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May 17, 2026 This week’s theme Whose what? This week’s words cat’s meow patriarch’s age rake’s progress pig’s whisper parson’s week How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Toponyms Wordsmith Games 🧩 Jigsaw Riddle Before the Crowds 🌍 Langitude Trace sybarite home AWADmail Issue 1246 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: Interesting stories from the Net Do We Judge People by the Way They Sound? How Accents Shape Our Lives The Guardian Permalink What Happens When We Lose a Language? The Guardian Permalink Email of the Week -- Brought to you by One Up! From: David Micklethwait (micklethwait hotmail.com) Subject: cat’s meow A somewhat cruder expression for excellence is the dog’s bollocks, which is particularly pleasing because printers used it to describe the combination of a colon and a dash :- . The cat, however, was more prolific than the dog. Other excellent things were the cat’s pyjamas and the cat’s whiskers. A single cat’s whisker was part of the crystal sets of my childhood, and elsewhere we find cat’s eyes, cat’s paws, cattails, and even cat’s cradles. David Micklethwait, London, England From: Michael Luckman (michael.luckman gowlingwlg.com) Subject: pig’s whisper Pig’s whisper was a new one on me and, as you say, its origins are muddy (obviously). However, when you mentioned the alternative, pig’s whisker, that had meaning for me and for reasons I could understand. In our family’s vocabulary, a pig’s whisker is a very small distance -- as in “The oncoming car was out of control and I missed hitting it by a pig’s whisker.” I have always taken this as a reference to the thin diameter of a hair, although I do not know why the pig’s variety was relevant (or, indeed, any selected animal’s whisker). Michael Luckman, Birmingham, UK From: Henry M. Willis (hmw ssdslaw.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--pig’s whisper While we’re talking about whispers, 45 years ago, when my wife and I were living in Arkansas, we got involved in the Little Rock Committee for Non-Intervention in El Salvador. That put us in contact with two wonderful women, secretaries to the bishop of the United Methodist Church there, who provided us with a lot of timely help. One of them once casually commented about the other, “She learned to whisper in a sawmill.” Unlike pig’s whisper, no explanation needed. Cormac McCarthy used a variation on that line in one of his books a few years later. And I think I heard it in a movie made around that time, though I can’t remember what it was called. But as far as I am concerned, the quote belongs to our one-time fellow campaigner from Little Rock. Henry Willis, Los Angeles, California From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: cat’s meow and patriarch’s age The Maine Coon, the official state cat, is among the largest domesticated feline breeds; males often weigh up to 18 lbs and stretch three feet in length, including the tail. They’ve adapted well to Maine’s extreme winter climes, exhibiting lynx-like physical characteristics, such as long, soft fur, a leonine ruff around the neck, large fur-padded paws, and sizable triangular ears that come to distinctive points. The Maine Coon has a long, bushy tail, whereas the lynx has a short, stubby one. Curiously, some Maine Coons exhibit polydactylism -- extra toes/claws. Who knew? Methuselah was the longest-lived Old Testament patriarch, living to the ripe age of 969. A twisted Bristlecone pine tree rooted in California’s Inyo National Forest was named the Methuselah Tree in recognition of its astounding longevity of 4,850 years. Scientists have established that this ancient tree germinated in 2832 BCE, well before the first Egyptian pyramid was ever built. This tree has survived in the most extreme mountainous climatic conditions at an altitude of over 11,000 feet above sea level. Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams Whose what? Cat’s meow Patriarch’s age Rake’s progress Pig’s whisper Parson’s week = Gasp wow, awesome prowess Geriatric On crash path Shake Gist’s 2 week’s R&R perhaps? --Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) This week’s theme: Whose what? Cat’s meow Patriarch’s age Rake’s progress Pig’s whisper Parson’s week = We gawk, “Awesome!” Papa’s peers Grow weak, crash Short time; the gossip’s hiss Crew’s thirteen (ah, perks) = She’s sharp -- worth her keep (wow!) A geriatric’s age Sot’s hacks (missteps) Whimper E.g., near-two weeks’ spa -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks cat’s meow “The finest of fellows is Joe!” That’s how she describes her new beau. “The real cat’s meow -- I love him, and how!” (Though what’s the big deal, I don’t know.) -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Have you seen that new girl? She’s a wow! My sisters are jealous, and how! The guys gather ‘round; Even Grandpa has found A description for her: cat’s meow! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) A tabby who’s very conceited, Expected a bow when he’s greeted. All felines kowtowed When this tomcat meowed, Because that’s what his big ego needed. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Some verses and wine ‘neath the bough, And bread make a true cat’s meow!” Wrote Omar. “Hey, wait! There are two on a date,” Said his girlfriend, “You better add ‘thou’!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Said Donald, “Just look at the Dow! This term’s been a real cat’s meow! Me and Jared grow rich, And I scratch every itch To go shooting and bombing! Kapow!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) patriarch’s age Since he’s lived to a patriarch’s age, He is thought of by some as a sage. But to tell you the truth, He’s unchanged from his youth -- He is still just a fool at this stage! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Gettin’ old, lord o’ mercy, God knows! And life throws us some curves as it goes! So does wisdom accrue? Not yet me -- how ‘bout you? At a patriarch’s age, I suppose! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) The tortoise was thought of as sage, For he made an escape from his cage. Then he thought, “Golly gee! It’s a treat to be free. I have been there a patriarch’s age.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) They chided that Biden was old. “He’s not fit to be leader,” they’d scold. For his patriarch’s age They had used as a gauge, “But old Trump,” they said, “he’s good as gold.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) A president may not be sage Once he reaches a patriarch’s age. Although over the hump, Reagan, Biden, and Trump All said, “No, we will not turn the page.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) rake’s progress I have read how he lived and he died, A rake’s progress so sad that I cried. The path that he took Is here in this book -- It’s a what-not-to-do kind of guide. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Our area’s going to pot! Just look at the neighbors we’ve got! Poor ol’ Mr. Snodgrass Is making rake’s progress (And taking me with, like as not!) -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “His decline,” says Pope Leo, “is scary. We must pray; let us say a Hail Mary. His steady rake’s progress Has been quite a process; The rest of his term will be hairy.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) pig’s whisper He told me a real dirty joke, So in a pig’s whisper he spoke. But the children were near And managed to hear -- What problems he thus did provoke! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The Aussie looked down on his plate, At his breakfast that wasn’t so great. “I want bacon crisper.” “In just a pig’s whisper,” The cook said, “I’ll get it up, mate.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) Said Dorothy, “Here comes a twister!” And over the rainbow it whisked her. A wicked witch caught her, But splashed with some water, She melted. How fast? A pig’s whisper. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) parson’s week When a super vacation I seek, I take off for a whole parson’s week. A luxurious cruise -- That is what I could use, Although lately that prospect looks bleak. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) We’ll have us a parson’s week, whee! And go camping; there’s so much to see! The last time -- remember? Way back last September When I first used the outdoors to pee! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “Just what is a parson’s week, pray? And how did it get that name? Hey -- I’m talkin’ to you --” “Well, I’m thinkin’ it through: For two weeks he’s off, less one day.” -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “The sermon I wrote I must tweak; I can’t give it this Sunday; it’s weak,” Said the vicar. “And so To the church I won’t go.” The result? Why, the word “parson’s week”! -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “When confronted by big cat’s meow-twit them by waving arms, puffing out chest, and shouting ‘You have no cards!’” said Oog. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “You patriarch’s age pretty well,” smiled Sarah when 99-year-old Abraham impregnated her. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “We are eendoors servants, ees not our job to monitor ze rake’s progress wiz ze leaves,” said Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts after unionizing. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Mommy, is this clump of hair I found in the barn the pig’s whisper the goat’s?” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “The parson’s week voice and boring sermons put me to sleep,” complained the parishioner. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Jim Parson’s week eyesight led to a pair of glasses in the third grade. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Most creativity is a transition from one context into another where things are more surprising. There’s an element of surprise, and especially in science, there is often laughter that goes along with the ‘Aha’. Art also has this element. Our job is to remind us that there are more contexts than the one that we’re in -- the one that we think is reality. -Alan Kay, computer scientist (b. 17 May 1940)

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