The site Worthless Word For The Day features, as you might expect, a word each day, with explanations (on the money from what I've seen) of meaning and etymology as well as illustrative quotes. What do they mean by "worthless"? Here's their explanation:
1. obscure, abstruse and/or recondite word, especially one not falling into the following categories: medical terms, foreign monetary units, foreign units of measure, legal terms, or professional jargon of any type.2. obscure, abstruse and/or recondite word, including such falling into the following categories, if deemed to be appropriately ludicrous: medical terms, foreign monetary units, foreign units of measure, legal terms, or professional jargon of any type.
Some recent entries:
scribblative [rare] pertaining to scribbling
sharoosed [Newf. dial] taken aback, surprised; (also) disappointed, disgusted
rumpy-pumpy [Brit/Austral, humorous] sexual activity
isepiptesis (eye-sep-e(p)-tee'-sis) [rare] a line on a map or chart connecting localitites reached at one date by different individuals of a species of migratory bird (an isochronal line)
And today's word is:
esne [obs. except Hist.] OE designation of a member of the lowest class; laborer: serf
Fun and educational! (Found at Shoepal, who also links to a site called Word Detective, with long and amusing investigations of odd words and phrases.)
Posted by languagehat at August 14, 2003 10:31 AMRumpy-pumpy isn't obscure in the UK. (And neither is the word, ho ho.)
Posted by: des at August 14, 2003 11:49 AMLike Des, I took the link and scrolled down only to discover that I recognised many and have been known to use quite a few of these worthless (sic) words.
An essay, perhaps, on the impoverished vocabulary of our American cousins when you are next in ranting mode?
Posted by: maureen at August 14, 2003 12:15 PMLast time I came upon the word "esne" was in a crossword puzzle. The clue was, "crossword worker?" Implying that this was a word for a worker only found in crossword puzzles. A kind of crossword puzzle cliché, like erne, epee, etc...
Posted by: Jonathan Mayhew at August 14, 2003 12:19 PMRumpy Pumpy is anal sexually activity, not just plain vanilla, as should be obvious.
Posted by: anthony at August 14, 2003 03:20 PMWell now, my Cassell Dictionary of Slang simply says 'sexual intercourse.' I would remind you that the rump pumps pretty much any which way you play it. [NOTE: This comment sexion is restricted to ages 18 and over.]
Posted by: language hat at August 14, 2003 03:45 PMrumpy pumpy is all sexual intercourse - but in my usage of a particularly middle aged "oh the vicar!" kind.
Posted by: dan at August 15, 2003 03:23 AM>all sexual intercourse
which is the way that Roger Ebert used it in a movie review, which I quoted when it was the wwftd.
Posted by: Michael Fischer at August 15, 2003 10:32 AMHey, welcome to LH, Michael, and congratulations on a delightful site!
Posted by: language hat at August 15, 2003 10:47 AMI made the list (linked!) with Silvan Tomkins' term "dissmell." Seems to me like it would fall under the rubric of a medical term.
"Autopoietic," on my front page, upper left, is also proscribed, at least in its noun form. I have used the word "irony."
I am currently considering how to work "firkytoodle" into a sentence.
Posted by: T.V. at August 15, 2003 03:12 PMWell, there's always the traditional "I've been flogging the glass in anticipation of firkytoodling you." But I must confess to grave doubts as to the authenticity of this alleged word; it's not in any of my reference books, and I don't trust Eric Partridge farther than I can throw him. [NOTE: Once again, I must emphasize that this comment thread is R-rated; anyone under 18, please proceed to the next entry.]
Posted by: language hat at August 15, 2003 05:25 PMGolly, LH, what have we got to do to get an NC-17?
Posted by: Dorothea Salo at August 16, 2003 10:49 PMWatch out, or I'll send you on a tour of Usenet...
Posted by: language hat at August 16, 2003 10:52 PMHey, "regolith" is one of my favorites.
Not a lot of it around here, though.