Ah, Dr. Pearlman refers to the Academy Anglais.
 
Transpiration is what makes water droplets appear on a plastic bag or cover
placed over our houseplants, or on the window of a "winter garden", if you
ever made one as a child.
 
But, all the same, I, for one, have always been fascinated by our
"--(s)pire" words, most of all "inspire" (the clay of Eden; all those amused
by a guiding genius). Expire (us all), respire (Milton, beginning of _Samson
Agonistes_), suspire (Franz Liszt, _Un Suspiro_). Why should transpire not
join them? To pass through combined with breathe is EXACTLY the
"idiogrammatic method" that makes the Chinese written character so perfect
for the medium of poetry (in this case, "--spire" would be the radical).
 
However, eschewing too many -isms, -ations, and so forth does seem wise when
writing.   ;-)
 
Chris Booth
 
> ----------
> From:         Daniel Pearlman
> Reply To:     Ezra Pound discussion list of the University of Maine
> Sent:         Wednesday, June 10, 1998 7:19 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: transpiration
>
> It's a question of usage in *formal* English.
> I don't think the acceptance of "transpire" =
> "happen" is very secure in the formal arena,
> which is still under the care of woolly mammoths
> and dinosaurs.
>
> Best,
>
> Dan
>
> At 04:17 PM 6/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Dan
> >
> >According to Merriam Webster, the biological sense of the root
> "transpire"
> >(passage of a fluid through pores) first occurs in 1597.  The fourth
> sense
> >of the word (to occur) didn't actually occur until Abigail Adams used it
> in
> >a letter to her husband in 1775.  Noah Webster included this sense in his
> >dictionary in 1828 which didn't actually become popular until the late
> 19th
> >century--but even then it was thought of as indicative of "flamboyant"
> >prose.  I probably wouldn't have thought much of it if you hadn't pointed
> it
> >out.
> >
> >
> >
> >Dave
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >At 01:47 PM 6/8/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >>David,
> >>
> >>I suspect that each of us blind prophets is feeling a
> >>different part of the proverbial elephant.
> >>
> >>Best regards,
> >>
> >>Dan
> >>
> >>At 09:33 AM 6/8/98 -0700, you wrote:
> >>>Dear Daniel Pearlman:
> >>>        I sent the message to David Centrone referring to my own book
> >>>before reading this last posting of yours. I agree that the Barb of
> Time
> >>>gave valuable insights into the form of Cantos. Apparently, there are
> >>>differing and equally illuminating ideas about this -- including
> Pound's
> >>>contradictory statements.
> >>>                                        Jacob Korg
> >>>
> >>Dan Pearlman                    Office: Department of English
> >>102 Blackstone Blvd. #5                 University of Rhode Island
> >>Providence, RI 02906                    Kingston, RI 02881
> >>Tel.: 401 453-3027                      Tel.: 401 874-4659
> >>email: [log in to unmask]            Fax:  401 874-2580
> >>
> >>
> >
> Dan Pearlman                    Office: Department of English
> 102 Blackstone Blvd. #5                 University of Rhode Island
> Providence, RI 02906                    Kingston, RI 02881
> Tel.: 401 453-3027                      Tel.: 401 874-4659
> email: [log in to unmask]            Fax:  401 874-2580
>