Make Your Point: BOUSTROPHEDON

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pronounce BOUSTROPHEDON:

boo struh FEE dun

connect this word to others:

I've mentioned this before: the Greek word for "ox or cow" is bous, which gives us the words buffalo, bulimia (literally "ox-hunger"), butter (which might literally mean "cow cheese"), and these:

1. Something buc____c is simple and peaceful, like a life spent out in the country, milking cows.

2. Someone Bo__tian is dull, stupid, simple, and uncultured, reminding you of residents from a rural area that the ancient Athenians looked down on.

3. Something boustrophedon is written like an ox plows a field: from left to right, then down, then from right to left, and so on. Let's explore that!

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "boustrophedon" has Greek bits that literally mean "turning like an ox while plowing a field."

Since 1783 or so, we've used it in English to describe texts that are arranged in an alternating left-to-right, right-to-left way.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

It can be a noun, the uncountable kind: "The messages are written in boustrophedon."

And an adjective: "The messages are written in a boustrophedon manner."

Other forms:

None are common, but if you want an adjective that sounds more like an adjective, you can use "boustrophedonic."

Not all dictionaries recognize the adverb "boustrophedonically," but holy cow, don't let that stop you! "I like how this robot vacuums the rug boustrophedonically."

how to use it:

Well, you might never need to use this rare, ultra-scholarly word at all! But if you do, please tell me about it!

To use the adjective, you might talk about boustrophedon texts, writing, messages, inscriptions, or carvings.

And to use the noun, you might talk about writing in boustrophedon.

Although this word almost always applies to writing, you could apply it to anything that moves in that ox-like, linear, top-to-bottom, alternating left-to-right way. How about some boustrophedon ants, some boustrophedon sweeping, some boustrophedon searching for your missing earring, some boustrophedon exploration in a video game, or some boustrophedon wandering back and forth across your city?

examples:

"The inscriptions, with the exception of the bowl brought from Babylon, are all in relief and boustrophedon."
— Theophilus G. Pinches, The Old Testament in the Light of the Historical Records and Legends of Assyria and Babylonia, 19 August 1908

"You dimly discern the majestic form of a venerable man stooping above a coffer of cedar and ivory, carved with the exploits of the goddess, and with boustrophedon inscriptions."
— Andrew Lang, Books and Bookmen, 1887

has this page helped you understand "boustrophedon"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "boustrophedon" without saying "alternating left-to-right and right-to left" or "turning like the ox plows."

try it out:

In the modern world, writing in boustrophedon is a rarity. Most societies just don't do it that way.

But, see if you can come up with three or more reasons why boustrophedon writing could be better, easier, or more efficient—for the writer and/or the reader.

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March is "Tidbits and Titles: Books That Became Movies!"

I provide the tidbits; you provide the title. And every answer will be a book that has been made into a movie. To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Let's play!

Here's a quote from the book: "His hat was old, his coat was worn, his elbows were in holes; water trickled through his shoes, and the stars through his soul."

Here are some words and phrases that often appear in that book: Bishop, child, dark, father, francs, garden, gaze, heart, human, light, living, men, Monsieur, nature, Paris, poor, prison, respect, soul, window, young.

What's the book's title?

review this word:

1. A near opposite of BOUSTROPHEDON is

A. TOP-NOTCH.
B. LEFT-TO-RIGHT.
C. AS-THE-CROW-FLIES.

2. You'll find some writing in boustrophedon _____.

A. in the coding for any given webpage
B. on most quality modern American headstones
C. on an ancient Greek artifact: a marble stele

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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