What have you been doing this week and can you sum it up in 25 words or less? I’d love to hear from you. Here’s my week preparing for the publication of my children’s book, The Clocker.
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It’s Wordy Wednesday again and I have a Dutch word for you today. Last week I went to Bruges for five days, also hopping over the border to Sluis in The Netherlands. While perusing the menu in the windmill restaurant, a word caught my attention.
I guessed this menu option was something sweet, knowing what a madeleine is; also guessing ‘met een’ was likely to be ‘with’. But what did ‘slagroom’ mean? This is what I find so fascinating about words and language. On looking it up, I was right about the madeleines and with; the sentence translated into English means “madeleines with a dollop of whipped cream”. Slagroom means cream in English. It is, of course, not pronounced slag room, more slaackroam.
What a great word. Do you have an unusual, quirky or favourite word to share? I’d love to hear from you.
I really enjoy reading a book series and have especially liked the gentle flow of Harriet Steel’s Inspector de Silva stories. Set in Sri Lanka in the 1930s, and in the imaginary town of Nuala, Inspector de Silva (often with his wife, Jane’s, help) solves the many murders and mysteries.
It was exciting to discover a new book in the series: A Curse in Nuala. I was happily reading when I came upon a word that was new to me. In describing a room, we’re told; “the colour was echoed in the drugget carpet …”
I quickly looked up ‘drugget’ and discovered that it’s a word from the 16th century. It comes from the French, ‘droguet’ meaning poor quality article.
To discover the wonderful book series visit https://harrietsteel.comhttps://harrietsteel.com
Do you enjoy reading books in a series? What’s your favourite?
Quirky Nottingham skateboard bench,
Dummy run to check coach stop,
Brain tangle from new challenges,
Rested by volunteer shifts.
Can you sum up your week in 25 words or less?
Does anyone else do ‘dummy runs‘?
What are you pleased with yourself about this week?
I’ve been working through a long list of tasks in advance of my middle-grade children’s book, The Clocker, being published on 28th April 2026. I’ve approved the ebook, ordered some bookmarks, updated my website, had various conversations in relation to promoting the book … The list goes on.
It can be hard to do things you haven’t done before, as well as remind yourself of things you’ve not done for a while. I’m plodding on, taking it step by step and getting there.
You can pre-order my book and see more at:
https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/middle-grade/the-clocker
I came across the word ‘bimble’ in an Instagram post from sconepalnatalie and was keen to find out more about its meaning and origin.
Its meaning is to walk or stroll at a leisurely pace, possibly coming from the word, ‘bumble’. I love the idea of going for a morning bimble along the beach or through the park. That’s my kind of pace.
Please share any words you’ve come across; I’d love to hear from you in the comments box.
It’s Wordy Wednesday and I have a great word for you today.
According to Collins English Dictionary, Gubbins refers to an object of little value; a small gadget; odds and ends, or a silly person. It goes back as far as the 16th century and is derived from the obsolete word, gobbon – likely related to gobbet, meaning a small piece of food.
It’s an excellent word for describing all manner of bits and pieces there’s no other suitable word for. An example might be, “All the computer gubbins is in the drawer”.
I invite you to share your favourite, obsolete, funny or otherwise entertaining words with me.
Please share your own words in comments
Last Wordy Wednesday, I recalled my Dad using the word ‘bunkum’. This got me thinking about other words from my childhood and I remembered using the word ‘ninny’. “You ninny,” “What a ninny” – it seems such a tame word now. There’s an innocence to it, somehow, which is interesting because it means silly or foolish and probably originated from ‘an innocent’. It has been in use since the 16th century.
Do you have a word you remember from childhood? Please share it.
How has your week been and can you sum it up in 25 words or less? I’d love to hear from you.
This has been my week:
Tête-a-tête burst with yellow joy
A host of donations at the charity shop
Amid meets, greets and appointments
I hold onto Spring
It’s Wordy Wednesday again and today’s word might give you the jitters.
Collywobbles can mean an upset stomach, or an intense sense of unease/ nervousness as in, “it gives me the collywobbles”.
In terms of British English usage, the word is thought to date back to the 19th century. Its origin is likely from the disease cholera.
I’d love to know if you have any favourite, intriguing or unusual words. Please post them in comments below.
mywordshare 