Message-ID: <4482860.1075846759006.JavaMail.evans@thyme>
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 17:06:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: wsmith@wordsmith.org
To: linguaphile@wordsmith.org
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--panopticon
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-From: Wordsmith <wsmith@wordsmith.org>
X-To: linguaphile@wordsmith.org
X-cc: 
X-bcc: 
X-Folder: \Susan_Scott_Dec2000_June2001_2\Notes Folders\All documents
X-Origin: SCOTT-S
X-FileName: sscott5.nsf

panopticon (pan-OP-ti-kon) noun

   A building, as a prison, hospital, library, or the like, so arranged
   that all parts of the interior are visible from a single point.

[Pan- + Greek optikon sight, seeing (neuter of optikos).]

   "We know that they know they are being watched by a contemporary writer;
   but inside this careful panopticon they live and breathe fully as free
   fictional characters."
   James Wood, The Palpable Past-Intimate, New Republic, Mar 27, 2000.

This week's theme: words that make one say, I didn't know there was a word
for that.

.............................................................................
Avarice, envy, pride, / Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all / On
Fire. -Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) [The Divine Comedy]

Send your comments about words to anu@wordsmith.org.  To subscribe or
unsubscribe A.Word.A.Day, send a message to wsmith@wordsmith.org with
"Subject:" line as "subscribe <Your Name>" or "unsubscribe".  Archives,
FAQ, gift subscription form, and more at: http://wordsmith.org/awad/

Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/panopticon.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/panopticon.ram