Sunday, July 31, 2011
The Climbing Dictionary- Understanding Climbing Lingo
The gnar, grevious, front step drop knee, chicken wing dyno. For some people these words and phrases are second nature. They are casually dropped into conversations. For the rest of us, the climbing vocabulary can be a little bit harder to figure out.
Thankfully, there's a dictionary that just hit the book stands. The Climbing Dictionary, which is out in print now from The Mountaineers Books, defines over 250 words and phrases in the climbing lexicon. The book, written by long time Climbing Magazine editor Matt Samet, runs the gamut from technical terms (belay, harness, rappel, Stopper) to slang (dab, choking the cobra, gaston, old dad, pimpy), to regional (such as the South's "baby-butt" slopers), antiquated ("press-up"), and foreign terms that have achieved universal usage (au cheval, colonnette) and much more.
Each word's definition includes its part of speech, origin (if known), its meaning, and a humorous but factually sound example sentence to demonstrate usage. Throughout the dictionary, Mike Tea's illustrations -- both technical and humorous -- help explain harder-to-define terms such as piton, sling, cam, hand jam, or drop-knee.
Check out this video of little Billy trying to talk to his mom in all the jargon.
Samet also set up an online version of the dictionary to add words that he has forgotten and to keep the slang up to date. Climbing terms.com defines everything from crimps to climbing "like a bawse" (a phrase added by Touchstone blogger James Lucas).
Grab a copy of the climbing dictionary before you head out to the grevious crimps of Mortar Rock.
Thankfully, there's a dictionary that just hit the book stands. The Climbing Dictionary, which is out in print now from The Mountaineers Books, defines over 250 words and phrases in the climbing lexicon. The book, written by long time Climbing Magazine editor Matt Samet, runs the gamut from technical terms (belay, harness, rappel, Stopper) to slang (dab, choking the cobra, gaston, old dad, pimpy), to regional (such as the South's "baby-butt" slopers), antiquated ("press-up"), and foreign terms that have achieved universal usage (au cheval, colonnette) and much more.
Each word's definition includes its part of speech, origin (if known), its meaning, and a humorous but factually sound example sentence to demonstrate usage. Throughout the dictionary, Mike Tea's illustrations -- both technical and humorous -- help explain harder-to-define terms such as piton, sling, cam, hand jam, or drop-knee.
Check out this video of little Billy trying to talk to his mom in all the jargon.
Climbing Dictionary Promo
by: ClimbDiction
Samet also set up an online version of the dictionary to add words that he has forgotten and to keep the slang up to date. Climbing terms.com defines everything from crimps to climbing "like a bawse" (a phrase added by Touchstone blogger James Lucas).
Grab a copy of the climbing dictionary before you head out to the grevious crimps of Mortar Rock.
Labels: Climber's Dictionary, climbing lingo, Matt Samet
¶ Sunday, July 31, 2011
