May 07 2008
Big Word Wednesday-Week 5
Wow! We had a little skirmish on the BWW page the other day. A satirical comment was taken as serious by another commenter, and the response was a vicious smack down. Or, was it a serious comment that was taken as satire by another commenter, and the response was a jesting put down? I don’t know, you be the judge, the point is: Big Word Wednesday has the nation talking! Well, the NFW nation, anyway. A wise man once said: “Tis better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt”. Today’s translation would be something along these lines; “Yo! Spinny! Shut cha pie hole, fool! I dun toldja ya soundin’ like an idjut when ya flap dem lips!” I believe that would be counted as “A Statement Of Distinction” under the No Child Left Behind legislation. At least you kind of understood what he was saying. Our goal is to increase your knowledge of the English language and the 2/3 of the words that are in it that no one uses anymore.
This weeks words flow easily and have that “zinger” quality that we are looking for. Drop one of these babies in the middle of a conversation and watch your sparring partner wither under the verbal assault. All they’ll be left with is spittle hanging off of their lips and a desire to dash to their local community college and enroll in a correspondence course in vocabulary arts. Word one is: elucidative; meaning, that makes clear, a clarifying example. First glance may lead you to believe that the correct definition would be elusive, but, no! Word two is cool. It flows easily and sounds pompous enough to get you at least one more rung up the snootiness ladder (Ladder of Snoot?). It is; benightedness; meaning intellectually or morally ignorant, unenlightened. Ouch. Probably want to save that one for the self anointed leader of the play group, or the in-laws; that is, if yours are bad. Mine are fantabulous, so I better start looking for a play group with a Prada wearing leader. Happy speaking!
Wait. I didn’t realize I was missing out on the drinking scotch part. I’m off to get my jigger.
(NukeDad) If it’s single malt, you may want to grab a tumbler.
I am not sure I can handle these…I’ll have to pass these words off to my 7 year old!
(NukeDad) You can do it! Class only meets once a week, come on!
I used to think I made up fantabulous. I found out later I hadn’t. I mixed fantastic and fabulous. So did somebody else. hahaha
I love that word!
(NukeDad) You are abso-tively, posi-lutely correct. (I made those up, don’t listen to that Pooh character)
Even ‘elusive’ is a fantabulous word.
(NukeDad) Spoken like a true sesquipedalian!
Thanks for the word(s). I get an email everyday from dictionary dot com. It sharpens my saw, or does it saw my Sharpie? Anyway, IF I use the words elucidative in these parts, I will surely get my ass whipped by a guy with more tattoos than teeth. Dictionary.com word for today = moiety. There you go. Daryl chained Ron to the back of his pickup. He drug Ron around the parking lot while his other brother Daryl, chained to the other side of Ron, drug his moiety. Daryl was overheard saying, “Fantabulous.” The other brother Daryl said, “That effer will never call me benightedness inbred again. He bedeadedness.”
Incidentally, you wouldn’t happen to have a copy of the Hillbilly Vibrator email hanging around would you? Now that I’m retired I can mess with my past employer all I want.
(NukeDad) Sorry for the edit Ron, but the NukeKids get on her sometimes. Gotta watch the virgin eyes, you know. NukeMom didn’t forward the email. If she had, she’d be looking for a job now also. You can google “Hillbilly Vibrator” and it’ll take you to the site. You can then email it to your ex-boss!