A.Word.A.Day -- AWADmail Issue 1190

A.Word.A.Day

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AWADmail Issue 1190

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

Sponsor’s Message: “Scrabble on steroids, with a thieving twist.” One Up! -- where stealing is the name of the game. “My daily dose of dopamine.” A wicked smart anytime gift. Game on!

From: Ivy Kaminsky (ivykaminsky yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

Speaking of word warfare... Monty Python’s famous “I’d like to have an argument.” (3 min.)

Ivy Kaminsky, Houston, Texas

From: Susan Weisman (weismansue aol.com)
Subject: This week’s words and Celebrating Two Shoes’ 20th Anniversary

You aren’t the only one who wants to fight with words. Check out the song The Chariot from The Cat Empire:
video (4 min.)
lyrics

Susan Weisman, Bayonne, New Jersey

From: Ian Reece (hickson.reece gmail.com)
Subject: Good timing!

This cartoon came out today: Strange Brew By John Deering.

Ian Reece, Toronto, Canada

From: Tony Pivetta (apivetta aol.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

You wrote: “Words Shakespeare used to verbally slap people across the face.”

Are you familiar with the Shakespeare Insults Generator? Immerse yourself in an endless stream of literate excoriations!

Tony Pivetta, Royal Oak, Michigan

Email of the Week -- Brought to you buy One Up! -- Perfectly horrible family fun.

From: Eric Miller (ericmiller1957 gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

In many African-American communities, at least well into the 1980s, one form of social entertainment was “playing the dozens”. The two players would exchange insults -- very much “anything goes”, ... but each insult had to be clever. The first person to blow his cool -- either by losing his temper or by bursting into laughter -- was the loser.

Eric Miller, Norwich, Vermont

From: Bernadine Ann (bernadineloves gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

I do so appreciate your wordsmithing and knowledge of many things words. But I must strongly disagree on this one.

Yes, bombs and killing are tremendously bad, no dispute there, but words can hurt, damage and yes, even kill just like a bomb. All my school life, I was called names and worse and all of that left indelible scars I deal with still today. My mom’s mantra was, “sticks and stones...” But she was wrong and you are wrong. The wounds are hidden and can hurt just as bad as any bomb only they don’t show and so can be dismissed as unimportant or imagined. And now I understand that words online can drive teens and more to such depths of despair that they kill themselves. We need to stop the wars and killing AND we need to understand the utter demoralization and destruction that harmful words are responsible for.

In sorrow, may we begin to feed two birds with one hand,

Bernadine Ann, Portland, Oregon

From: Allen Clark (allendclark gmail.com)
Subject: Words, not swords

The perfect quote on today’s theme comes from Sigmund Freud: “The first human who hurled an insult instead of a stone was the founder of civilization.”

Allen Clark, Falls Church, Virginia

From: Christopher Weaver (chrweave gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

Ah, but think of what glorious kind of insult it would be to plant a hobbyhorse nithing pole in the lawn of that fustilarian neighbor of yours. They probably would miss it, though.

Chris Weaver, Huntsville, Alabama

From: Dave Conant (davefb123 gmail.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nithing

The nithing pole could be seen as a thematic predecessor to the cinematic tradition of putting a horse’s head in the bed of an enemy as a threat.

Dave Conant, St. Louis, Missouri

From: Nancy Wilson (wilsonna sonic.net)
Subject: applejohn

This Golden Delicious apple doll must fit the definition of an applejohn. She was a treasure of my mother’s in the 1950s.

Nancy Wilson, Petaluma, California

From: William Pease (peasewmj gmail.com)
Subject: Trifler

Trifler might also be applied to one who makes trifle -- an easy but delicious layered dessert of cake, custard and fruit. English in origin and known here as “tipsy parson” with the addition of alcohol.

Bill Pease, San Diego, California

From: Barron Hall (barronhall hotmail.com)
Subject: liberties

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free. -Clarence Darrow, lawyer and author (18 Apr 1857-1938)

This quotation needs to be taught in schools. The Ten Commandments, the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance -- none of them mean anything unless they include everyone. Diversity is every culture working and living together with a positive purpose. Equity is equal protection under the law. Inclusion is everyone counts. That’s what freedom is. People everywhere just gotta be free.

Barron Hall, Fairfax, Virginia

From: Robert Hubsher (rhubsher 2plan22.net)
Subject: Just Sharing

I wrote a tanka using each of this week’s words in the order you presented them.

There is a nithing
a balding barbermonger
an orange varlet
truly worthless applejohn
a vain dishevelled trifler.

Hope this makes you smile,

Robert Hubsher, Ottawa, Canada

From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com)
Subject: barbermonger and varlet

Oscar Wilde, the mid-late-19th-century humorist, poet, essayist, playwright and master epigramist, was the epitome of flamboyance. He was known to have assumed provocative effete poses in public, often puffing on a fag, while sporting flouncy hats, velvet jackets, dashing scarves, black stockings, pointy shoes and holding a cane. He was a strong proponent of the principles of the Aesthetic Movement in England.

Trump, a chronic liar and flouter of the Constitution, is the quintessential varlet. With The Donald, dishonesty and lack of principle know no bounds. Despite him recently having been given an alleged clean bill-of-health, while soon turning 79, I’d argue that his hearing could be a tad challenged. Hmm... varlet vs virtulet”.. homophonically close, but no cigar. VP Vance has coined the bogus word virtulet to mask Trump’s ignorance, befitting the sycophantic loyalist role that he is more than happy to play.

Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California

Anagrams


	This week’s theme: Insults Nithing Barbermonger Varlet Applejohn Trifler	=	Miser, jerk Fop Tampering servant When the brain goes; thin Bullshit teller
			-Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com)
=	Gangster, vile men Swell Helper fam Horror! : Her tattiest kin Pith: Jibe ‘n’ snub	=	Miser, he’ll be tight with all things Fop Mr T, knave or sinner Be a prune Jester
	-Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com)		-Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz)

Make your own anagrams and animations.

Limericks

nithing

If there’s someone you wish to insult
The word nithing is much too occult.
Your opponent won’t writhe
Or skin you alive.
“Thanks, dude” is the likely result.
-Sara Hutchinson, New Castle, Delaware (sarahutch2003 yahoo.com)

Cried the soldier, who trembled with fear,
“I believe that the enemy’s near!”
The fellow then fled,
Went AWOL, they said --
What a nithing to just disappear!
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

I’m only a woman, and old
No one listens to me; I’m a scold!
But that’s better by far
Than those nithings, who are
Just dastardly! (So I’ve been told!)
-Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com)

Said Scrooge, the notorious nithing,
“In pain all you priests have me writhing.
You could do a strip-search;
I have naught for the church!
And I’ll never agree to your tithing.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

barbermonger

That vain barbermonger will preen,
So much that it’s almost obscene.
When we video-chat,
I am well-aware that
He sees only himself on the screen.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

“You’re a braggart and cruel barbermonger;
On you I’ll no more ardor squander,”
Said Melania. “POTUS
Or not, here’s my notice:
I’m looking for love farther yonder.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

varlet

A scurvy, unprincipled varlet
Procured William an S&M harlot,
Who then paddled his tush
To such rosy-red blush,
He was evermore thenceforth Will Scarlett.
-Nancy C.G. Meyer, Mundelein, Illinois (antares11 juno.com)

Miss O’Hara, (We know her as Scarlett),
Behaved like a willful young starlet.
She one day met a man
Who did not give a damn.
Yes, Rhett Butler was truly a varlet.
-Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com)

He’s a varlet convicted of fraud,
Who is more than a little bit flawed.
But he is at large;
In fact, he’s in charge,
Making trouble at home and abroad.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

A pretty young harlot named Charlotte
Said, “I know that my business is scarlet.
I have a strict rule,
Because I’m no fool.
I won’t do the deed with a varlet.
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

“If you pay Tara’s taxes,” said Scarlett,
“I’ll sleep with you, though you’re a varlet.”
“I’m in jail, so not yet;
Someday soon, though,” said Rhett,
“But we’ll marry, you cute little harlot.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

applejohn

There’s always a pro and a con.
That’s something to safely bet on.
If one lives a long life,
One experiences strife
Turning into an old applejohn.
-Rudy Landesman, New York, New York (ydur36 hotmail.com)

If I look in the mirror and see
An old applejohn’s staring at me,
That’s when I will know
It’s now time to go
For some Botox, I think you’ll agree.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

“My skin makes me look like an applejohn;
I need wrinkle cream,” fretted the mastodon.
“But I’m going berserk,
For my phone I can’t work
Without thumbs to place orders on Amazon.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

trifler

We thought him a trifler at first,
In government not at all versed.
Whoever expected
That he’d be elected?
As president he’s now the worst.
-Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com)

“Come follow me, kids,” said the piper,
“And your parents will learn I’m no trifler.
All the rats I waylaid,
And expect to get paid;
Now your folks will have something to cry for.”
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Puns

“I simply de-nithing-s I said when I’m caught in a lie,” Donald shrugged.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“Don’t make the same mistakes we did. You don’t need to bite that applejohn-ny,” Adam and Eve counseled the at-risk youth.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“The samo-varlet me down today with a bad batch of tea,” said the discriminating Russian.
-Janice Power, Cleveland, Ohio (powerjanice782 gmail.com)

“Simon Boli-varlet it be known he’d settle for nothing less than full independence from Spain,” lectured the history teacher.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

“If you want to be more popular with boys, trifler-ting a little,” Scarlett advised her sister Suellen.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

Nigel loved to eat his wife’s special homemade dessert. He was a devoted trifler.
-Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com)

“She’s great with her hands, with hair, and with people. She could become a barbermonger various choices,” the vocational guidance counselor told the student’s parents.
-Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com)

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

It is a glorious thing to be indifferent to suffering, but only to one’s own suffering. -Robert Lynd, writer (20 Apr 1879-1949)

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