I've always been interested in words - the more unusual the better. Sometimes I like a particular word b/c of how it sounds - other times b/c of it's meaning. Some words are great because the sound of the word fits perfectly with the definition...like the word fetid. I've noticed that both of my kids tend to use the more fun or descriptive word for something rather than the typical - so it seems they also enjoy words.
Well - at the library yesterday on the "for sale" table - I came across an interesting book called "The Word Museum - The Most Remarkable English Words Every Forgotten". The book cost 25 cents so I bought it.
Before I continue let me say that I have found it odd - the selection of books the library sells off at times. I have come across hardcover, in still good condition, editions of "The Little House on the Prairie", and many decent books for children (hardcover) also in good condition. Makes you wonder what books they are keeping. I'm curious to know what their method is for disposing of some of these books. No longer popular? Too many copies?? Too old fashioned???
OK back to The Word Museum...I have enjoyed looking through the book thus far - and believe that some of those old words need to make a comeback...Adam's Ale (water), doattee (the nodding of your head when falling asleep while sitting...that happens to me fairly often), kedge-belly (glutton), maw-wallop (filthy, ill-cooked food), pharmacopolist (seller of medicine), ruckle (loose heap), scruttle (save money w/difficulty).
So what are some of your favorite words?
Well - at the library yesterday on the "for sale" table - I came across an interesting book called "The Word Museum - The Most Remarkable English Words Every Forgotten". The book cost 25 cents so I bought it.
Before I continue let me say that I have found it odd - the selection of books the library sells off at times. I have come across hardcover, in still good condition, editions of "The Little House on the Prairie", and many decent books for children (hardcover) also in good condition. Makes you wonder what books they are keeping. I'm curious to know what their method is for disposing of some of these books. No longer popular? Too many copies?? Too old fashioned???
OK back to The Word Museum...I have enjoyed looking through the book thus far - and believe that some of those old words need to make a comeback...Adam's Ale (water), doattee (the nodding of your head when falling asleep while sitting...that happens to me fairly often), kedge-belly (glutton), maw-wallop (filthy, ill-cooked food), pharmacopolist (seller of medicine), ruckle (loose heap), scruttle (save money w/difficulty).
So what are some of your favorite words?
3 comments:
I LOVE words, especially old cooking words. Old cook books, herbal, and household management books are full of fun words. I have a few I got at our library from the early 1900's full of fun words. And then there is the book that is named something like "From Snickerdoodles to ... how early American foods got their names"--I CANNOT remember the rightful name of that book but it was about colonial times and the foods people ate and I found it in the junior non-fiction right before the cookbooks. Just did a quick search on our libraries very poorly implemented card catalog search engine and couldn't find it but found a pile of other books I desperately want to read.
I love the words you shared!! Maybe you could make it a weekly thing...I could wow my husband with my vocabulary:)
Hi and thanks for stopping by my blog! I love this post and second Kara's idea about sharing words weekly!
I am lol-ing at pharmacopolist (I need to remember that word at CVS to use if I get a disgruntled checker...). Adam's Ale is especially good-sounds like a good way to get kids to drink more H20!
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