We have had a few threads about favorite words. How about another?

I bet none of you can guess my new favorite word. I'll give you a hint: it starts with "e".

However, I found one just today that I had not heard of before, but I love it: Miasma, meaning a noxious atmosphere or influence, from the Greek "miasma" (pollution) or "miainein" (to pollute). The way I saw it used was, "We would hate for the Connors to be lumped with the miasma of suburban misbehavior that has clouded this spring." Yet, in looking it up I found a use I love: "wreathed in a miasma of cigarette smoke."

What are some of your favorites?

Oh, Kalleh! I just loved that thread the first time around!

Today I saw the most interesting effect of nature. There had been a light, cold rain that hit the hot blacktop and the rain evaporated almost immediately. It was totally "ethereal".

Groundlings and stinkards were mentioned on the radio today, while I have also been told to wash and cosh my strawberries.

Three new words, one destined to be an all-time fave, isn't bad for a Wednesday.

Well, you taught me some new words. I'd never heard of cosh--and certainly found nothing about "coshing" the strawberries. A "cosh" is a weighted weapon similar to a blackjack, and "coshing" is attacking with this weapon.

Then, stinkard is "a mean, stinking, paltry fellow" or an East Indian carnivore that emits an offensive odor.

Now, I had heard of groundling, though did you know it can also mean a person with uncultivated taste?

Graham: "Groundlings and stinkards were mentioned on the radio today."

Exactly where is that erudite radio station, and can one listen to it over the net?

quote:

---

Originally posted by wordnerd:
Graham: "Groundlings and stinkards were mentioned on the radio today."

Exactly where is that erudite radio station, and can one listen to it over the net?

---

BBC Radio 4: an oasis of intelligence in a world of market shares and focus groups.

You can listen over the net, and you can also listen to recent programmmes with a Real Audio Player.

I suggest everybody listens to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at least once in their life. You may find it a load of puerile Oxbridge drivel, but I love the audience response to the regular extended double-entendres of the quizmaster. They are by far the rudest things on the BBC, and you can tell it takes a good few seconds for everyone to realise this.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Graham Nice:
I suggest everybody listens to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at least once in their life. ... the regular extended double-entendres of the quizmaster ... are by far the rudest things on the BBC

---

"The next round is based on TV's Give Us a Clue in which team members have to portray famous films and books using only mime. Who can forget the look on Una Stubb's face as she watched Lional Blair, hands flying, pulling off Three Men in a Boat in only sixty seconds."

I have missed the last series.

Tell me, do they still play Mornington Crescent? And if so, has the McCloud convention been amended following the building work in Esuton Road?

Richard English

They still play Mornington Cresent. It still gets the biggest cheer. McCloud convention hasn't been applied at all, and I should think not too.

Well there I beg to differ. Although it's certainly only for the advanced player, McCloud's can add a definite frisson, allowing, as you will know, a complete reversal of clockwise moves until the opposing team is in Nip.

Richard English

I beg to differ indeed. I think an advanced player would know the difference between clockwise and anti-clockwise, even during British Summer Time.

Knowledge, I fear, is not enough.If all the players are out of Nip, then anti-clockwise moves without application of the convention (unless, of course, Morton's is in play) will result in the move being declared understruck.

Richard English

Richard, I suspect that you are aware that your "nip," "Morton's," and "understruck" leads us Americans to believe that you are drifting toward Jabberwocky.

Aplologies. I had assumed that, since the new American rules had been instituted (see below), the Great Game had become familiar to those across the Atlantic.

"Official american rules new!
Under the original regulations this meant that half the players only joined in two years late. But these have been recently modified in that the winner, who is actually decided before the game, can start anytime he pleases. Remember tourist sites count double, Grosvenor Square is wild, and any Bush related move will trump. You are permitted to ask directions"

There are several thousand sites devoted to Mornington Crescent but the original one is at the ISIHAC site at http://www.isihac.co.uk/games/mcvariations/index.html

Richard English

Aaagh! I haven,t used Morton's for years. I bet you're unpopular when you bring it up in open play.

Apologies for my typo. I meant, of course, Moreton's and I was referring to his second parallel convention.

I had heard rumours that there is a Chicago variant rule known as the "Jelly Roll" and it was this, of course, that prompted my typo since I was thinking of the famous Jazz pianist and composer of that name.

Richard English

befuddled - I love that word because you can almost tell what it means by its sound.

I love Fuller's 1845 beer...and the Cubs!

Thannks for reviviving the thread. I haven't used groundlings or stinkards nearly enough.

I haven't used this word nearly enough! I have only seen it to mean: "Meaningless or deceptive language; humbug."

Have you used it to mean, "A sweet gelatinous pudding made by straining boiled oatmeal or flour; a soft dessert of stewed, thickened fruit, often mixed with a grain such as rice."?

quote:

---

Have you used it to mean, "A sweet gelatinous pudding made by straining boiled oatmeal or flour; a soft dessert of stewed, thickened fruit, often mixed with a grain such as rice."?

---

Not lately, I must admit.

My wife made some flummery once. It was very nice.

Richard English