I Have a Book Contract!

Jengdau: excellent or genuineIn the past, stores were famous for their honesty. Jengdau meant to give the exact weight measured by a dau (dipper). The shopkeeper would use the measuring tool to obtain the precise amount desired. While jengdau originally referred to the exactness of quantity, it now also means the excellence of quality.Measuring out the right amount. I have a jengdau book contract! My Taiwanese generational novel has been picked up by Martin Sisters Publishing. After years of … [Read more...]

A Little Help from my Friends

Seuipeih: poor in knowledge or skill; sloppyA famous politician named Wohng Ngon Sehk (A.D. 1021-1086) wrote a dictionary. In it, he split the character "wave" into its basic literal strokes, breaking the word down into "skin of water." His contemporary, Sou Sik, a man of letters, disagreed with him. According to Wohng's rules, Sou argued, the character "slippery" would then be viewed as "bone of water." Sou believed that Wohng had been sloppy in his etymology.A writer can be sloppy after … [Read more...]