Four New-Old Words.

It's been awhile since my last Forgotten English word post, so the good words have kind of piled up. Thus, I present to you four new-old words that we should bring back.

Pinchery :
A state of extreme carefulness approaching miserliness.
-Rev. M. C. F. Morris' Yorkshire Folk-Talk, 1892

A State of want or deficiency; poverty. Cumberland.
-Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary, 1896 - 1905

Spurticles :
Spectacles
-R. Pearse Chope's The Dialect of Hartland, Devonshire, 1891

*I thought it was adorable when College-Ted exclaimed "My spectacles!" Imagine how much more hilarious it would have been had he said "My Spurticles!" hahahaha.

Kintra-cooser :
A human stallion; a fellow who debauches many country girls.
-John Mactaggart's Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia, 1824

From kintra, country, and cooser, a stallion.
-John Jamieson's Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, 1879 revision.

* Future romance novelists take note of this word. In fact, I think you should write a Highlander novel (they are very popular after all), just so you can use this word.

And my favorite word thus far this year! Thorough Cough :
Coughing and breaking wind backwards at the same time.
-Francis Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1796

*Ah! The mythical cough-fart! I am heartened to know that it's legend has existed throughout the ages. Also, how hilarious is it that the guy who wrote Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue had the last name Grose. I love it.

Now - go forth and use these words at your will. Expect me to. Read More......

Losing their touch? Or just giving in to celeb crushes?

I present the E! Fashion Police picks for best dressed. I think we all know who took home Worst Dressed (but you know she had her own golden globes as consolation...)

According to Joan and crew, George Clooney took home men's best dressed, and Penelope Cruz took home women's best dressed

Ok, I like Penelope Cruz, and we all know that there are some who would go gay for her, but I personally would have given the prestigious best dressed to Anna Paquin. Or even Jennifer Garner...but that might be a personal bias. I wonder if the Fashion Police this year were taken in by Penelope's inexplicably lustrous hair in spite of the January rain. Hmmm...could it be that even celebrities can be sucked in by this Latin god-dess? And back to George. I love George. Who doesn't? He's helping out Haiti with that telethon, but best dressed? I thought he looked like he normally does in the Oceans movies. My vote went to Robert Downey, Jr. I enjoyed his lack of tie. It looked right on him. I also enjoyed his formal scruff-- NOT to be confused with Jon Hamm's formal beard. I'm just more of a scruff girl, I guess. Ok, ladies and Will. I've had my say. Discuss!
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Product Placement: World's End by T.C. Boyle

As an advocate for film and TV being, paradoxically, very capable proponents for literacy, I hereby submit to you...Product Placement!!

Have you ever read a book after seeing the movie tie-in? Have you ever read a book because the heroine in the movie read it? Because it was on a character's nightstand in your favorite TV show? If so, this is the post for you.

Today's Case File: How I Met Your Mother's 100th episode, "Girls vs. Suits"



Book-loving Character: Ted Mosby, architect

Book: T. C. Boyle's 1987 novel, "World's End"

Episode Details: Ted sees this book in the room of the girl he wants to date and cites it as an example of things he and the girl have in common. After he praises the book, the girl reveals that it was a gift from her roommate (the mother!) and that she hasn't read it yet.

Book Details: dark satire, tells the story of several generations of families in the Hudson River Valley, was the winner of the 1988 PEN/Faulkner Award for American Fiction

Why you should read this book if you like HIMYM: according to wikipedia "The reference to this book may, in fact be a humorous allusion to the fact that both the book and the series are satirical re-tellings of history." Reason #2: you secretly wish your were Ted Mosby's one true love.

Where to Buy This Book: Mysteriously enough, I can't find any retailers with this exact, hardback copy of the book. The original 1987 hardback cover looked like this:


The only current copy available is the Penguin paperback which has the following cover and retails for $16.00



Could they be looking to rerelease it? Or is this just another way to string us along, HIMYM??

Other Recommends: If you like T. C. Boyle you can check out his most recent paperback, The Women, which looks at the various women in the life of another beloved architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Hardcover is $27.95, paperback is $16.00



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New Year: Revival of a Good Thing.

It's a new year on the Salon, and this year I want to bring back a formerly regular Salon post, but with an added twist. I'm talking about Word of the Week! It's always been one of my favorite regular posts, and this year it will be extra easy, because I bought myself a day by day 2010 calendar of "Forgotten English" by Jeffrey Kacirk, so this way I can just post the extra interesting ones.

Today's admission:

Ackenpucky:
Any food mixture of unknown ingredients. West Virginia
- Harold Wentworth's American Dialect Dictionary

Can I get an "Ewwwwww"?! But such a good word. And one I think that could be used often. More often than one would wish.

Ode to An Hot Dog:

Oh my sweet Hot Dog,
It's sad but it's true,
Whilst eschewing meats,
My desires burned only for you.

How is it fair?
Surely I'm not at all lucky,
that my one favorite meat food
is most certainly ackenpucky.

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