lunes, 31 de marzo de 2008

La A en The Devil's Dictionary de Ambrose Bierce

Como Bierce bien afirma en el prólogo de este libro, han existido innumerables diccionarios del diablo, del cínico, de frases chuscas, etc. Ya estamos tan acostumbrados a ellos (tal vez hasta cansados) que lo mejor que podría hacer un autor es NO OCURRÍRSELE PUBLICAR EL SUYO PROPIO; o bueno, tendría que ser demasiado ingenioso para merecer existir.

A continuación coloco una selección de las definiciones de este diccionario que más gracia me causaron con la letra...


ABSENT, adj. Peculiarly exposed to the tooth of detraction; vilifed; hopelessly in the wrong; superseded in the consideration and affection of another.

To men a man is but a mind. Who cares what face he carries or what form he wears? But woman's body is the woman. O, stay thou, my sweetheart, and do never go, but heed the warning words the sage hath said: a woman absent is a woman dead.
Jogo Tyree

ACKNOWLEDGE, v.t. To confess. Acknowledgement of one another's faults is the highest duty imposed by our love of truth.

ACQUAINTANCE, n. A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. A degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous.

ACTUALLY, adv. Perhaps; possibly.

ADHERENT, n. A follower who has not yet obtained all that he expects to get.

ADMINISTRATION, n. An ingenious abstraction in politics, designed to receive the kicks and cuffs due to the premier or president. A man of straw, proof against bad-egging and dead-catting.

ADMIRATION, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves.

AGE, n. That period of life in which we compound for the vices that we still cherish by reviling those that we have no longer the enterprise to commit.

ALLIANCE, n. In international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other's pockets that they cannot separately plunder a third.

ANOINT, v.t. To grease a king or other great functionary already sufficiently slippery.

As sovereigns are anointed by the priesthood, so pigs to lead the populace are greased good.
Judibras

ANTIPATHY, n. The sentiment inspired by one's friend's friend.

ARDOR, n. The quality that distinguishes love without knowledge.

6 comentarios:

  1. "ACQUAINTANCE, n. A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. A degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous."

    Hahahaha. So true, so terribly true. can`t help but laugh. Also love the definition of alliance. :D

    ResponderBorrar
  2. Yes, SAD BUT TRUE. I also love the definiton of alliance, administration (the use oh this word is magnificent: it is a wild card to blame someone other than you when you're in charge of something) and anoint.

    I think I'll keep posting on the next letters.

    ResponderBorrar
  3. ¿Que a veces Edén y otras infierno?

    Pues sí, Pitonisa. Qué se le va a hacer.

    ResponderBorrar
  4. este post es excelente! y tienes razón, las definiciones que citas son realmente hilarantes.

    muchas gracias por pasarte por mi blog y dejar tu link, he encontrado cosas que me gustaron muchisimo en este espacio, así que el gusto de encontrarnos es mutuo, ojalá que sigamos en contacto.


    un gran saludo :)

    ResponderBorrar
  5. Gracias por tu comentario, Karla. Qué bueno que te haya gustado el post.

    A mí me gusta tu blog porque expones libros de los que de otro modo no sabría de su existencia. Algún día leeré uno de esos.

    ResponderBorrar

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