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Posted By: hogmaster whillywha, choose one - 02/27/07 02:29 PM
a) a long marsh grass with razor sharp edges

b) Chiefly British an elision of "Wow, hilly, eh what?"

c) Algonquin word for a level of disagreement or dispute which could only be settled by a lacrosse game in which at least one player died; hence any life-and-death issue.

d) a Malaysian riding crop; derived from riding crops brought over by polo-playing English and Scottish rulers in the nineteenth century.

e) Colloq., music a cup-shaped device manipulated at the flared end of a horn to alter the sound

f) Irish slang Support clothing for the male genitalia (aka 'jockstrap')

g) Aussie term for a young platypus

h) Sc. a wheedling or insinuating person; a flattering deceiver.

i) the beauty of life as measured by the self. e.g. one's ability to sing, dance, strut, etc. (Navajo)

j) Sc. a temper tantrum, esp in a small child

k) a children's toy popular during the heyday of Coney Island. It was shaped like an elaborate paper airplane and could be purchased for nickel.

l) a separate room set to the back of some stately homes for ablutions after particularly harrowing dinner parties.

m) a rare, endangered Hawaiian bird of the family Drepanididae, closely related to the ' I 'iwi or Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper, more common but also shrinking in number. The Whillywha, as well as the ' I 'iwi, feeds on nectar .

n) an underground lake; source of water

o) Sc. to and fro

p) a night spirit of the Iroquoian peoples.

q) an Australian Desert Mound Spring. These springs have characteristic mounds which have been formed by the combined action of water, sand, silt and clay and the deposition of limestone from the upwelling groundwater. It can take 1.5 to 2 million years for water to travel from the recharge area to the discharge area of the springs. The water from these springs is regarded as fossil water.

r) a Malaysian drain cleaner, or snake

s) the exclamation made by a youngster, calling out to Willy Wonka, just as he slips into a raging river of chocolate.



the following are the submitters: consuelo, Jackie, Owlbow, ECreith, belMarduk, ASp, Faldage, musick, TEd, BranShea, nightotter, olly, shanks, wofa, Aramis, ParkinT, tsuwm, OED, and (schlepping in under the dead-line) themilum.

thanx and good luck to all..
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/27/07 03:39 PM
O
Posted By: Owlbow Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/27/07 05:22 PM
'many good possibilities but I'll choose a).
Posted By: belMarduk Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/27/07 06:08 PM
O.k. Lets work this out.

D and R both cite Malaysian origins, G and Q Australian. Too coincidental. Strike those.

M is too long and piles in too much info to be real definition. Q also fits this category so a double-strike for that one.

C, I and P have Amerindian origins. Again too coincidental.

I have no idea what B is on about, so out that goes; and there are too many “Ws” in the word for Irish slang so F is out too.

Nobody says “heyday” anymore so K is definitely invented and L can’t be right because those who lived in stately homes wouldn’t come up with a weird name for a separate room for ablutions if they were too embarrassed to have folks use the regular room. They have some sort of euphemistic, non-humorous, non-descriptive word.

S is silly – boot!



J is out because nobody’d come up with a cutesy name for a temper tantrum.


So, this leaves me with A, E, H, N and O and I still don’t have an idea. Lets see. I think H is out because, like the tantrum definition, the word is too cutesy for that definition. O is too short, and doesn't explain what is going to and fro.

O.k., I’m choosing E just because I can’t decide which of the last three (A, E or N) is correct, so I threw a dart and it landed in the middle.



(o.k., o.k., so this post is long...I'm having a very stressful day at work so I'm taking a break!)
Posted By: olly Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/27/07 08:03 PM
So many choices, h mmm
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 12:05 AM
I'm fairly versed in marsh grasses(don't ask why, don't ask how), and an aspiring musician, and I've never heard willywha used in that way, and we have a fair few dons in our music class. Hence, n.

Actually, after some research in ol' Oxford, C.

For reasons outlined below, changed to O.

After much deliberation and asking Scottish people, changed to H. Final answer. Promise.
Posted By: wofahulicodoc Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 02:30 AM
Another shot in the dark:

I choose N over R.

To add to the previous discussion - three definitions are Sc and are therefore too-coincidental-ly eliminated. Why do we always invoke Scottish origins whenever we really haven't a clue?!

What E sounds as if it's trying to evoke is a "wa-wa" mute, not a whillywha-tchamacallit...
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 04:49 AM
If it's just to alter the sound, then it's just called a mute. That's not particularly colloquial, though.

Granted, it could be that the correct meanings are hidden in redundant other stuff of same etymology. Note, also, that there are no verb meanings. Only adverb is o. In fact, only non-noun entry is o.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 05:57 AM
-------------------h--------------------
Posted By: themilum Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 08:09 AM
Shoot! Too late.

If you two new people had only half the patience of an empty chair I could have guided you to the OED definition of this Hogwash.

Think for a minute...all seventeen definitions have equal likelihood; such is the nature of language. So to improve your chances you must go with what you know, and one thing that we all know is the reality of verbal dimorphism - namely - women think and speak differently than men.

Now, since seven out of the eighteen Hogwash definitions were written by women, and since 99 44/00 percent of the contributions to the Oxford English Language dictionaries (OED) were written by men, it follows that if we eliminate the definitions written by the Hogwash ladies we will improve our chances of guessing correctly by almost 42 percent.

Granted, some rough-cut broads of Awad slap their men about as a matter of daily routine, and two or more of the tough-talking guys here enjoy dressing up their GI Joe dolls in cute little ballet outfits when not online, but overall, sex delimitation works, and here are the definitions submitted by the cutting sex...

(a) Oh my! Razor sharp edges!
(c) An "issue" is the feminine form of "problem".
(g) All platypusies are female and lay eggs.
(h) If a man wrote this one he should be denut...uh, scolded.
(j) Isn't that cute? Little Elmo's having a whillywha.
(l) "Harrowing dinner party"? Women retire to the whillywha; men get drunk.
(o) "To and fro" , try saying that without skipping.

Done.
Posted By: Faldage Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 11:12 AM
Newcomers should be advised that Milo's track record at matching the sex of contributors to hogwash with the defintions is pretty poor. Last time he tried this he guessed his own sex wrong.
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 01:21 PM
And he did contribute. That means we have a 42% better chance of guessing Milo's, I guess.
Posted By: tsuwm Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 01:27 PM
Quote:

And he did contribute. That means we have a 42% better chance of guessing Milo's, I guess.




all it really means is that you have a 42% (yes, that's less than fifty-fifty) chance of correctly guessing Milo's gender.
Posted By: Jackie Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 01:49 PM
I like E.
Posted By: TEd Remington Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 03:02 PM
Because I haven't a clue, I am going with J, with C a close second.
Posted By: Alex Williams Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 03:02 PM
I vote for O, although L is much wittier.
Posted By: nightotter Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 03:29 PM


aaaaaaa
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 05:23 PM
Shoot the moon! Milo The Milum .Walzing Mathilda ! Deepfried halleluja! The only thing about your post I understand is that you were too late with something and who's to blame? And that empty chairs have more patience than newcomers! Big deal!
One has to come from a good house to beat a chair on that subject.

Confusing the unsuspecting with percentages and numbers.

Did you make a choice or not? That's all that matters.

Hmmm. Sorry I lost my patience.(temper I mean) Gestalt problems.
Posted By: themilum Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 08:03 PM
Quote:

Shoot the moon! Milo The Milum .Walzing Mathilda ! Deepfried halleluja! The only thing about your post I understand is that you were too late with something and who's to blame? And that empty chairs have more patience than newcomers! Big deal!
One has to come from a good house to beat a chair on that subject.

Confusing the unsuspecting with percentages and numbers.

Did you make a choice or not? That's all that matters.

Hmmm. Sorry I lost my patience.(temper I mean) Gestalt problems.




Ok gang, I've had it. I've decided to blow this podunk game of Hogwash wide open with my inescapable reasoning and logic. Listen up, those with ears that hear other than be-bop, the mister themilum is gonna tell you all where the monkey hid the money...

First out I ask, who selected the word "whillywha" from the OED?
Right, it was the Hogmaster. And who is the Hogmaster?
Right again, he is tsuwm. And does not this tsuwm person conduct the Worthless Word For The Day website? And has not he selected thousands of words during the last five years for use on his website?

Get it? tsuwm is not a particularly unimagnative man but with the need to conjure new old words and definitions daily for over a thousand days his choice of words and definitions, perhaps understandably, have fallen into a recognizable pattern. Here, as I have deciphered, is his template...

A definition must be concise, clear with interesting content, and, most times, abstract rather than concrete.

Simple, huh? But suprisingly only two defintions entered in the current Hogwash fulfill these requirements. They are...

o) Sc. To and fro (entered by tsuwm to trick you)

and,

i) the beauty of life as measured by the self. e.g. one's ability to sing, dance, strut, etc. (Navajo) [OED]

****************************** FINISHED ****************************
Posted By: tsuwm Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 08:47 PM
let's just say that Milo's advice, plus a sawbuck under the table to the hogmaster™, could earn you a point in this round of hogwash®.

Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 09:22 PM
I'll vote as soon as I can stop laughing!

[recovered] Most of these are so good I'm just going to vote for the one I like best, even though I don't believe it and think I know who submitted it: L [/recovered]
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 02/28/07 10:43 PM
Posted By: Elizabeth Creith Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 12:10 AM
N
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 07:57 AM
Quote:

l plus a sawbuck under the table to the hogmaster™





See, this is all about learning.Only by playing we learn. O.K. Take your sawbuck. New to me.

saw·buck [ sáw bùk ] (plural saw·bucks)
noun :
Definition:

1. construction
Same as sawhorse
2. 10 dollars: a ten-dollar bill ( slang )

[Mid-19th century. < Dutch zaagbok; in sense 2, from the resemblance between the X-shaped end of a sawhorse and the Roman numeral for "ten"]

Another word richer and ten dolllars poorer.
Posted By: Faldage Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 10:35 AM
I mo go with O.
Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 12:24 PM
Quote:

I'm fairly versed in marsh grasses(don't ask why, don't ask how), and an aspiring musician, and I've never heard willywha used in that way, and we have a fair few dons in our music class. Hence, n.

Actually, after some research in ol' Oxford, C.

For reasons outlined below, changed to O.

After much deliberation and asking Scottish people, changed to H. Final answer. Promise.




That's not quite in the spirit of the game. You're supposed to guess based on your own reaction, but add funny/obfuscatory comments as you wish. Not keep changing your answer.
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 01:18 PM
But I like varied shades of gray!
Posted By: hogmaster Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/01/07 06:56 PM
>That's not quite in the spirit of the game.

I have to agree, and I'm going to take the powers vested in the hogmaster and throw out (all of) Curuinor's vote -- not that it (the points don't) matters.

we've got a bunch of votes, but there were seventeen(17) submitters, and it's snowing again -- this might take a while.
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 12:08 AM
So much for playing the game without reading the rules in any way, shape or form, and not even living in England and watching the show.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 02:53 AM
he voted for H. what's the big deal?
Posted By: tsuwm Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 04:49 AM
Quote:

he voted for H. what's the big deal?




here's his vote(s), in its entire:
I'm fairly versed in marsh grasses(don't ask why, don't ask how), and an aspiring musician, and I've never heard willywha used in that way, and we have a fair few dons in our music class. Hence, n.

Actually, after some research in ol' Oxford, C.

For reasons outlined below, changed to O.

After much deliberation and asking Scottish people, changed to H. Final answer. Promise.


I'm pretty sure that sets a new.. standard.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 07:03 AM
Quote:

O.k. Lets work this out.
O.k., I’m choosing E just because I can’t decide which of the last three (A, E or N) is correct, so I threw a dart and it landed in the middle.




BelMarduk
Thanks to your post I have gotten a better understanding of how to make and choose a definition for the next time. It's new to me, so challenging still. I think it's charming game.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 01:46 PM
> I'm pretty sure that sets a new.. standard.

yeah, but it still doesn't explain tossing his vote. others have posted lengthy explanations of their thought-process, and guesses about who wrote what definition.

he could be lying.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 02:14 PM
Quote:

> I'm pretty sure that sets a new.. standard.

others have posted lengthy explanations of their thought-process, and guesses about who wrote what definition.





Yes, but those did not use Oxford.D, did they? That was why I asked about this before joining and was critisized even for asking whether you could use dictionaries or so. The point is that you really guess
or make deductions to find your answer, no? Else what is the sport or fun?
Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/02/07 02:25 PM
Exactly, BranShea. You're not supposed to consult any dictionary/authority. That would make the whole game pretty pointless.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 01:13 PM
Saterday 14.20 No early risers? Wake up! It's weird to be all alone out here!
Posted By: Curuinor Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 02:43 PM
Some of us are in the other side of the world. And do not find anything in our custom RSS feeds.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 04:09 PM
Originally Posted By: AnnaStrophic
Exactly, BranShea. You're not supposed to consult any dictionary/authority. That would make the whole game pretty pointless.


and again I say, he could be making the whole thing up.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 04:40 PM
Nah, Eta. He admitted he did not read the rules and why would you do something that complicated? To fake un unaware "cheating" is a very literary thing.
On top of that Curuinor is right on top of your post. He could make a clear statement if you are in doubt.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 04:46 PM
I'm not saying, I'm just saying.


just seems like a mole-hill to me.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 05:21 PM
Of course it is a mole hill. But a game stops being a game if everybody would do just as he chooses. It's stops being a game and becomes a cocktailparty (without cocktails I guess). Then I just rather go read a book.
Posted By: olly Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 09:23 PM
Suuuuuuuueeeeeeeee!
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 09:37 PM
well, I have reached a more enlightened state (not that Vermont isn't enlightened enough), and fine, the Hogmaster General® should do as he sees fit.
Posted By: musick Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/03/07 11:45 PM
N
Posted By: hogmaster Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/04/07 12:22 AM
that's 13 of 17.. I think.
Posted By: belMarduk Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/04/07 02:30 AM
Allo BranShea.

I think I sent you a private message, but I'm not sure what with the new format on this board. For some reason, I sent you the note (I pressed on your name) but is shows up in my messages.

Tell me if you haven't gotten it.
Posted By: tsuwm Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/04/07 02:56 AM
>shows up in my messages.

a feature of the new s/w. if you look at the bottom of your message you'll see the read status, showing if it's been read.
Posted By: BranShea Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/04/07 07:36 AM
Yes,as tsum says, the letter stays with you , that replaces the "do you want to save you letter" of the old system. And you will see below if it has been read. It becomes a sort of converation thread , that is , if you would write to and fro frequently. I answered yours , so when you have read it it'll say :unread by none. Cheers
Posted By: tsuwm Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/05/07 06:56 PM
the following are the submitters: consuelo, Jackie, Owlbow, ECreith, belMarduk, ASp, Faldage, musick, TEd, BranShea, nightotter, olly, shanks, wofa, Aramis, ParkinT, tsuwm, OED, and (schlepping in under the dead-line) themilum.

today is day seven, but I don't think we've seen votes from consuelo, shanks, Aramis or ParkinT..
Posted By: ParkinT Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/05/07 08:04 PM
Dee in-sewer be da ledder D
Posted By: shanks Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/06/07 06:53 PM
A

Sorry I forgot.
Posted By: Aramis Re: whillywha, choose one - 03/06/07 08:33 PM
Is it too late? In case not, it does sound Aussie but no way is any culture going to specify a 'young' platypus. That leaves H as the most credible remnant. -Rejected from jurism
Posted By: consuelo Carpe Mañana - 03/07/07 10:55 AM
Sorry, I live on island time. So, why not ¿ Q ?
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