Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Conviviums
William Least-Heat Moon, the author some years ago of Blue Highways, has more recently published Quoz, a meandering travel book in search of quirky people and places along American roads. He introduces the word, "convivium," a place where unrelated people meet to talk, drink and sing in, he says, the original Roman meaning. He is seeking such places along the road and it led me to consider where we find them in our regular rounds. I think I have three; the National Press Club bar, the Arts Club of Washington, and the coffee hour at the Cleveland Park Congregational Church. For many people, a breakfast gathering in McDonalds serves. Are there other, somewhat less likely, places known to the readers?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteRecently someone mentioned trying to start a knitting group at Dupont Circle. At first my feminist self rejected the idea as too stereotypically female and unintellectual. On reflection, why should I reject this age old pleasure. For centuries women have gathered to do needlecraft together. Knitting, crochet, tatting, embroidery, needlepoint, rugmaking, quilting, and more have engaged the fingers while women’s conversation roamed widely. I have an enquiring mind and some bit of learning; I also knit. Why not join a group of similarly engaged women where knitting, not food and drink, brings us together to talk. Maybe we could invite fiber artist Mark Newport whose knitted suits for superheroes are featured through December in the Renwick’s Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational .
ReplyDeleteIf we're going to be literate, should we use Latin as the Romans would have or as the English world has amended it? "convivium" is officially a neuter Latin noun, the nominative plural of which is "convivia." We already have "memorandums" "forums", and "stadiums." Of course, so few Americans under fifty have studied Latin that there is no hope in also retaining the plural endings for other declensions. Maybe only "alumnae" and "alumni" remain in use.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete