Wordplay Wednesday™ February 10, 2016 – Doyenne

What did you call me?

Are personal titles becoming obsolete? Once upon a time in a world that seems so far, far, away, we addressed each other formally (especially in public) with societal or royal titles. Just call me …

DOYENNE (doi enʹ, dwä yenʹ; female version of DOYEN, doiʹɘn) – n.: [French] the senior member of a group, esp. one regarded as an authority because of superior knowledge and long experience. [WW#46]

Well, I can claim the looonng experience anyway. And I much prefer doyenne to “Dame” (British female equivalent of knighthood) or “Madam” (more popular as the US “authority” of a bordello).

“Sir,” “Madam,” “Miss,” “Mr.,” “Mrs.” or “Ms.,” were once common forms of addressing each other, and still appear on forms – but do you ever checkmark those boxes anymore?

Wordplay Wednesday™ February 3, 2016 – Acephalous

Have you cut off your head to spite your brain?

As long (and some might say, tedious) as last week’s Wordplay Wednesday stood on its soapbox, this week’s creative curiosity is pleasantly short. Let’s just say, it’s cut off at the neck …

ACEPHALOUS (ā sefʹɘ lɘs) – adj.; Zoology: 1) having no part of the body differentiated as the head; 2) having no leader. And from the Encyclopædia Britannica: The word is used literally in biology; and metaphorically in prosody or grammar … In zoology, the mollusca are divided into cephalous and acephalous (Acephala), according as they have or have not an organized part of their anatomy as the seat of the brain and special senses. [WW#45]

Yummy plate of oysters from France

So there you have the official brainiac definitions. And yes, your yummy oysters are in the acephalous family, as are giant squid and the like – and though in their own species, are animals.

Sounds more like a disease, but there is oh, so much more to our headless wonder …

You animal folks may know the term well in your kingdom, while anthropologists liken us to animals and apply it to societies … what are they trying to tell us?

Perhaps they agree that our government is a cabal (last week’s word) of animals that fit this description? Certainly headless and … have not an organized part of their anatomy as the seat of the brain and special senses. Hahaha … sorry, just couldn’t help myself.

Enjoy your week and try not to mingle with too many who exhibit traits of acephalous!

'Til next time ... have a wonderful "wordful" week!

                   

@PenchantForPen

@Irishwriter

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Wordplay Wednesday™ January 27, 2016 – Cabal

Wordplay Wednesday returns! Happy belated NEW YEAR!

Resolution tip: If contemplating a major move, I would not recommend relocating through the Holidays and into the first of a New Year – what a mess! So everything has been belated since the middle of December.

Back on track, it’s time to resume a New Year of cute, cantankerous, clever and crazy Wordplay Wednesday words. Onward!

Some would say this year’s lineup of political contenders for the 2016 election of United States President is a small group of persons joined in a secret, often political intrigue ... aka WW#44:

CABAL (kɘ bälʹ) – n.: 1) small group of persons joined in a secret, often political intrigue; junta; 2) intrigues of such a group; plot | vi. caballing to join in a cabal; plot. [A little history trivia: popularized in England from initials of the ministers of Charles II].

And you thought I was going to get into a political opinion debate. Nah. Though cabal about fits the scenario, doesn’t it?

Throwback Thursday December 17, 2015 – Swampwater, yum

Oops! Missed Wordplay Wednesday! Let’s have fun with a Throwback Thursday Wordplay!

“Back in the day,” let’s say 1950s – 1970s, A&W Root Beer gave Coke and Pepsi a run for the money. Roy W. Allen – the “A” in A&W – opened his first roadside root beer stand in Lodi, California (1919).

Yep, that’s just down the road from Modesto – which gave us American Graffiti, complements of George Lucas’s memories of 1962.

Let me take you back ♪… to a simpler time of A&W drive-in restaurants, car hops and Swamp rock! 

How did you drink your A&W Root Beer? I mixed mine up ...

SWAMPWATER: Half A&W Root Beer and half Orange Drink [back in the day, only Orange Crush would do as the mixer].  

So where were you in ’62 ... or as this long ago drive-in car hop recalls, 1967...
 

Wordplay Wednesday™ December 9, 2015 – Holiday Wodge

Holiday fudge? Yum! Ummmm …

Feeling a bit bulky this Holiday season? Ah … yeah … the fun fudge, extra Christmas cocktails, and full-on four-, eight-, ten-course meals are already beginning to bulge.

You mean, you feel a wodge around your middle?

 

WODGE (wăj) – n. (Brit. informal) a chunk or lump of something [an object having a lumpy bulgy shape – like, I’m feeling kinda wodgey today].

The Brits are fun to follow for vocabulary. It’s so much more interesting and somehow less filling to say you’re a bit wodgey today, rather than fat or full, ya know? While we’re munching ...