|
Home
|
Apr 12, 2026
This week’s themeBack-formations This week’s words alliterate jell fly-tip pettifog rabble-rouse How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Words with surprising etymological journeys Wordsmith Games
AWADmail Issue 1241A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and LanguageFrom: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: Interesting stories from the Net Wit, Unker, Git: The Lost Medieval Pronouns of English Intimacy BBC Permalink What Trump Is Doing to the English Language The New York Times Permalink From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: back-formations This week I invited readers to share back-formations. Here’s a selection. Warmong (v. intr.): from warmonger. Definition: to perpetrate unnecessary wars, especially for selfish reasons such as profit or self-aggrandizement, or distraction from scandal. Usage: The president attempted to warmong his way to world domination, but failed miserably. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Emoje: to communicate with pictograms. To emoje. She emojes. We are emojing. -Paige Williams Bernhardt, New Orleans, Louisiana (rocketpopstar gmail.com) Overheard on a New York City street corner in the late 60s: “I was completely obnoxed.” The verb obnox, back-formed from obnoxious. I don’t know why it hasn’t populared. -Douglas McMillan, Sedgwick, Maine (dandmmcmillan yahoo.com) Deity, leading to the back-formation deit, that is, to behave as if one were a god. Usage: Judging by his arbitrary and capricious decisions, one might reasonably conclude that our president thinks he can deit without consequences. -Brenda J. Gannam, Brooklyn, New York (gannamconsulting earthlink.net) I am a tutor who works with teens. Do I tute them? -Nancy H, Elk Grove, California (nheifferon comcast.net) I took up blogging a few years ago when I retired. Wordsmithing is more challenging than I realized, but I find it rewarding. I love to craft sentences and use words playfully. I love to alliterate and asson. -Russell Lott, Hattiesburg, Mississippi (russellwlott comcast.net) Escalate: back-formation from escalator, which was originally an 1898 trademark of the Otis Elevator Company. -Barbara Beeton, Providence, Rhode Island (bnb tug.org) From: Pascal Pagnoux (pascal.pagnoux gmail.com) Subject: Creation You wrote: “Some have used this line of reasoning as an argument for creationism: if a watch implies a watchmaker, surely a world implies a world-maker.” A French proverb says, “Comparison is not reason”, and it has never found a better illustration than here. What do even the most sophisticated watch and the universe have in common? Is there a man, because that’s the implication, who waters the world’s vegetation every morning and makes each flower, each petal, each seed, each baby, each cub? How absurd is that very thought? Faith was created to enslave gullible humans through their narcissistic desire to believe that a man like them, “in their image”, painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, created the whole shebang. Pascal Pagnoux, Saint-Gaudens, France From: Robert Bickerton (bxbxb hotmail.com) Subject: Alliterate My favorite definition of alliteration is: a series of similar successive sounds. Robert Bickerton, Littleton, Colorado From: Evan Brett (evanbrett4 gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--alliterate I am the editor of a Subud cultural newsletter that we produce on a quarterly basis. This next issue is about food and our various cooks around the country. It occurred to me that my editorial might require a little alliteration. Subud Canada Contains a Complement of Cooks: Creative Captains Who Can Create Culinary Compositions Containing Cross-Country Culinary Classics Including Components of Curious Cuisine from Countries That Compose Our Creative Canadian Culture Evan Brett, Langley, Canada
Email of the Week -- Brought to you by ONEUPMANSHIP
From: Paul Calico (paulcalico gmail.com) Subject: Alliterate Your choice of alliterate, the back-formation of alliteration, for the word of the day on Mon was appropriate. Mon marked the culmination of the NCAA men’s basketball season, with the championship game between Michigan and UConn. Basketball writers are known for their affinity for alliteration. The unique basketball vernacular includes such gems as double dribble, points in the paint, man-to-man defense, perimeter passing, three-point threat, nothing but net, Diaper Dandy (announcer Dick Vitale’s term for a young star), and more. As the season-ending tournament approaches, we are treated to even more alliteration. The tournament teams are picked on Selection Sunday. Teams pulling off upsets are labeled Bracket Busters. Game-winning shots are Buzzer Beaters. The teams surviving the first two rounds are dubbed the Sweet Sixteen. The next round is called the Elite Eight. The teams in the national semifinals are anointed the Final Four. Paul Calico, Cincinnati, Ohio From: Brenda J. Gannam (gannamconsulting earthlink.net) Subject: Pettifog In my experience, pettifoggers are most often pettibrained, pettipursed, or pettipenised. Brenda J. Gannam, Brooklyn, New York  
Subject: alliterate and fly-tip Clearly, I’ve presented a superfluity of serial “W” words in this admittedly slightly whimsical scenario. Just horsing around (groan). With Froggy’s reply, he is merely continuing the alliterative flurry. Wunderbar! 
Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams
Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks alliterate Whether writing a poem or some prose, I alliterate when I compose. To hear sounds repeat Is truly a treat, Though it’s silly to some, I suppose. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) While Alan was apt to alliterate, Calvin couldn’t; with him I commiserate. Some can and some can’t; Some refuse and just rant, Using ordinance to others obliterate. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) jell In Trump’s mind an idea starts to jell That some bombs on Iran would be swell. He tends to ignore All those against war, Who might tell him, you know, that it’s hell. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Nothing jelled; it was all sorta mixed; Everything that I tried just got nixed, ‘Til I finally cried “Eureka!” and sighed, “My computer is finally fixed!” -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “Eureka!” exclaimed smart young Nell, When her theory had started to jell. “I have now the solution, To combat pollution. But no one will listen. Oh, hell.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) Oy! My tech savvy’s starting to jell! I’m no klutz; I pay bills using Zelle! As I put on the kettle With friends from my shtetl, They shout “Mazel Tov” as I kvell! -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) fly-tip All manner of junk they’d discard And fly-tip it in their front yard. The neighbors, disgusted, Were glad they got busted -- Behavior like that’s clearly barred! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) There’s one thing that makes me a grump, And it causes my anger to jump. It’s when some thoughtless punk, Does deposit his junk By fly-tipping -- won’t go to the dump. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) While sailing along on a Bligh trip, Fletcher Christian said, “Sir, now it’s my ship. As we each left a sweetie Behind in Tahiti, You into a boat we shall fly-tip.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) pettifog They’d pettifog all through the day. With siblings that’s often the way. And it soon became plain That they drove Mom insane, Whenever “Oy vey!” she would say. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) With her brother she’d quibble and fight; She would pettifog into the night. Her mother had told her That when she grew older, “As a lawyer you’d be outa sight!” -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Said Archie, “Let’s not pettifog; Tonight with me, please, Betty, snog. Though Veronica’s nice, Where you’re warm, she’s like ice! In my car let’s create sweaty fog.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) rabble-rouse What a crisis the Congress did face When Trump rabble-roused, stirred up his base! Now they do not recall It happened at all, But this history they won’t erase. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) I went to protest in my way, As part of the NO KINGS that day. To rabble-rouse showing That Trump must be going. No tyrants allowed -USA! -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) While Donald can sure rabble-rouse, All his rhetoric can’t rattle cows. We’ve been missing the boat! We should give them the vote! It’s so peaceful to watch cattle browse. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “Perhaps you should try alliterate president next time,” suggested the visiting Martians. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Alliterate-d a mention in the Guinness World Records for most puppies born to a Great Dane. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Not exactly. More of a fairy godmother than a guardian ain-jell,” the apparition explained to Cinderella. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Pilots are not permitted to fly-tip-sy,” said the warning sign in the cockpit. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “When I held a mirror up to the mouth of your pettifog-ged it. Where there’s breath, there’s hope,” the emergency care vet assured the creature’s distraught owner. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I think you’re pettifog-ging up the shower and not cleaning it,” she chided her husband. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Playing Sc-rabble-rouse-s dormant brain cells!” said the ad for the iconic word game. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Who are we but the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, and
believe? -Scott Turow, author and lawyer (b. 12 Apr 1949)
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise
© 1994-2026 Wordsmith