January 19, 2018

Attempted coinage fails, as I discover "mactation" is an existing (though rare) word.

For some reason, we were discussing the topic of male lactation.

Anyway, "mactation" is "The action of killing, esp. the slaughtering of a sacrificial victim" (OED). To go back to 1563: "The Lambe of God..of whose mactation Isayas fore prophecieth." And in the 20th century, there's T.S. Eliot: "If the mactations, immolations, oblations, impetrations, Are now observed."
Posted by Ann Althouse at 4:18 PM
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9 comments:

buwaya said...

Another thing you will rarely find in a US High School - the works of T.S.Eliot

1/19/18, 4:30 PM
Kevin said...

Confusing mactation and male lactation is like confusing masturbation and mastication.

1/19/18, 4:33 PM
Wince said...

For some reason, we were discussing the topic of male lactation.

Instead of the OED, you should have consulted the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook.

1/19/18, 4:38 PM
Bob Boyd said...

"Confusing mactation and male lactation is like confusing masturbation and mastication."

I knew a guy who could do all four at once.

1/19/18, 4:39 PM
n.n said...

Elective abortion.

1/19/18, 5:02 PM
Ann Althouse said...

"Confusing mactation and male lactation is like confusing masturbation and mastication."

It was a humorous coinage, abandoned because it was already a word. I am surprised to find an English word (other than a technical word) that I don't know already.

1/19/18, 5:07 PM
tcrosse said...

There is a special manziere for those who are mactating.

1/19/18, 5:32 PM
Josephbleau said...

In my youth, a Mad Magazine segment had a politician say "My opponent's sister is a thespian!" Adults must realize that some words sound similar.

1/19/18, 7:48 PM
Kevin said...

"My opponent's sister is a thespian!"

Still funny.

1/20/18, 5:22 AM

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