there are some words i know, but never use except in a cliche, or trite phrase..
like sunder which is one of those words that seems to go back to IE, meaning away from, seperate.
i never use the word sunder by its self. it always torn asunder--some might remember we discussed the a prefix, that is often used as an intensifier, some months ago, and we can go off on that tangent if every one wants... (speaking of tangents, sunder is related to the latin sine..)
but i thought we might explore other words, not often used by them selves, but only in common (or not so common!) expressions.
About the only use of the word I can think of at the moment is conclusion ofmarriage ceremony:
"What God has joined together let no man put asunder." But I think "sunder" could be a useful, rather formal word, for instance: The Slavery issue threatened to sunder the Union."
'kilter' (also 'kelter')
I found myself using this one today, for the first time in ages. It's a very useful word - but only when used in conjunction with 'out of....'
'Out of kilter' - to put everything off-rhythm and out of timing.
lickety.. is it every used with out its partner split?
split has a life of its own, but lickety, is like a parasite, no life at all with out split!
>What's ruth without less?
well, ruth proved very worthful to me in defining ruthful.
(http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/)
I was surprised to find "ruth" related to "rue" a very old Germanic word for sorrow, etc.
> What's ruth without less?
And what would 'buff' be without 'in the'?
The noun 'buff' alone doesn't make much sense unless you're in it.
E.g.
'Caught in the buff'
Now you got me looking it up, and as it turns out Quinion has his fair share to say about this one..
http://www.quinion.com/words/topicalwords/tw-buf1.htm
>I just decided to throw in a low-brow pop-culture reference for the hell of it.
Right - dunno if all us saplings neural development is, like totally warped due to our unprecedented over-exposure to a sheer endless amount of audio-visual media, like. But, if it is, then that might 'splane a lot, a'ight.
As it turns out it led me to the 'buff' article, so thanks - I guess.
Buff is also used to mean cut, ripped, muscular or well-defined (which are all the same thing really) but I assume this developed from buff=polish rather than in the buff.
nattily attired. Or Natalie Attired, if you remember Bob and Ray.
Pankey daren't sneeze, without its hankey...[groan]
'Out of kilter' - to put everything off-rhythm and out of timing.
or off-kilter
What's helter without skelter?
And what would 'buff' be without 'in the'?
In a small circle, it would be a slip opinion (opinion so recently released that it is not yet in the books, but has been distributed as printed on unbound papers) from the Michigan Court of Appeals. "Buffs" is short for slip opinions of the Court of Appeals, while "blues" refers to slip opinions of the Supreme Court, because of the color of the paper on which the opinions are printed. "Pinks" refers to Court of Appeals opinions which are not designated for publication. This long-standing usage is on its way to obsolescence due to the substitution of electronic distribution of opinions.
'Out of kilter'
I always liked Shakespeare's "the time is out of joint".
One of the most remarkable, Keiva.
The time is out of joint; O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!
I've heard that Winston Churchill quoted this couplet when the Battle of Britain got underway. And wasn't it apt?
I don't know how common it is, but when I was a firefighter, we referred to people who had an interest in firefighting on the level of a hobby as firefighting buffs.
Interesting. My dictionary says it comes from the buff-colored uniforms once worn by volunteer firefighters in New York.
which can be seen in the 1980's movie "rag time" --
I've used (and read) "sunder" in the past tense without the initial "a."
Am I the only one?
The Slavery issue temporarily sundered the Union.
Has anyone ever zigged without zagging?
Dear Angel: ever hear of "zig-zig coucher?
Dear Angel: ever hear of "zig-zig coucher?Uhhhhh......Nope?
Ok, Bill. Coucher = to sleep or anglicized coucher = person who sits on his bottom most of the day.
But, knowing you be Bill, I'm guessing coucher = to sleep (literal application for the time being).
Care to expound upon "zig-zig coucher"? Or is this something that I should be looking up on OneLook?
Bed regards,
WordWondering
Dastardly deeds comes to mind. You don't hear "dastardly" much anyway, and almost never without "deed."
Dastardly deeds comes to mind. Yup! A
dastardly deed does come to mind now that I have more knowledge of a
zig-zig coucher.
I always liked the sound of the Dick Dastradly's dog laughing when he got foiled, again. A kinda heavy breath with an underlying wheeze. Was that Penelope Pitstop's arch enemy? Or am I mixing up 'toons?
Dear consuelo: I have seen some cases of hypospadias be shistling dickies. But musick would never approve of the pitch.
And chordee, when present, is not musical.
Come to think of it, wrong thread. This is an incomplete set.
My dic. says shist - see schist, and now I'm caught between a rock and a salesman. Ergo "pitch"?
rinky dink (i think these words are hopelessly co-dependent. hard to think of any thing rinky, except a dink.. not that i know what a dink is.. )
rinky dink (i think these words are hopelessly co-dependent. hard to think of any thing rinky, except a dink.. not that i know what a dink is.. )
There is a short train (only 2 cars) that goes from the Princeton U campus to an AMTRAK station in the next town ( a 10-minute ride, I think) that has been lovingly named the "dinky" by the students there.
I clipped an article about it and I am sure there was an explanation for the word dinky in it but I am afraid it will take a month's spring cleaning for me to retrieve that article.
I hope some one comes up with something quicker than that.
Imagine something so cheap and pitiful that it was just "rinky" because the "dink" was broken.
Rinky-dink reminds me of a Black slang term for sexual perversity or promiscuousness: "freaky-deaky." As in, "She might go back to your apartment and get freaky with you, but she isn't freaky-deaky."
Natalie Attired, if you remember Bob and Ray.
*Remember them?* Oh, yes, yes. In fact they started in Massachusetts on WLLH radio! (As did Ed McMahon of "Heeeeere's Johnny" fame)
Hilarioso.
Went looking for a link to some of their old routines but no luck, just mentions in other links. Sigh.
Thanks for bringing back a great memory of happy times listening to them on radio and then watching on TV.
Re odd words : "plight thee my troth" ... How many making their marriage vows really know the meanings of plight and troth.
Ann, I'm pleased someone else connects with Bob and Ray. But wasn't it WHDH?
I've heard a few Bob and Ray shows (not originally aired) as both my Dad and brother were *broadcast radio fans. I remember they had a sense of humor that was a bit ahead of its time.
More people have been effected by their humor than one might imagine. One of their sons (I don't remember which one but I can see his face) has a *successful career as a TV comedian (had his own TV series). That guy floors me.
That's Chris Elliot, Bob Elliot's son.
but is a dink the same as dinky?
and if it is, well, what about mamby pamby--
and scribble scrabble..
what-- that doesn't work.. scribble has a small life on its own, and scrabble, aside from being the game, also has a life, a hard one, but manby pamby still can sort of get by.
To best of my recollection Bob and Ray started as local boys on local radio - Lowell, Mass, Radio WLLH and when they "caught on" went to the big time at Boston Radio WHDH.
But I've been wrong three times
before!
Ann Goulding, Ray's younger sister, went to same school I did ... she was a year or two behind me.
In a link to an interview with Ed McMahon at speaking.com he mentions his early associations with WLLH and Lowell, Mass.
For USns, 'Weekend Radio' on Cleveland's WCLV airs the Bob 'n' Ray skits regularly. 'Weekend Radio' is carried on many NPR stations. Check your local listings. Right now we are being treated to the mind-boggling, cliff-hanging episodes of "Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife."
http://www.wclv.com/seaway_listings_weekend.jsp
excuse me, bob and ray, this is a word thread...
i am the only TV watcher in the crowd? the new verizon ad has a some kids playing on a roly-poly...
if you don't know what a roly poly is.. its a long way back.. a good year, 15 months..
but they seem like a co dependant pair
i never got in the habit of listening to radio much.. a bit of music to make a long car ride go easier.. classical for quite background when studying, wild rock and roll for cleaning house.
never did much like bob and ray.. they might have been better if i had been forced to listen to them-- and at times i was.
