I just started reading one of the books I bought while I was at Barnes & Nobles last week. It's called "Poplollies & Bellibones: A Celebration Of Lost Words" and it's a very interesting collection of words that are no longer used by the general population. Some I can understand why they went out of style, like "feat" (meaning a lock of hair) but easily confused with "feet" (meaning the things at the end of your legs.) Others are kind of ugly sounding words, like "ilimp" a synonym for "happen" so can see why they are no longer used.
One word I would like to reintroduce to the world, though, is a very pretty French-based word: "chantpleure." It means "to weep and sing at the same time" and since I can't think of another word that means the same thing, I'm not sure why it was ever disused to begin with. Curiouser still, I don't know why musical theatre critics, or any type of music critic, haven't brought it back. It's such a specific meaning, and such a lovely word, I shall be attempting to use it in my writing and I encourage you to do the same. I'm hoping Brooke will chantpleure on American Idol this week, that will make it easy to slip it in, especially since I doubt I'll have a use for it in my reviews of the new albums by the Snoods or Madonna. Maybe if I review the new US release Robyn's album I can make it fit. But I'd rather introduce it organically than shoehorn it in. It's not like "that's hot" or "bootylicious" it's a more sensitive word.
Showing posts with label Vocab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vocab. Show all posts
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Mouth Music
I was at thesaurus.com looking up synonyms for the word kiss and found this one that made me laugh a little at first: mouth music.
It's kind of an odd phrase, and I've never heard anyone use it before. A quick Google search reveals that there is a celtic/folk band with that name, and a YouTube video of some beat boxing, plus a lot of Smash Mouth references. If I heard someone say 'mouth music' my mind would go to beatboxing, scatting or accapella groups first, not kissing. But I can't get the phrase out of my head.
It kind of works as a description of French kissing, though, if you think about it. Lips press together, like someone playing a brass instrument. When the tongue makes it's venture outward, the motion is not unlike the plucking of a guitar. But most telling is the idea of the harmony needed between the kissers. They don't move as one, more like a duo playing their instruments both in sync and as counterpoint to each other. One accepts the tongue, the other invades with it. Then they switch. Or they overlap, the two tongues entwined like the harmony of a soprano and an alto.
But mostly, it sounds like a punchline for a bad pick-up line. "Let's make some mouth music, baby," I can hear some greasy guy with half unbuttoned shirt, gold chain and pornstache saying. But it does have a certain roll to it.
It's kind of an odd phrase, and I've never heard anyone use it before. A quick Google search reveals that there is a celtic/folk band with that name, and a YouTube video of some beat boxing, plus a lot of Smash Mouth references. If I heard someone say 'mouth music' my mind would go to beatboxing, scatting or accapella groups first, not kissing. But I can't get the phrase out of my head.
It kind of works as a description of French kissing, though, if you think about it. Lips press together, like someone playing a brass instrument. When the tongue makes it's venture outward, the motion is not unlike the plucking of a guitar. But most telling is the idea of the harmony needed between the kissers. They don't move as one, more like a duo playing their instruments both in sync and as counterpoint to each other. One accepts the tongue, the other invades with it. Then they switch. Or they overlap, the two tongues entwined like the harmony of a soprano and an alto.
But mostly, it sounds like a punchline for a bad pick-up line. "Let's make some mouth music, baby," I can hear some greasy guy with half unbuttoned shirt, gold chain and pornstache saying. But it does have a certain roll to it.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Improve Your Vocabulary: "BBLD"
Apparently Rachael Ray has realized that all of her viewers know what EVOO is. The acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil was used without explanation on this morning's new episode of "30 Minute Meals" and I'm definitely OK with dropping either the phrase or the explanation. I never understood why Ray felt the need to shorten it to EVOO, and if she did, why take the time to explain it? It doesn't save time to say "EVOO, that's extra virgin olive oil" instead of "extra virgin olive oil" because you just added five more syllables. But that's how she rolls, and people everywhere have adopted this Rachael-ism.
But once you drop one acronym, another must take it's place! I think it's like a scientific law or something. On the new episode, Rachael was making a Monte Cristo-inspired frittata along with hash browns, grilled pineapple with candied ginger (which sounds really tasty!) and pumpernickel toast with a honey-ricotta spread. A rather heavy breakfast meal, so she had to let us know it was for BBLD; Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Dinner. Oh, Rachael, another acronym? Only this time it's stupid, I can recall several meals where she suggests making breakfast foods for a brunch or even dinner, but now she has to pull out a new word for it?
But once you drop one acronym, another must take it's place! I think it's like a scientific law or something. On the new episode, Rachael was making a Monte Cristo-inspired frittata along with hash browns, grilled pineapple with candied ginger (which sounds really tasty!) and pumpernickel toast with a honey-ricotta spread. A rather heavy breakfast meal, so she had to let us know it was for BBLD; Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Dinner. Oh, Rachael, another acronym? Only this time it's stupid, I can recall several meals where she suggests making breakfast foods for a brunch or even dinner, but now she has to pull out a new word for it?
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