Even if you find these discussions hebetating, isn’t it better than being kept in a state of inscience, particularly in regard to the frequently-mixed-up words “then” and “than”? “Then,” as you might already know, has to do with things that happen in sequence. First your nose itches, then you sneeze. “Than” is for comparisons, like “I immediately liked the word ‘hebetate’ better than the word ‘inscience,’ even though both are so obscure I’d never seen them before.”
You can even multiply confusion by using both “then” and “than” in the same sentence, such as “I read ‘hebetate,’ then I read “inscience,’ and I liked ‘inscience’ better than ‘hebetate’.” And now that we’ve gotten “then” versus “than” out of the way, even though there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to remember the difference, we can move on to today’s obscure or obsolete words.
“Hebetate” means to dull or stupify; you might find elevator music does more to hebetate you than Irish reels (or of course you might find the opposite). The word comes straight from the Latin word “hebetare,” which meant the same thing.
“Inscience” means ignorance. It’s apparently a variation of “nescience”, and it’s not pronounced “in science” (even though that’s the way it looks), it’s pronounced “IN-shee-ence.” That is, when it’s pronounced at all, which I suspect is practically never. Inscience is also from Latin; it’s a derivation of “inscientia” (same meaning).
Now, just for a left turn at Albuquerque, let’s move on to a Railroad Quiz, if only because I have a book from 1956 called The Railroad Quiz! Today’s question is: how much does a train locomotive cost? My figures, of course, are from 1956, so they’d need to be adjusted to current valuations if you’re going shopping. But I’m assured that circa 1956, a steam locomotive for a freight train cost $248,923 (rounded off to the nearest dollar, apparently), but one for a passenger train cost $251,544. You might not have wanted one at all; by about that time a diesel locomotive cost only $160,653 (for the freight version) and $207,573 for the passenger version. And if your railroad was electrified, your locomotive was a huge bargain; only $94,711. But in a strange reversal, the freight version of an all-electric locomotive was $177,167; more than the diesel. Oddly enough, by the way, a single “club car” for a passenger train cost about as much as a diesel locomotive. The club car was the one with the restaurant, I think.
I’m sure you’re wondering two things. The first is certainly “why do freight and passenger locomotives have different prices”? (Answer: The book doesn’t say, and I have no idea.) And the second is “why on earth does anybody want to know the average prices of train locomotives in 1956? (Answer: Hey, have you been so hevetated you’d prefer inscience?)
