Atlantica - 01.02.2002, Blaðsíða 12

10 A T L A N T I C A
Funny Old Word: Glamour
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Despite the slew of fashion magazines that feature six-foot models that
weigh all of 40 kilos (that’s with a rucksack on their back and before they
barf up dinner), we all have our own ideas about glamour.
The venerable Oxford English Dictionary defines glamour as ‘the attrac-
tive or exciting quality that makes certain people or things seem appeal-
ing or special’. While you’re kicking around what that attractive or excit-
ing quality is, or dreaming about glamour gals like Claudia Schiffer or
Penelope Cruz, consider that the origin of the word glamour comes from
the 18th century: ‘an alteration of grammar’.
According to Oxford, though, grammar was not used in the sense of
enchantment or magic, but it does derive from the Latin word gram-
matica, which was often used in the Middle Ages to mean ‘scholarship,
learning, including the occult practices popularly associated with learn-
ing’. Did someone mention occult practices?
I bet that leap to grammar washes away the fantasy of supermodels.
Sorry to offend all those grammarians in the audience, but most normal
people would rather cut their lawns with scissors than engage in a dis-
cussion about grammar. Although, I wouldn’t mind talkin’ some gram-
mar with Penelope. EW
Keflavík International Airport came second in the ‘ease of connections’
category, voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine in
November. Singapore Changi Airport, which was the all-round winner,
came in first with a score of 77.9 in the voting and Keflavík International
Airport came in second with a score of 61.8. But that’s not all – KEF also
came in second after Changi for ‘the best customs’, scoring 61.8 in the
votes. According to the magazine, airports and anxiety go hand in hand
these days, and the last thing travellers need is for inconvenience and
more stress. We told you Iceland was a relaxing place! AMB
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