AWADmail Issue 277
Oct 21, 2007
A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day
and Other Interesting Tidbits about Words and Languages
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From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
Subject: Interesting stories from the net
Language Gene Not Unique to Humans:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003964988_language21.html
Quebec Legislature Bans the Word Weathervane:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/267582
Why We Curse?
http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20071008&s=pinker100807&c=1
(Warning: do not click if you are offended by curse words)
The "Monolingual Folks" Weren't Feeling the Love:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003962960_pitts21.html
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From: Noeline Laccetti (noeline.laccetti dpcdsb.org)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--archon
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/archon.html
Ahh, finally, a word I've mulled over -- clearly not enough to look it up
in the etymological dictionary -- makes sense. Whenever I strolled around
historical buildings in England and marvelled at the ornate relief patterns
on the ceilings, I wondered how they could be called bosses. Point number
two today makes it all clear. Another word puzzle solved.
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From: Phil Curl (philcurl yahoo.com)
Subject: boss
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/archon.html
Now that I've seen meaning #1 for "boss", many things become clear. That's
why I have coworkers at the office! (Although it's never become clear what
"orking" is... working to please, maybe?)
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From: Stefan Bucek (stefan_bucek cable.comcast.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--archon
The other problem about the word "boss" is that, spelled backwards, it's
double-SOB.
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From: Edie Bonferraro (edieb mailbug.com)
Subject: Boss Nostalgia Re: A.Word.A.Day--archon
The hippie of yesteryear if fond of the boss would say: "My boss is boss man!"
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From: Serdar Isler (serdar.isler unilever.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--pasha
Refer: http://wordsmith.org/words/pasha.html
In Turkey pasha is still used as an informal title for generals in the
Turkish Armed Forces. It is also used as an adjective meaning well-behaved.
Interestingly, the phrase "pasha olmak", that is, "being a pasha" means being
excessively drunk. I think that's the way people consider themselves when
they drink too much. :)
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From: Melissa Current (melissa.current thehartford.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--pasha
My favorite title for my boss (whomever that may be at the time) is El Jefe.
Roughly translated, it mean Chief in Spanish. In my world, it means head
honcho and top dog.
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From: Monica Friedman (littledragonblue yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--pasha
Today's word put a smile on my face, because I have a very important Pasha
in my life. My dear friend, a fine Irish-American lad, was dubbed Patrick
at birth, but he took a Russian class his first year of college. His class
determined that the Russian diminutive of Patrick must be Pasha, a name he
embraced. Fifteen years later, even his parents have started calling him
Pasha sometimes. We think it suits him.
Strangely enough, when he tried to get a vanity plate, the DMV told us his
name raised a red flag on their database of obscene and offensive words. We
had always been aware of the dictionary definition you provided, but the
DMV insisted it had something to do with promiscuity. We couldn't find any
evidence of this slang meaning. Possibly they were having us on, because
when we challenged them, they called back to say someone else already had
the license plate PASHA.
My friend's solution? Add the Yiddish diminutive to the Russian diminutive
of his Irish name: Pashala.
............................................................................
The quality of our thoughts is bordered on all sides by our facility with
language. -J. Michael Straczynski, author (b.1954)
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