Snob Words: Making Sense of Words You Wish You Knew, But Don't



Snob words are lexical aristocrats, highfalutin' words and phrases--often derived from foreign languages--that never appear on sixth-grade spelling tests. They're words you don't know, but feel you should know.

And because you don't know them, you often feel excluded.

For example, when Architectural Digest reveals that the actress of the moment has just installed an étagère in her pied-á-terre--and you're left racing to find a French dictionary app--you're a victim of snob words. Those fortunate enough to know the terms are in on the secret, while you're left standing behind the red velvet rope.

This blog is an attempt to demystify snob words, which show up frequently in publications that cater to well educated, upscale readers.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

trompe l’oeil (TOME΄-play)

     Trompe l’oeil, French for ‘deceives the eye,’ is a visual illusion that tricks the eye into seeing flat, painted detail as three-dimensional.
              While the technique appears in fine art from time to time, the term generally refers to decorative painting, such as murals and faux finishes.  For example, trompe l’oeil can be used to make an indoor room seem surrounded by garden trellises or to make wooden surfaces look like marble.
              “When Elsa Schiaparelli launched her first fashion craze in 1927—sweaters with whimsical trompe l’oeil bows—she hadn't had any training in clothing design.” (Departures, September 2003)


File:Mantegna.jpg
Trompe l'oeil mural on ceiling of  Castell San Giorgio, Mantua, Italy.
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