|
|
#17 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 12:22 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Quote: |
| That depends on the image one wants to create. Not all words transfer well in context. |
I agree. What I meant when I said MrP was spot on was that his suggestion was precisely what was defined in the dictionary.
The word globules sounds a bit misplaced in this context. I have no intuition of any kind, but still, it sounds odd to me.  _________________ Non-native speaker of English
=================================
I intend to live forever - so far, so good. |
|
Daemon99 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 684
|
|
#18 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 12:35 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I agree. What I meant when I said MrP was spot on was that his suggestion was precisely what was defined in the dictionary. |
Not exactly. He suggested an alternative to "droplets", he did not offer a defintion of "tumpara".
| Quote: |
| The word globules sounds a bit misplaced in this context. I have no intuition of any kind, but still, it sounds odd to me. |
You might find it in a BBC wildlife documentary, for example. Imagine David Attenborough "When you stand near a waterfall, small globules of water fall on you.". Who knows?
And I'm not sure whether "small droplets" is redundant or not. |
|
Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
|
 |
#19 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 12:45 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
. Are you attempting to lead people to believe that David Attenborough actually said that, Molly? . |
|
Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
|
 |
#20 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 12:50 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Yankee wrote: |
. Are you attempting to lead people to believe that David Attenborough actually said that, Molly? . |
Did you miss the "imagine" here?
| Quote: |
| Imagine David Attenborough, ... |
Funnily enough, the words "globules" and "david attenborough" do seem to have a little attraction to each other.
55 English pages for globules "david attenborough". |
|
Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
|
 |
#21 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 13:03 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Molly wrote: |
You might find it in a BBC wildlife documentary, for example. Imagine David Attenborough "When you stand near a waterfall, small globules of water fall on you.". Who knows?
And I'm not sure whether "small droplets" is redundant or not. |
Actually I've heard this "globules of water" on a wildlife documentary. I don't remember which programme, and there is no way I can prove this but I remembered being struck by the usage, because I thought it was odd at first. I got the meaning so I shrugged it off accepting that the narrator was just being creative. |
|
NinaZara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 1165 Location: Malaysia (Cat city)
|
 |
#22 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 13:07 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I got the meaning so I shrugged it off accepting that the narrator was just being creative. |
Thank goodness. 
Here's another example:
To me, the lens-like quality of water globules lends a good image to the context of a person standing by a waterfall and getting hit by such globules. |
|
Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
|
 |
#23 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 13:31 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
The picture that 'a globule of water' brings to mind is that of big round drops of water. If someone were to say 'globules of water', I would picture these globules as being on a surface that was basically horizontal and nonabsorbent -- like beads of water.
If you said that 'globules of water fell on you', I would interpret that to mean rather large drops fell on you. Visually, the individual drops would be clearly separate.
The word 'spray' seems much more appropriate a term to describe the type water of water that might hit you when you're near a waterfall. The droplets of water would be far tinier. . |
|
Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
|
 |
|
Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
|
 |
#25 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 14:30 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
Indeed, it is a matter of perception.
In physics I think the word globule is used as often as droplet to discuss surface tension.
And it is true that globules are usually used for bigger droplets, but if my observation is correct, depending on how close you are to the waterfall, you could end up drenched!
Sometimes you get "sprays",sometimes you get "globules". |
|
NinaZara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 1165 Location: Malaysia (Cat city)
|
 |
#26 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 14:39 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
Hi,
I can just imagine a conversation between two people standing near Niagara Falls and arguing about whether globules or droplets or even blobs of water are landing on their faces. Which two, I leave to your imagination.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Are you fancy free? |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9205 Location: UK
|
 |
#27 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 14:48 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
I can further imagine the argument turning into a squabble, then a fight and finally one of them throwing the other into the river.  _________________ Non-native speaker of English
=================================
I intend to live forever - so far, so good. |
|
Daemon99 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 684
|
 |
#28 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 14:52 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
| Alan, "monsoon rain" is more like it. |
|
NinaZara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 1165 Location: Malaysia (Cat city)
|
 |
#29 (permalink) Tue May 27, 2008 17:06 pm Another word for droplets |
|
|
Are you a droplet, Alan, or a globule?  |
|
Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
|
 |
|
Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
|
 |
|
| the damp bathroom caused the toothbrushes molded... | difference between I've trying to call and I've tried to call |