots, the next week he is in stripes.
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
They seek him here, they seek him there,
In Regent Street and Leicester Square.(fashionable streets in London's west end)
Everywhere the Carnabetian( Carnaby street is still with us, but carnabetian as a word is disused) army marches on,
Each one an dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
His world is built 'round discoteques and parties.
This pleasure-seeking individual always looks his best
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly.
In matters of the cloth he is as fickle as can be,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
* Beau Brummel, 200years ago, on a fashion-victim of his times: " His tailor makes him.Now me, I make my tailor". To make or break refers to critical, deisive, all-or-nothing , succeed or fail, points or moments, and there is even an adjective: make-or-break
and again,(click for link to wikipedia for background, )same song, with plenty of swinging London, late60s, Carnaby street, etc.
First, or skippable :Quck revision:
Nb Usa bathrobe , uk dressing-gown, aka housecoat, etc
usa pajamas, aka jammies,uk pyjamas, aka various versions, inc skijamas etc
Pants is inner or outer depending on which side of the atlantic.
For many people it is politically incorrect to talk of blouses, since the word belittles women.Shirts only, the men's garment is a power word??!!!
As for underwear, the vocubulary issue is complicated.
also go to:http://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_men/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
Andhttp://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_women/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
and http://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_winter/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
andhttp://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/sewing/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
The above four have sound, the following is just visual:
http://www.learnenglish.de/vocabulary/clothes.htm#Anatomy
I've not given the ladies enough of a look in:
here's a"taster": Interesting vocab in bold, my fisking in red
This blog uses language I know, but would NEVER use in this context, and expresses emotions I don't feel about fashion, clothes, and shopping, but it should be fairly easy for advanced -level fashionistas who enjoy talking clothes, talking shopping, even perhaps want to aquire a vocabulary several thousand words beyond their teachers at the EOI (me even): click for the full thing, highly recommended:
:http://blog.fashionalamode.com/2008/01/18/on-the-subject-of-rain-boots/ and other posts on the same blog
Now for something topical:
e='movie' value='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/template/utils/ooyala/telegraph_player.swf'/>
We go brave in our apparel* that we may be taken for better men than we be. We use much bombastings*** and quiltings to seem fitter -formed, better-shouldered, smaller-waisted, fuller -thighed than we are. We barbe** and shave often to seem younger than we are. We use perfumes both inward and outward to seem sweeter than we be. We use courteous salutations to seem kinder than we are; and sometimes graver and Godlier communications to seem wiser than we be.
— Sir John Harrington, 16th century. (* = garments, outfit, clothes, the clothes we wear, the clothes we are wearing. ** today we still use "a barber" for a hairdresser,cf a barbers', a barbershop, but to barbe = have someone shave you/cut your hair/ groom you, we don't..***Bombast is now only used metaphorically., adjective:bombastic)
Do you agree? Disagree? Is this a typical masculine point of view? Are men only real men when they are sloppily or shabbily dressed ( like me) unshaven, with illkempt hair, and smell of... ..? Is this still relevant today, or oldfashioned?
He was talking about other men - did this , does this, apply to women too?
And ENJOY:
Masses of vocab! in purple, italic, bold .YOU can look it up for yourselves!
Lyrics:(my fisking in red)
They seek him here, they seek him there,
His clothes are loud, but never square.
It will make* or break him so he's got to buy the best,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
And when he does his little rounds,(to do one's rounds is the decription of a JOB, a postman or repairman etc. It's used ironically here)
'Round the boutiques of London Town,
Eagerly pursuing all the latest fads and trends,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
He thinks he is a flower to be looked at,
And when he pulls his frilly nylon panties right up tight,
He feels a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
There's one thing that he loves and that is flattery.
One week he's in polka-dots, the next week he is in stripes.
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
They seek him here, they seek him there,
In Regent Street and Leicester Square.(fashionable streets in London's west end)
Everywhere the Carnabetian( Carnaby street is still with us, but carnabetian as a word is disused) army marches on,
Each one an dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
His world is built 'round discoteques and parties.
This pleasure-seeking individual always looks his best
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly.
In matters of the cloth he is as fickle as can be,
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
* Beau Brummel, 200years ago, on a fashion-victim of his times: " His tailor makes him.Now me, I make my tailor". To make or break refers to critical, deisive, all-or-nothing , succeed or fail, points or moments, and there is even an adjective: make-or-break
and again,(click for link to wikipedia for background, )same song, with plenty of swinging London, late60s, Carnaby street, etc.
First, or skippable :Quck revision:
Nb Usa bathrobe , uk dressing-gown, aka housecoat, etc
usa pajamas, aka jammies,uk pyjamas, aka various versions, inc skijamas etc
Pants is inner or outer depending on which side of the atlantic.
For many people it is politically incorrect to talk of blouses, since the word belittles women.Shirts only, the men's garment is a power word??!!!
As for underwear, the vocubulary issue is complicated.
also go to:http://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_men/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
Andhttp://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_women/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
and http://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/clothes_winter/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
andhttp://www.languageguide.org/vocabulary/sewing/?lang=en&target=zh-tw
The above four have sound, the following is just visual:
http://www.learnenglish.de/vocabulary/clothes.htm#Anatomy
I've not given the ladies enough of a look in:
here's a"taster": Interesting vocab in bold, my fisking in red
On the Subject of Rain Boots…..
January 18, 2008 by Fashion a la Mode
Buying a pair of shoes is usually such a joyous experience for me. I love to browse, touch, try on and most importantly, bring home new pairs of shoes. The odd thing is, I recently had a shoe shopping experience that made me feel more like I was shopping for car insurance, not a fabulous piece of fashion for my feet. So what could possibly put such a damper on (to put/cast a damper on : originally to control fires , hence to put a damper on the party=aguar la fiesta) my favorite pass-time? The answer is rain boots. Rubbery, floppy, goofy, tacky rain boots!!!
Let me assure you that this purchase was totally out of necessity. Florida girls may not need them but, if you live in a big city, it’s a very bad idea too live without them. So, the only thing left to do was suck it up and buy a pair of so called “wellies”. The real trouble started when I saw how ridiculous some of the styles were. There are psychedelic prints, skulls, ducks and cute little animals. None of these however, would fit the bill (=to suit)for me. Fashion Gods bless those who they will.
So, for any of you fashion-lovers out there who find themselves in the unlucky situation of needing new rain-boots , here are some choices that just might NOT make you cringe.

![]() |
Standard black rubber wellington boot, aka a wellie aka a gumboot aka a gummer aka a rainboot aka etc. This is just one.Most people buy and wear a pair. |

This blog uses language I know, but would NEVER use in this context, and expresses emotions I don't feel about fashion, clothes, and shopping, but it should be fairly easy for advanced -level fashionistas who enjoy talking clothes, talking shopping, even perhaps want to aquire a vocabulary several thousand words beyond their teachers at the EOI (me even): click for the full thing, highly recommended:
:http://blog.fashionalamode.com/2008/01/18/on-the-subject-of-rain-boots/ and other posts on the same blog
Now for something topical:
e='movie' value='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/template/utils/ooyala/telegraph_player.swf'/>
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