A.Word.A.Day -- AWADmail Issue 1153

A.Word.A.Day

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AWADmail Issue 1153

A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language

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From: Maureen Doyle (momcdo gmail.com)
Subject: fudge

Re: story about fudge:

As a romantic, I hoped the librarian would be the interesting girl.
Fudge.

Maureen Doyle, Boston, Massachusetts

From: Laurie Kaniarz (lauriszka att.net)
Subject: Minced oaths

My dad used to call this “cheating the Devil out of a curse.”

Laurie Kaniarz, Kalamazoo, Michigan

From: Elizabeth Block (elizabethblock netzero.net)
Subject: F-word

From The New Yorker: A Father-Daughter Swearing Lesson in The F-Word (video, 7 min.)

The F-Word Song by Lou and Peter Berryman. Official title: A Chat With Your Mother (audio, 3 min.; lyrics).

Elizabeth Block, Toronto, Canada

From: Rudy Landesman (ydur36 hotmail.com)
Subject: Gee-whiz

When I was in the fourth grade, one of my classmates misbehaved. I don’t recall what his offense was, but our teacher chastised the offender. He obviously believed that the teacher was being unjust and said: “Gee-whiz!” He was immediately sent to the principal’s office, not for his earlier misdeed, but for “using the lord’s name in vain”. So much for euphemisms!

Rudy Landesman, New York, New York

Email of the Week -- Brought to you buy OLD’S COOL -- Fits wiseacres to a tee.

From: Sharon Smith (mainelyneuropsych gmail.com)
Subject: Gee whiz

In the early 1980s, I was friends with a children’s librarian here in central Maine. Her husband was a minister and they carefully raised their children not to swear. One day she explained that, “Oh, peanut butter and jelly!” was a phrase she’d taught them to use as an exclamation, since “Gee whiz!” was perilously close to “Jesus!”

I’ve never been able to imagine saying that with the appropriate emotional emphasis!

Sharon Smith, Canaan, Maine

From: Paul Wengert (pawengert gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

In my youth In Franklin County, PA, we often said “gee-willikers”, don’t know where that came from.

Paul Wengert, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

From: Eileen Alexander (eileen dennycreative.com)
Subject: Cheese and crackers

Being raised in a Catholic family and going to Catholic school for 12 years, we were taught to never use the Lord’s name in vain.

The phrase I used and heard from others is “cheese and crackers” as opposed to the Lord’s name.

Eileen Alexander, Mill Valley, California

From: Rachael Cohen (rachaelamycohen gmail.com)
Subject: Gee-whiz

In Vermont, we have the minced oath “Jeezum crow!” A recent episode of the Vermont Public (Radio) show Brave Little State discussed this euphemism. (audio & transcript, 11 min.)

Rachael Cohen, Putney, Vermont

From: Bill Young (billsplut gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

In my 45 years of retail sales, the job with the foulest speech (both in expletives and sεx talk) among the staff was in the mid-80s at Kay-Bee Toys. I guess we were compensating for being past puberty but still selling Barbie dolls. The worst offenders were the high-school girls.

In a near-utter rage, my assistant manager once said, “Cheese on crows!” The rest of us laughed, and she said “That’s the worst thing I could say back in Arizona!” Of course, we began saying it just to razz her. But within two weeks, we were all saying it when we were mad. Not too many expressions you can use right in front of customers!

As you might guess, the line between “funny dirty joke” and “legally-actionable sεxual harassment” is remarkably thin, so the harsher type of speech was shut down during a class-action suit.

Bill Young, Vernon, Connecticut

From: Donald Scott (donscott943 gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

Let us not forget the brilliant marketer who came up with a successful name for a new food product: Cheez Whiz, a mysterious cheese product with an orange tint, in a glass jar, and a taste somewhat like the cheese in a cheese ball.

Donald Scott, Carson City, Nevada

From: Phyllis Charnyllis (charnyllis nyc.rr.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

And don’t forget Carla Thomas’s ‘61 hit “Gee Whiz”: (audio, 2 min.).

Phyllis Charney, New York, New York

From: Hugh Eckert (hugh_eckert yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

Actually, the word fυck has been part of the language for over 700 years.

Hugh Eckert, Arlington, Virginia

From: Dan Schubart (danneau danneau.com)
Subject: sacre bleu

As a Francophile Anglo-Canadian, I discovered the singer Georges Brassens in 1971, broad ranging in his influences and his subject matter, but often with a touch of Tom Lehrer in his jaundiced-eyed commentary on society. Much later, I ran across this ditty (video, 3 min., lyrics, translation), a compilation of the canon of old epithets set to a folkish tune, in rather the same vein as Lehrer’s “The Elements” (video, 1 min.). Note the lack of references to reproductive and excretory functions, and the decidedly religious bent. It’s fun if you’re not easily offended.

Dan Schubart, Port Alberni, Canada

From: Bill Pollard (bill.pollard gmail.com)
Subject: Tabernak!

When I told my French friend I was going to eastern Canada, he replied with a single word: Tabernak!

Tabernak helps to underscore the mild nature of sacré bleu, and the delight taken in wordplay by many Francophones. Batarnak!

Bill Pollard, Seattle, Washington

From: Bill Prindle (bill.prindle gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--tarnation

Years ago, The Washington Post sponsored a contest in which the challenge was to change one letter in a word and assign the new word a new meaning. My favorite was changing “reincarnation” to “reintarnation” which is defined as the belief that when you die you come back as a hillbilly.

Bill Prindle, Medfield, Massachusetts

From: Melodee S. Kornacker (mkornacker aol.com)
Subject: tarnation

A local florist with a billboard out front is currently displaying the phrase “What in carnation?” Every time I drive by, I wonder if anyone younger than 50 knows it’s a pun.

Melodee S. Kornacker, Columbus, Ohio

From: Bruce Romano (dcbromano gmail.com)
Subject: The F word

I had to adapt once I had kids. They had to wonder at all the frogs and forks they heard about.

Bruce Romano, Mt Pleasant, South Carolina

From: Don Fearn (pooder charter.net)
Subject: f-bombs

I worked with a guy who dropped f-bombs regularly and often. I asked him if his parents knew he talked that way. His reply: “F*ck yeah; where do you s’pose I learned it?”

Don Fearn, Rochester, Minnesota

From: Christina Stuart (cstuart gmx.de)
Subject: Nice words instead of nasty

When I was very young I hated to hear swear words, especially directed towards God. My brother was famous for this. But simple words like “shιt” were disturbing too. So at a very young age I turned this into “sugar, honey, ice, tea”. It takes longer to say, but the anger is then dispersed. Nowadays I might just say “sugar” if I have the need but have never said the original word.

I teach English and have taught my students to use this phrase as well. Sugar conjures up much nicer images than the other word it has long since replaced.

Christina Stuart, Haan, Germany

From: Shawn Katzman (gskatzman aol.com)
Subject: Minced Oaths

As a child growing up in a conservative Catholic home, I did not use swear words, given the ever-present threat of having my mouth washed out with soap. I frequently heard my single mom say, “Oh, sugarjets!” instead of the “Oh shιt!”

Now, my mom, being tortured by Alzheimer’s, has lost much of her language ability, but one day recently, I heard her very clearly sigh “Oh, sugarjets.” This made me laugh and cry at the same time (which happens quite frequently when dealing with this disease). My husband of 31 years had never heard the term, nor had any of the friends I queried. It never dawned on me that perhaps she coined it.

Shawn Katzman, Chicago, Illinois

From: Serge Marelli (serge.marelli gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gee-whiz

A little background: my mother language and culture are French, as in European French.

Some 30 years ago, I lived for a few years in Quebec. It was there that, for the first time, I started thinking about languages and differences in culture and expressions and also about the “sense and intent” of swearing.

In Quebec, cuss words have mostly a religious background. I’d say, in US English as well. People swore and cursed by invoking some religious word and concept (i.e. tabarnak for tabernacle, Criss for the Christ, etc.)

This was strange for me, because I had absolutely no taboo about these concepts, so there was nothing shocking about them. In European French, as in most European continental countries, cuss words and taboo words almost always have a relation to bodily functions and/or sεxual activities.

So, I’ll react much more to the F-word or to sh*t than to “Jeez*s F-ing Chr**”.

Serge Marelli, Luxembourg

From: Brenda J. Gannam (gannamconsulting earthlink.net)
Subject: fathermuggers

A priest is strolling through the park late one evening. Two guys rush up. One holds the priest while the other relieves him of his wallet. Then the two of them run away. The priest, still reeling from the assault, cries out: “Help! Police! Get those fathermuggers!”

Brenda J. Gannam, Brooklyn, New York

From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com)
Subject: sacre bleu and gee-whiz

Inspired by the usage example for “sacre bleu”, I’ve envisioned two of the great divas of their respective generations, Lady Gaga and Madonna, showing up on the red carpet of the annual NYC Met Gala extravaganza wearing the identical designer gown. Oops!

Say Cheese... Whiz! Mr. Mouse mis-hears Ms. Mouse’s “Cheese Whiz” as the “minced” blasphemy, gee-whiz. Hmm... something lost in translation?

Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California

Anagrams


This week’s theme: Minced oaths 1. Gee-whiz 2. Sacre bleu 3. Tarnation 4. Ballyhack 5. Gorblimey	=	1. Wowee, ahem 2. Zut alors, crikey 3. Damnably 4. It’s hell, bet it isn’t an iceberg ahem 5. Gosh, heck
		-Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz)

=	1. The new amazing tees, tube 2. Bleat, show shock 3. Damn imbecile 4. Crikey hell 5. Gosh! A rarity	=	1. Gosh 2. It’s alarming 3. I be like: “What??” 4. Hades; commonly, the club there 5. It’s been a crazy week
	-Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com)		-Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com)

Make your own anagrams and animations.

Limericks

gee-whiz

I took just one sip, and gee-whiz!
That cocktail’s the best, yes it is.
Some say it’s passé,
But hear what I say,
And order a great Sloe Gin Fizz.
-Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com)

Said many a voter, “Gee whiz!
How ancient our president is!”
Biden swallowed his pride,
And he then stepped aside,
When Trump thought the office was his.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

My blind date’s due here lickety-split.
There’s the doorbell! I guess this is it!
I’m op’ning -- gee whiz!
If that’s who this is,
My night’s worth a bucket o’ spit!
-Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com)

Now I once knew a girl name of Liz,
She was truly a proper, sweet Ms.
If she were to curse,
You’d hear nothing worse
Than an utterly heartfelt, “Gee whiz!”
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

“Another divorce? Well, gee whiz;
What is it with you and me, Liz?”
Richard sighed. Answered she,
“Seems I’m meant to be free.”
All her husbands agreed, “Yes, she is.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

sacre bleu

This town truly sucks, sacré bleu.
I simply don’t like the milieu.
There’s always a crowd,
Ill-mannered and loud.
So, New York, I must bid you adieu.
-Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com)

When she noticed her hair turning gray,
“Sacre bleu!” she declared in dismay.
“How can this be true?
This never will do!”
And she started to dye it that day.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

Poor Pierre didn’t know what to do,
For it seems that two gals bid adieu.
When his wife did discover
That he was their lover,
Forlorn, he cried out, “Sacre bleu!”
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

Groaned the cat lady, “What shall I do?
Donald picked J.D. Vance! Sacre bleu!
That’s the end of my saga
Believing in MAGA;
They’ve turned anti-kitty! Boo hoo!”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

tarnation

Said Donald, “You won’t have to vote!”
This comment made critics take note,
And with irritation
Ask “How in tarnation
Should people interpret that quote?”
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

“What in tarnation!”, you know,
I heard a lot long years ago.
But modern folks speak
In a way that’s more chic,
And these days it is not a propos.
-Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com)

The old bach’lor found love late in life;
Had avoided all marital strife.
Crying, “What in tarnation,
Is this new sensation?”
He changed his life with his new wife.
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

He’d mutter and curse in frustration;
Much later came, “What in tarnation!?”
For Yosemite Sam
Couldn’t say the word “damn”
As a Looney Tunes cartoon creation.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Ballyhack

Some folks have a fine way to tell
An insult we know very well.
The Irish cite Ballyhack,
To give a back alley smack,
Instead of just plain, “Go to hell!”
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

If you’re quizzed, “What does Death Valley lack?”
Answer, “Rain -- it’s a true Ballyhack.
If you find yourself there,
It’s so hot you’ll despair;
Get out quickly. Do not dally, Mack.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

gorblimey

Gee whiz! I’ll be darned! I’m amazed!
Sacre bleu! I’m nonplussed! Baffled! Fazed!
Gorblimey! Tarnation!
My brain’s on vacation!
I’m gobsmacked! Floored! Stupified! Dazed!
-David Goldberg, Pinckney, Michigan (montedoro44 gmail.com)

With false accusations they slime me,
And they’re trying to nickel and dime me.
They took me to court
On a vile trumped-up tort.
I was President, mind you. Gorblimey!
-Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com)

For insults the man has a knack,
Now saying that Harris “turned Black”.
Good grief and gorblimey!
His comments are slimy --
Of nasty remarks I’ve lost track.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

In hide and seek, friends hafta fin’ me;
I come home and I look kinda grimy.
Says Ma with a shriek,
“That’s three times this week!
In the bath with you, Herbert, gorblimey!”
-Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com)

Now Bert was one very drunk Limey;
His luck was so bad, he’d shout, “Why me?”
When he’d wake the next day
In a hungover way,
He would clutch his head, crying, “Gorblimey!”
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

Said a man in East London, “Gorblimey!
Your limericks, Steve, horrify me!
What we do in my gang
Is employ Cockney slang,
But a Yank just can’t rhyme like a Limey.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Halifax, another minced oath from a couple of years ago

“She’s lonely, her life’s Halifax;
It’s me as her mate Sally lacks,”
thought Harry. “Her heart
I will win. For a start
We’ll go hiking, and I’ll carry snacks.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Puns

“Gee-whiz-ard, can’t you grant Dorothy her wish too?” queried the scarecrow with his new brain.
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

“Mommy-ji has candy if Anu-gee whiz-zes in the toilet from now on,” Mrs. Garg promised her toddler.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“If you’d please put away that stupid sci-fi manuscript and darn the hole in my sacré bleu thread is what you should use,” said Mrs. Bradbury.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“We will build interstate highways until this is one great big tarnation!” declared President Eisenhower.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“For big discounts on shoes and purses by Ballyhack-ensack is the place to come!” advertised the New Jersey mall owner.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Because the Russian operative was sure he would receive no invitation to Hillary Clinton’s inauguration ballyhack-ed her emails, costing her the election.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“I-gorblimey, Dr. Frankenstein needs a new brain for his creature right away.”
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

“That was some lecture by Al Gorblimey we gotta do somethin’ about global warmin’!” said the Australian to his friend.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Appealing to tribe, appealing to fear, pitting one group against another, telling people that order and security will be restored if it weren’t for those who don’t look like us or don’t sound like us or don’t pray like we do, that’s an old playbook. It’s as old as time. And in a healthy democracy it doesn’t work. Our antibodies kick in, and people of goodwill from across the political spectrum call out the bigots and the fearmongers, and work to compromise and get things done and promote the better angels of our nature. -Barack Obama, 44th US President (b. 4 Aug 1961)

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