DIALECT AND WORD MEANINGS

[Stanley]

I tripped over a word this morning that was new to me....

Kewlism. Meaning: Everything related to various controversial or undesired topics with bad reputation, such as compounds or procedures that are most often used for "flashy" and click-bait activities than for the actual science behind them, terrible lab and experimenting safety precautions (or none at all), or for bad pranks.

[Tizer]

It looks like the BBC has given a new meaning to the word `wrack'!

[Stanley]

They aren't reading books and so are just imitating the sound of the words..... No wonder kids can't spell!

[Tripps]

More worrying when the lady who most likely will be the Deputy Prime Minister tomorrow (George Galloway permitting) does not know the difference between abstract and abject.

[Stanley]

I hadn't caught that particular gaffe David.....
I have always said that any proficiency I have in spelling and grammar started when I was reading the text-based comics like the Wizard over 80 years ago. They were well written and edited and used a wide vocabulary and strict adherence to grammar. A good learning ground.

[Tizer]

Same here, Wizard and Rover...but also Eagle and Beano. My parents knew how to keep me occupied and regarded the cost of such comics as an investment. They were proved right.

[Stanley]

I remember Thursday was the day they were in the paper shop and I couldn't wait to get them!

[Stanley]

On the same theme..... I was listening to the R4 programme 'Beyond Belief' this morning and they were discussing the difference between Polygamous and Polyamorous relationships. Speaking of his reaction to a particular aspect of this, one of the participants said that it 'Raised his tentacles'..... Do you think he meant his hackles?

[Stanley]

Did you know that the collective noun for Kookaburras is 'riot'?

Here's my evidence.....

[Stanley]

A turn up for the book. Meaning.....
It now means exactly what you say, something surprising. The origin is in horse racing, where the book was the record of bets laid on a race kept by — who else — a bookmaker. So when a horse performed in a way that nobody expected, so that most bets lost, it was something that benefited the book and so the bookmaker. The classic example would be a rank outsider that won with few bets on it, netting the bookmaker a nice windfall profit.

[Stanley]

I used a phrase:- "Catch as catch can' earlier this morning and looked up the meaning to confirm my understanding of it. Here's what I found...
"archaic. Wrestling in which all holds are permitted."
I like the fact that I still use what are seen to be archaic forms of speech....

[Tripps]

I usually reckon I'm not too bad at 'keeping up', but today's posts have got the better of me.

SCG refers to -
"the activities of the Hebden Bridge Gay Gricing Society".
I hesitate to ask - I do hope it's a typo or maybe two.
Tizer says
"joining in with the `brat summer' of Charli XCX and appealing to her fans"

I surrender.jpg

[Stanley]

Here's the group David, Martin Parr on the left, Daniel Meadows in the centre and Charlie Meecham on the right. All snappers and at one time all resident in Hebden Bridge. They invented the group and introduced me to Gricing which is the pursuit of old railway artefacts. The main reason I was in that elevated company was because I had the Land Rover Safari 12 seater and was in charge of transport.
Margaret is third from the left and Vera is on the right next to Charlie.
I have to admit that Peter's post has lost me also......

[Tizer]

Something surprised me yesterday and the word flabbergasted came into my head. I've hardly ever used it and certainly not for a long time. I wondered about the word's origin but it seems to have popped out of nowhere... Etymonline Perhaps we rarely hear it now because we are in a permanent state of flabbergast.

[Stanley]

I've always regarded it as very close to a nonsense word. I have certainly never seen a convincing etymological explanation of its origin.
I think on the rare occasions I use a word like that I tend to 'dumbfounded' or astonished.

[Tizer]

So much of Radio 4 fails to interest me these days I've been digging back into past episodes of series that I've enjoyed. Yesterday I listened to this one from about 10 years ago and it's very good...

Word of Mouth: Directions: North South East and West
Michael Rosen & Laura Wright discover how different ways of talking about directions in other languages show differences in ways of thinking. Professor Lera Boroditsky explains how in some languages, you might be asked to move your chair a bit to the north, or to put the socks in the east drawer... And the past may be conceived of as in front of you, rather than behind. How do the languages we speak shape the ways we think? Word of Mouth

[Tripps]

So much of Radio 4 fails to interest me these days

Oh dear that's bad news for the station. I suspect they're in trouble then.

How do the languages we speak shape the ways we think?

That's interesting. I'd given some thought to the effect of where you live - (psychogeography) , but none to how you speak. I've noticed that a normal conversation between two Chinese people sounds like a full on argument, but there are plnty of videos on Youtube where a translation shows that's far from the case - in fact I'm impressed by how nice and friendly the ordinary folk are.

[Stanley]

"So much of Radio 4 fails to interest me these days"
Same applies to terrestrial TV with me Peter but I don't blame the media. I think it's more to do with my age and what captures my attention. So much of what is broadcast has no attraction for me at all and my sense of humour is definitely out of sync with most of what is popular these days.
Mind you, from the survey figures published yesterday We are not alone for whatever reason. A large proportion of viewers don't watch TV at all, YouTube and TikTok are getting them. As you know, I watch old favourites again.....
As for foreign languages often sounding like arguments.... That's how they sound to me but I suspect this is nothing new. The Greeks called foreigners 'barbarians' and that was a reference to how their language sounded like gabbling to them.
barbarian, word derived from the Greek bárbaros, used among the early Greeks to describe all foreigners, including the Romans. The word is probably onomatopoeic in origin, the “bar bar” sound representing the perception by Greeks of languages other than their own.

[Tripps]

The word 'thug' has been much used in news reports in the last few days in connection wth the riotous behaviour of the mobs in various towns at the moment. This has surprised me a bit since I know what it means, and its derivation. A cursory google doesn't reveal much, except that there is a suggestion that in America it is sometimes used as a substitute for the N word.

If you search for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThuggeeThuggee cult then more will be revealed. Note it is far from favourable to the inhabitants of the sub continent which is unusual these PC days. I note too the 'woke' mention that it all may be an invention of the colonial British. The amount of authoritive detail that follows shows me that is unlikely.

Checkout 'Nightrunners of Bengal' by John Masters.

I wonder how many from the PM down are aware of all this.

[Stanley]

Down at the bottom of the pyramid of power I was aware of the Thugee Cult and have never got the impre3ssion it was a colonial invention.
If I remember rightly, 'assassin' has a similar origin.
( a member of the Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims at the time of the Crusades, when the newly established sect ruled part of northern Persia (1094–1256). They were renowned as militant fanatics, and were popularly reputed to use hashish before going on murder missions. )
(early 16th century: from French, from Italian assassino, from Arabic ḥašīšī ‘member of Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims’, literally ‘hashish-eater’, probably originally a derogatory nickname, with reference to the supposedly erratic behaviour of the members of the sect, as if they were intoxicated by hashish.)

[Stanley]

'Performativity'
Used this morning on the World Service by a commentator describing break-dancing. I have never heard this word before but evidently it's recognised.....

[Tizer]

Knowing your interest in words, Stanley, I suggest that on Saturdays you pop into your local Library which I assume will have available copies of the national daily newspapers. Open The Times and go to the middle pages where, at top left, you will find Rose Wild's half-page Feedback column. It's always interesting and leavened with humour as she addresses readers' questions and comments on the newspaper's use of language. It's my favourite bit of The Times!

[Wendyf]

There are no daily newspapers available in Colne Library so probably not in Barlick either unfortunately, however if you have a library card you can access Pressreader for free.

[Stanley]

Thanks Wendy......
This caught my attention yesterday, haven't seen it used for a long time....
'Transmogrified'
transform in a surprising or magical manner. "his home was transmogrified into a hippy crash pad"

[Cathy]

New Words
Anticipointment: The disappointment which follows anticipation when expectations were excessively high.
.
Organial: Organic and Original together ??
It just means Original. Why bother?