Wordy Wednesday

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 7 Comments

As I’m still waiting for my second cataract surgery and, thus, a proper prescription for reading glasses , I continue to listen to audiobooks.

I decided to catch up with the Number One Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. Set in Botswana, these are wonderfully gentle stories, read by Adjoa Andoh, who expertly captures all the different characters.

As I was listening recently, my ears pricked up at a word with three meanings. The literal meaning of the Setswana word pula is rain. Pula also extends its meaning to blessing or fortune, serving as the country’s motto. Rain is much revered, hence the blessing let there be rain. Finally, pula has been the national currency since 1976.

Listening to audiobooks and learning new words and meanings

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 6 Comments

For this week, I have another word from Susan who lives in Spain and is one of the members of the Let’s Write group I belong to. https://www.writersbureaucourse.com/courses/let-us-write

It’s great to have some words from different parts of the world.

Susan’s word this time is tximeleta and it’s pronounced chimeleta with the ch like the ch in cheese. It’s Basque for butterfly. A beautiful word for a beautiful creature. Thank you Susan.

I will think of the Basque word for butterfly when I’m in the garden in the summer months

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 4 Comments

I’m continuing with the process of editing my 2nd children’s book. It follows on from The Clocker but, this time, focuses on Samantha. Nev and his dad, Ed are very much part of the story, Ed continuing to embarrass Nev with his misuse of slang.

As I was editing the other day, I came across a line I’d written: Nev’s dad’s slanguage was legendary. It made me pause to consider when the word slanguage had become part of our vocabulary.

Finding that the word wasn’t listed in my physical Oxford English Dictionary, I headed to Google and the online OED. I was surprised to find that the first known usage of the word slanguage was the 1860s, when it appeared in the Daily Telegraph London. The word is a blend of slang and language, hence slanguage. If you’ve read my children’s book, The Clocker, My Books you’ll be familiar with Nev’s dad’s mixed up slang words.

It was a surprise to find that the word slanguage was first noted in 1860

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 11 Comments

A fellow blogger recently posted one in a series of blogs about his life experiences – https://charlierobinsonbooks.blog

I always enjoy the lively writing in Charlie’s blog and hearing about his escapades. I’d commented about his mention of another niggle and that I was looking forward to what came next. Charlie replied, “there’s always something niggling away which leads to shenanigans.”

Struck by what a great word shenanigans is, I resolved to use it in a future Wordy Wednesday. The word originated in the mid 19th century and, according to my Oxford English Dictionary, is of unknown origin. It refers to secret or dishonest activity or manoeuvring; or silly or high-spirited behaviour. From reading Charlie’s blog, there is certainly a lot of the latter.

Thank you Charlie for a splendid word. I’m looking forward to more shenanigans.

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 7 Comments

In the online writing group I’m part of we have a virtual common room. This is used to post news, share information and writing successes. Recently, I asked if any of the group members would like to share a word for Wordy Wednesday. The word could be in any language.

I was delighted to receive a wonderful word, with meaning, from Susan. This is what she says:

“Thanks for  the invitation to bring a word to your Wordy Wednesday.  As you were talking about drizzle, I’ll give you our local Basque word for that same dreary rain: “txirimiri” (pronounced chirimiri).  I like the word – not so happy about the rain, though.”

Thank you Susan and what a fabulous word. It’s great to have a word I’ve never heard before. I listened to the pronunciation and love how it sounds.

Next time it’s drizzling I’ll think of the word
txirimiri and smile

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 11 Comments

A few Sundays back, I went to The Garage in Chilwell where they hold food and craft markets every weekend. I was keen to find Dukki Gifts’ stall as I’d started following them on Instagram. They’re an independent online gift shop and use a lot of Notts / East Midlands words and sayings such as, “ayup me duck”.

I was looking at a tea towel of Nottingham phrases, with translations, when I came across knobby greens. I’d never heard that expression. It means Brussels sprouts and I imagine many a Nottingham child has been told to eat up your knobby greens. What a cracking phrase. I love it.

Here’s a link to Dukki Gifts. Great products at really good prices.

https://dukkigifts.co.uk

Does anyone remember that Christmas on The Vicar of Dibley with Dawn French?

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 9 Comments

This week, I decided to see what the last word beginning with Q was in my Oxford English Dictionary. With that in mind, my word for today is qwerty.

I might have guessed that this would be the last Q word in the dictionary, due to its lack of U after Q. The word denotes the standard layout on English language typewriters and keyboards; you’ll even see it on your smartphone ‘keyboard’. It is a delightfully easy word to type, given that the letters appear one after the other from the left.

I can remember my mum, who was an incredibly fast typist, referring to her qwerty keys. Later, as computers took over, she complained they were too slow because they couldn’t keep up with her!

Most of us don’t use typewriters anymore but the qwerty keyboard lives on …

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 7 Comments

Another week has passed and it’s Wordy Wednesday again. My word for today is flabbergasted, for no other reason than I like it.

According to my Oxford English Dictionary, the word comes from the late 18th century; of unknown origin. Its meaning is to surprise (someone) greatly. An example of usage might be I was utterly flabbergasted to win the prize.

Comedian Frankie Howerd was known for mixing the word up – never has my flabber been so gasted.

I was flabbergasted to see my name up on a large screen when I went to do my first library event My Books

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 5 Comments

My word for today is mizzle, meaning light rain; drizzle. I thought of this word last week when, at times, it was decidedly mizzly.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its origin is late Middle English, probably from mist. In German there is miseln and in Dutch miezelen.

Mizzle seems to sum up this type of rain well, expressing the mood of drizzling, persistent rain so well.

There are so many different words to express weather conditions. Do you have any favourites?

It’s been mizzling all day

Wordy Wednesday

~ my word (s) ~ 6 Comments

Last week I went to a TenX9 and Kino Kolo combined event. TenX9 is a storytelling event where (usually) 9 people read a true-life story for 10 minutes each. There’s always a theme. For this event, the theme was fashion. Kino Kolo is a community cinema bringing Eastern European films to the East Midlands. For this event, there were short films and TenX9 readers.

The first storyteller’s piece was about shoes. As she described her childhood in Dundee, my interest was piqued by the word dubs. This word, though originally referring to a stagnant pool of water, is now used to refer to puddles. The storyteller referred to splashing through dubs with her wellies. What a wonderful word and a new one for me; I love it.

Even adults love splashing through dubs in their wellies