Like Charlotte and Thomas, I am saddened by recent events here in the U.S. The last couple weeks have also been tiring for other reasons. In that time I have been to two memorial services and seen two family members visit the ER on two different occasions (they’re both fine). That still doesn’t compare to what the family members of the people killed in the recent shootings are going through right now.
All I can do is pray for those affected and keep on writing and reading and doing things that interest me/make me feel better.
One of those things is finding interesting words. Here are a few of them, many of them no longer in use.
aflunter – in a state of disorder. This describes my hair when it’s windy. This is from the “English Dialect Dictionary 1891” by Joseph J. Wright. It apparently originated in West Yorkshire. This one is not in the OED. I guess they don’t go for dialects.
ailurophophile – a lover of cats. I am one of these.
ailurophobe – one who hates or fears cats. Not one of these.
baffound – to stun and perplex. This is also from Yorkshire; also not in the OED.
enchiridion – a handbook, manual, guide book.
hebdomadal – weekly, every 7 days
incunabulum – a book printed before 1501; plural is incunabula. The Gutenberg Bible is included in this category. https://www.ndl.go.jp/incunabula/e/chapter1/index.html
merry-go-sorry – a mixture of laughing and crying; an experience that elicits feelings of both joy and sorrow. The OED lists this as obsolete, first appearing in 1599. I think we should bring it back.
overmorrow – day after tomorrow. The OED lists this as obsolete, rare, first used in 1535. I think we should bring this one back as well.
paranomasia – a fancy word for pun.
Such delicious words! Especially "aflunter." Living in northern New Hampshire many years ago, I was charmed when anyone spoke of the "forenoon" instead of the morning. The word was pronounced evenly, with almost no stress except for a very slight stress on the second syllable. Maybe I'll smuggle "forenoon" into my vocabulary now and observe what people make of it. Thanks, Sybil, for providing a little relief from the recent shocks and sadness.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing forenoon when I was growing up in Washington state as well. I always liked it. Haven't heard it in a long time. I think we should bring it back!
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