A Way with Words

JT and I had dinner before BMWs Wednesday night at her favorite Chinese place. When the fortune cookies came, we both picked up the one nearest us. Karma. Hers said something about making her fortune (which I know she is already on her way to doing), and mine said (and I quote), "You have a charming way with words and should write a book."

We both laughed ourselves silly. I think this might be called irony.

Anyway, this week's vocabulary words tie nicely in with that concept (a way with words), as the Wordsmith has given us colorful and tactful (as opposed to vulgar) ways to insult people. For some reason this tickles me.

jackanapes \JAK-uh-nayps\ (noun) - An impertinent conceited person.
[Probably from Jack Napes, from "jack (man) of an ape". This word was the nickname of William de la Pole (1396-1450), Duke of Suffolk, as his badge was a clog and chain, as might be tied to an ape.]

gundygut \GUHN-di-guht\ (noun) - A voracious eater; a greedy person.
[From gundy, of unexplained origin + gut (belly).]

praetorian or pretorian \pree-TOR-ee-uhn\ (adjective) - Corruptible; fraudulent.
[From Latin praetor, an elected magistrate in ancient Rome.]

quisquilian \kwis-KWIL-ee-uhn\ (adjective) - Worthless, trifling.
[From Latin quisquiliae (waste, rubbish).]

flibbertigibbet \FLIB-uhr-tee-jib-it\ (noun) - Someone who is regarded as flighty, scatterbrained, and talkative.
[Apparently from the imitation of the sound of idle chatter.]

The words from ArcaMax aren't quite as inflammatory, but a few of them are still quite palatable and could possibly be used for the same purpose. Enjoy, but use wisely.

supererogatory \soo-puhr-ih-ROG-uh-tor-ee\ (adjective) - 1 : Going beyond what is required or expected. 2 : Superfluous; unnecessary.
[Supererogatory comes from Latin supererogare, "to spend over and above," from super, "over, above" + erogare, "to ask for," from e-, "out" + rogare, "to ask, to request."]

ennui \on-WEE\ (noun) - A feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction arising from lack of interest; boredom.
[Ennui is from the French, from Old French enui, "annoyance," from enuier, "to annoy, to bore," from the Latin phrase in odium, "in hatred or dislike."]

palimpsest \PAL-imp-sest\ (noun) - 1 : A manuscript, usually of papyrus or parchment, on which more than one text has been written with the earlier writing incompletely erased and still visible. 2 : An object or place whose older layers or aspects are apparent beneath its surface.
[Palimpsest is from Latin palimpsestus, from Greek palimpsestos, "scraped or rubbed again," from palin, "again" + psen, "to rub (away)."]

constitutional \kon-stih-TOO-shuhn-uhl; -TYOO-\ (noun) - A walk taken for one's health.
[A constitutional is so called because it is taken for the benefit of one's constitution.]

acrid \AK-rid\ (adjective) - 1 : Sharp and harsh, or bitter to the taste or smell; pungent. 2 : Caustic in language or tone; bitter.
[Acrid comes from Latin acer, "sharp."]

The BF and I did a little bookstore browsing yesterday. She gets a kick out of me walking up and down the aisles and saying, "I know him. I've met her, she's lovely. I know him and her and her. I know her - she's a complete hoot. Interviewed him ... and him, and he's just had this book nominated for a bunch of mystery awards. I did a panel with her once. I've had dinner with him - twice." Yeah, it's a little like bragging on my part, but the thing I get excited about is the fact that my buddies' books are on the shelves of these major bookstores. It's just really cool.

I'm not sure what's on our agenda for today. All I know is that I'm having a really great time just spending time with my friend.

Why don't you do that today? That's good for you, too.

=) JB

"Intimacies between women often go backwards, beginning in revelations and ending in small talk."
-- Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) English writer