[Dialogue] Re: HELP! re halycon

[FacilitationFla@aol.com]

Hi Ellen,

On my, it's "Halcyon" -- I spelled it incorrectly!  (see explanation below 
from Anu Garg who sent me a halcyon as part of the "word a day" which I received 
last week, though I've always loved this word.  If you are interested in a 
Word a Day, contact Anu -- it's a wonderful daily surprise.  Also I'd recommend 
the book "The Meaning of Everything", by Simon Winchester -- which is the 
story of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary - a delicious history of 
the struggle to make it happen.

My best,
Cynthia

halcyon (HAL-see-uhn) adjective

   1. Peaceful; tranquil.

   2. Carefree; joyful.

   3. Golden; prosperous.

noun

   Any of various kingfishers of the genus Halcyon.

[From Greek halkyon (kingfisher) via Latin and Middle English. Halcyon
was a mythical bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was said to
breed around the winter solstice. It nested at sea and had the power
to charm the wind and waves so that they became calm.]

In Greek mythology, Alcyone was the daughter of Aeolus and wife of Ceyx.
When Ceyx drowned in a shipwreck, she threw herself into the sea. Out of
compassion, the gods transformed them into a pair of kingfishers. To
protect their nest, the winds were forbidden to blow for a week before and
after the winter solstice.

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=halcyon
Halcyon pictures: http://www.kingfisher-stamps.org/Halcyon.htm

  "In the halcyon days, the company's total workforce between the two
   plants topped 3,300 but the decline in those numbers has been ongoing
   for some considerable time."
   John Murphy; Concern Over Future of Plant; The Irish Examiner (Cork,
   Ireland); Mar 15, 2005.

So many mythological animals live on in literature, in our minds, and in
our imagination, that they would fill a virtual zoo.

Because these creatures are myths, they're not bound by biological rules.
Sometimes they're part human, part animal. They could have a human head
and an animal body, or vice versa.

These permutations and combinations of body parts make it look as though
the gods were playing a mix-n-match game of combining parts to make a
composite. At times, it even takes more than a single head to make one
of these mythical animals.

Enjoy looking at the menagerie this week and feel free to use them
metaphorically to allude their attributes to situations in your life.

-Anu Garg
anu at wordsmith.org


In a message dated 4/5/2005 6:00:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time, RHowie writes:
Dear Cynthia and Bob,
Halycon is not in my new 11th edition of M-W Collegiate dictionary.  It 
sounds like it might mean glorious/fun/wild & crazy ?????  Anyway, I'm intrigued 
and nosy!! (and embarrassed I can't quite know yet want to know!).  Of course, I 
also realize that I am eaves-dropping on Brian & Jeanette's greeting from you 
(and giving thanks for this wondrous list-serve that allows me to do 
so....kind of like family, where greetings to those in need are shared with the rest 
of those who care)
Take care, Ellen Howie

Cynthia N. Vance
Strategics International Inc.
8245 SW 116 Terrace
Miami, FL 33156
305-378-1327
Fax: 305-378-9178
http://members.aol.com/facilitationfla