The "What's the Word?" Thread

[Calidore]

It occurs to me that a literary forum would be a good place to ask for that word that escapes you, hence this thread.

My question: I'm acting as guardian for a friend's kid. If I'm his guardian, what is he to me?

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

The first word that comes to mind is"charge"
He is your charge.

[stlukesguild]

Or your "ward"

[Buh4Bee]

It's ward, as has already been pointed out. Just google guardianship and a quick look at wiki will tell you.

[qimissung]

Charge can mean custody or guardianship, according to the World English Dictionary. Either is probably fine as well as accurate.

[cacian]

not a protégé then. :D

[qimissung]

No, that has a slightly different meaning. That's more like someone whose inyour fiels at work and you've taken under your wing and you're showing them the ropes so to speak.

[Calidore]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

Here's another one: Someone whose spouse dies is a widow or widower. A child whose parents have died is an orphan. Is there a word for parents who have lost their child?

[Buh4Bee]

I think ward is considered more a legal term.

[qimissung]

I haven't been able to discover that there is.

[Buh4Bee]

I agree with you. I don't think there is one either. I spoke with my psychologist friend and she said she had never hear of one.

I read on Yahoo Answers this:

"Vilomah is the word that Duke Professor Karla Holloway gave this particular pain in an attempt to answer this question. It means against the natural order of things, which is what the Chinese would say to describe the lose of a child."

The forum poster was describing this term in the context of labeling the pain of a grieving parent. This however, describes the state of the parent, but does not actually label who they are. Interesting, but doesn't provide the correct term. Oh well!

[qimissung]

I think I might have seen that post, too, Buh4Bee. Good research, Teach.

[Calidore]

Is there a word for the opposite of "catalyst"? A catalyst is an agent of change; this can also be a person. I'm wondering if there's a word for someone whose absence or removal causes the change, like Rebecca in Rebecca".

[AuntShecky]

For the anti-catalyst, I can only come up with idioms: Stalemate. Stumbling-block. Brick wall. Dead End. Maybe the verb "stymie," which I just found out was a term associated with golfing.

I'll try to think about the second missing word, re: "Rebecca." By the bye, the star of the movie version, Joan Fontaine, shuffled off this mortal coil this past Sunday, at the age of 96.

[Hawkman]

I've just installed a dogalytic converter in my car. It's a planet killing 4x4 so it now barks louder and converts breathable air into freon gas, an ozone eating cfc and refrigerant, thus slowing down endothermic and exothermic reactions, consequently slowing and even preventing change, not least, because it kills humans, the primary agent of change on this rock. Enjoy your remaining days, everyone, especially the 25th. Ps, I'm ok because I've got a gas mask :D

[SAUBees05]

Ok so there is a word for a novel that is historically accurate except in one key detail. What is this called? It's driving me nuts!! Help :(

[AuntShecky]

Ok so there is a word for a novel that is historically accurate except in one key detail. What is this called? It's driving me nuts!! Help :(

I know what kind of subgenre you're talking about. Jeff Greenfield's book is about what the world would be like today if JFK hadn't bought it in Dallas, but I'm not sure it is a novel. I think I've heard the term "Alternate (or "alternative") historical novel.

[Calidore]

"Alternate history" was my first thought also.