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Don't disturb my sloom
Jan. 2nd, 2008 03:32 pmIf a stalker-type person had binoculars trained on me about ten minutes ago - and I sincerely hope that's not the case but let's say it was so - well, if it was so, the stalker-type person would have seen a thrilling thirty seconds as I stood in the middle of my living room turning around and around, looking in vain for a cup of honey and lemon tea.
A cup that I then realised I was holding. Sigh. I can only say that I've got a cold and so I was in a zwodder (a drowsy and stupid state of mind).
You see, I've been reading a book called The Word Museum by Jeffrey Kacirk. This is a dictionary of forgotten English words. Granted, we don't have much need for words like "yburpanseca" (the stealing of a calf, a ram or as much as a man can carry away in a sack), but I must say, some of them are much too good to be forgotten.
I'm particularly fond of "unnun", a verb meaning to release someone from the vows of being a nun. I wonder why we kept "slumber" (to sleep lightly) but lost "sloom" (to sleep heavily)? We all know about measuring a handful of something, but why did we lose "fingerfull" (a pinch), "pugil" (the amount picked up with the thumb and first two fingers) and "yeepsen" (the amount picked up with both hands, a double handful)? "Pixilated" onced meant someone who was confused or intoxicated, as if led astray by pixies.
I have to say, though, I'm glad we have no further for need "tooth-soape" (that being a powder for cleaning teeth made from burnt mouse heads) or "errhines" (machines put up the nostrils to cleanse the head or enliven the spirits).
A cup that I then realised I was holding. Sigh. I can only say that I've got a cold and so I was in a zwodder (a drowsy and stupid state of mind).
You see, I've been reading a book called The Word Museum by Jeffrey Kacirk. This is a dictionary of forgotten English words. Granted, we don't have much need for words like "yburpanseca" (the stealing of a calf, a ram or as much as a man can carry away in a sack), but I must say, some of them are much too good to be forgotten.
I'm particularly fond of "unnun", a verb meaning to release someone from the vows of being a nun. I wonder why we kept "slumber" (to sleep lightly) but lost "sloom" (to sleep heavily)? We all know about measuring a handful of something, but why did we lose "fingerfull" (a pinch), "pugil" (the amount picked up with the thumb and first two fingers) and "yeepsen" (the amount picked up with both hands, a double handful)? "Pixilated" onced meant someone who was confused or intoxicated, as if led astray by pixies.
I have to say, though, I'm glad we have no further for need "tooth-soape" (that being a powder for cleaning teeth made from burnt mouse heads) or "errhines" (machines put up the nostrils to cleanse the head or enliven the spirits).