Not being especially original or innovative, I borrow. Don't we all? We see or hear an offbeat news story, and it becomes fodder for blogging. No harm in that. So, not being particularly inventive tonight, I turn to the work of a friend, David Grambs. I met Dave on the sixteenth floor of 201 East 50th Street, Manhattan, in the late 1980's. He's a lexicographer, and he was working for Random House, on one of their dictionaries. I was working in the School Division -- get this -- marketing filmstrips (!) as well as read-alongs and some then-new products called videos. Sounds like the 1880's now.
David Grambs has a wonderful book called The Endangered English Dictionary, subtitled Bodacious Words Your Dictionary Forgot. Published by W.W. Norton in paperback in 1997, it is truly fun to read (at a party, a long trip, or in the bathroom, if you really must know). Words were often culled from the aforeblogged OED as well as from other sources. Of course, this entertaining volume is available through Amazon.com, Alibris, and others. (Disclaimer: He did not put me up to this; doesn't even know I am doing this; we haven't even chatted in several years).
Here's a random sampling from The Endangered English Dictionary (the former English teacher in me says, "Allrighty, Blogosphere populace: Use all of these words now in one paragraph"; the entrepreneur in me says, "Do that and win a prize from The Laughorist Store"; but the Friday-night-tired-guy-in-me says, "Naw!"):
paulopast -- just completed or finished
footle -- to talk or behave foolishly
frigorific -- cooling
mollescent -- becoming soft
cohonestation -- honoring another with one's company
collop -- a small piece or slice
pilpulistic -- hairsplitting
suaviation -- kissing
jobation -- tedious criticism or scolding
erethism -- morbid overactivity [note to self: good topic for later blogging)
balneal -- pertaining to warm baths
aeolistic -- long-winded (of course,from Aeolus, the god of the winds) (parenthetically a good place to stop) (hey, we bloggers are surely not only Ephemerists, but some of us are The Aeolistic Ephemerists; who knew?)
Laugh. Or....
Else.
Oh. Sure. I wouldn't leave you hanging like that:
banausic -- practical, functional, or utilitarian
baragouin -- gibberish
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15 comments:
I shall begin this aeolistic ephemry (ok so I bastardized it)with a taste of banausic baragouin.
I footle here, to avoid a collop of pilpulistic jobation. To prove the point that I really do read your ephemeral postings of erethism and not just dropping random comments. I do not partake of suavation of thy gluteous maximus.
I am paulopast.
Later Yall.....
After an evening of pilpulistic suavations, we engaged in balneal offerings....
Result: Mollescence!!!!!
Peace
Wow... I've never heard any of those words. hehe I guess you learn something new everyday huh?
Pilpulistic footling is completely unbanausic in efforts to secure some good suaviation.
That's the best I could do! I'm anything but aeolistic.
I'm surprised that "frigorific" hasn't seen rejuvenation with an alternate use. As in "I liked your post a lot. I thought it was frigorific." It will became a part of my vocabulary. In my mind, Friggin meats terrific. What could be better!!!
This is definitely a book I will have to get. Thanks for sharing it.
: )
HELLO, my friend you have been tagged. Please thank Odat and see my latested blog entry on Sunday night for details! LOL! Be well always!
~M
I prefer newer words.
Reintarnation: Dying and coming back as a hillbilly.
The OED is so flawed...
Sheila, Michael C, Alex:
Thanks for chiming in.
MC, Odat, Monicker:
A+ for your superb creativity.
Hurtin' Heart:
Hmmm. Like, um, I'm not even sure what the heck one does after being tagged. Really. (Do I need to be inoculated?)
Mist1:
Sometimes "newer" words are just these dusty old words being given new life. As for "reintarnation," that owes its origin to my friends at The Style Invitational of The Washington Post (where I haven't seen ink for months). Years ago, when asked to give new meaning to an old word, I came up with: lymph = to walk with a lisp.
Shadow:
Not sure what you mean by your comment on the OED's being so flawed. I'm sure it is, as are all works of reference. They are all slightly obsolete by the time they see print .... though the Internet changes the whole game, eh?
Thanks, all. I owe you comments at your place(s).
wow - um this is so special!!!
You have inspired me, Laughorist. I should probably share a few prison words with the masses. I'll make a mental note of that.
Im back, no new post?
Nice fill someone in on and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.
Hello,nice post thanks for sharing?. I just joined and I am going to catch up by reading for a while. I hope I can join in soon.
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