Words You Never Heard

Is an African grey parrot smarter than a Harvard University Student?  Probably not, but it does appear to be better at the classic Shell Game! The perspicacious parrot did as well as or bested the Harvard students in 12 out of 14 trials, using his beak to point! Perspicacious is another word for wise or shrewd. Parrots have zygodactyl feet which means they have 2 toes pointing forward and 2 pointing to the back! Griffin has been the subject of cognitive and communicative studies since he was two months old.  What’s a word for the will to win? Spizzerinctum!

Rocco Figaretti recently hit a hole-in-one on a par three at the Oglebay Park Golf Course in Wheeling, West Virginia.  That might not be so remarkable, except that Rocco is only four years old.  The odds of the average golfer hitting a hole-in-one are about 12,000 to 1.  Even Tiger Woods didn’t hit his first hole-in-one until he was 6 years old.  Rocco’s incredible shot is the reason for a little cock-a-hoop or celebration. Rocco swings right-handed with a left-handed grip.  A mollydooker is a slang for a left-hander.  He started practicing his golf swing at 3 years old hitting balls around the yard at home.  The first golf balls were known as gutta-percha balls because they were made from gutta-percha, a substance obtained from a tree native to East Asia.  Gutta-percha was also used by dentists to fill cavities.  Some people say that golf is just an expensive way of playing marbles!  

Comic book fans seem to have a language all their own. With terms like Variant cover, Retcon, Splash page, and Zine, one would have to be a Pannapictagraphist to understand it all.  A Pannapictagraphist is a collector of comic books.  A Zine is a self-published and often hand-drawn comic and a Floppy is a slang term for a single issue comic. Comic book collecting can be quite lucrative for those who are a part of the Comixology crowd.  An original copy of the Action Comics first issue which introduced Earth to Superman sold for 3.2 million dollars on eBay making it the most expensive comic book in the world. What do you call the Boom, Pow, Bang sounds often depicted in comic books like Batman and other superheroes? Onomatopoeia!  

Why are mosquitos more attracted to some people than others?  Mosquitos in general find their prey by sensing the carbon dioxide humans and animals produce when they exhale.  Mosquitos can lock onto a carbon dioxide emission from over 50 meters away. Recent studies have shown that mosquitos or gallinippers are also more attracted to people with type O blood.  However, the most important variable that determines if a mosquito prefers you to someone else is the scent of the chemical compounds produced by microbes and bacteria that live on our skin.  That’s why insect repellants that use DEET are the most effective for masking the smell of our skin. What’s a word for the fear of itching? Pruritophobia! The real question is, “Why didn’t Noah just swat those two mosquitos in the first place?”

As the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in lockdowns of much of India, monkeys, who are common on the streets of Delhi are rapidly becoming a nuisance.  Normally the streets of Delhi are filled with people who regularly give food handouts to the Rhesus Macaques who live there, but now without their regular food source, the emboldened monkeys have resorted to sneaking into homes and stealing food and personal belongings.  What's another name for a thief?  A Jackroller! Recently a lab assistant from the Meerut Medical College in Delhi was attacked by a group of monkeys who ran off with some patient coronavirus test samples.  Fortunately, the monkeys weren’t able to get into the sample packaging and left them on the ground under some trees. What’s another word for taken aback?  Sharooshed!

  The Social Security Administration has released a list of the latest frequently used baby names in the US.  Currently, Emma and Liam are the most popular for 2020. Luna tops the list for baby girls in the UK.  Luna was the name of the Roman Moon Goddess.  The most popular girl’s name in the world right now is Sophia! Apollo, Birdie, Bear and Zelda are trending for baby names in Italy, and Cian and Roisin are peaking in Ireland.  A sobriquet is a descriptive name given to someone because of a physical trait such as Red, red hair or Peanut because of diminutive size. Food oriented names are also gaining popularity worldwide such as Cinnamon, Dijon, Kale, and Benedict. Of course, if you don’t like your name, it’s not that difficult to change it.  What’s a word for the fear of change?  Kainotophobia.    

  It’s been just over 100 years since the first traffic light appeared.  Early traffic lights weren’t automatic but operated manually by a police officer in a booth next to the road.  At first, there were only red and green lights.  The yellow light didn’t come into use until the 1920’s when officers noticed that drivers needed an interval of time to be able to slow down in order to clear the intersection. The first fully electronic traffic light was installed on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914.  But stoplight technology has evolved over the decades into sporting energy-saving LED’s and being controlled by traffic management computers. A Korean company is working on a traffic light that displays news headlines to keep drivers from looking at their cell phones at a red light.  What’s a word for that fuzzy state of almost falling asleep while waiting at a traffic light?  Hypnopompic.

This summer marks the 45th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s epic blockbuster Jaws.  This movie that literally scared moviegoers out of the water, was the first movie to gross over $100 million at the box office.  Now that’s a lot of dooteroomus! The movie Jaws was adapted from author Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel of the same name, which was based on a series of shark attacks that occurred off the coast of New Jersey in 1916.  The filming of Jaws was marred with numerous technical issues including constant mechanical failures with the animatronic shark nicknamed Bruce. Jaws Amity Island was actually Martha’s Vinyard and the famous line, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” wasn’t in the script, but improvised by Roy Sheider while shooting the scene. What’s a word for the fear of sharks?  Selachophobia!    

  What’s a word for a person who tells artful lies? A mendaciloquent. In the world of branding and advertising, this technique is all too well known, and just because a product is named for a place, doesn’t necessarily mean it came from there. For instance, The Outback Steakhouse actually originated in Tampa, Florida.  And New York Brand Texas toast is produced in Ohio. Arizona Iced Tea is headquartered in New York City and Old Milwaukee Beer is brewed in Detroit.  What’s another word for the foam that forms on top of your beer? Barm! Uno’s Chicago Grill is a Boston based restaurant chain, Irish Spring Soap is made in the USA, and the London Broil method of marinating a flank steak began in the American Midwest and is virtually unheard of in England!  

The language experts at Babbel sent us a few of the new coronavirus-inspired words that humanity has added to its covidictionary. You know when you’re in lockdown, one might have a tendency to overeat and gain a little weight.  Well the Germans have a word for that  additional poundage.  Kummerspeck, which literally means “grief bacon”. The  word  spendemic was coined by The New York Post and refers to the increase in online shopping during the corona virus outbreak. According to Babbel, coronials is the term being used for the babies who will be born after the pandemic is over: “Coronials began trending on social media when people wondered if more time spent in the home could lead to slightly bigger families in the future.” On the other hand, the pandemic has taken its toll on the dating scene with more and more romantic relationships developing on Zoom and other online services.  Now if someone breaks up with you online, there’s a new word for that… You’ve just been Zumped!   

During this difficult time of quarantine and social distancing, most of us find ourselves in the process of figuring out how to cope with this new way of life.  Before Coronavirus, I never realized how much I touch my face.  One study showed the average person touches their face with their hands 23 times an hour.  How are we supposed to put on makeup? Daddles is a British variant of the word hands.  In order to avoid touching our faces during this time, many people have found other ways to keep their daddles occupied, like working in the yard, doing puzzles, cooking, or planting flowers.  What’s a word for the pleasure one feels from doing mundane things? Eudemonia! Many of us have also been forced into an everyday routine of Hurkle-Durkle, which is a Scottish term for getting up and hanging around the house rather than going to their job or office.  This may prove to be a little too much togetherness for some working couples.  Then again, we might just see another baby boom 9 months from now.  

Due to the coronavirus, the UK  has been under lockdown, and people only allowed to leave their homes under very strict conditions! However, one blunderbuss felt the urgent need to go shopping and dressed up like a bush in order to disguise himself from the police lest he is discovered walking the streets! Blunderbuss is another word for a stupid, blundering fellow. Neighbors happened to catch some video of the man covered head to toe in leaves as he tried to scurry from the street to his door, stopping from time to time and assuming a pose as a ‘shrubbery’  to avoid drawing any attention to himself.  At one point, he even trips and falls clutching his precious grocery bag!  What’s another word for a clumsy person?  A gawkhammer!  The short video of the bushman has gone viral on TikTok with the caption, Neighbor Sneaking Out To Get His Shopping.  The question is, how would the police handle this anyway?  With a bottle of Roundup perhaps?

During this difficult time when many all over the world find themselves under quarantine, people have had to invent some creative solutions for being able to keep up with everyday activities. For instance, how do you walk your dog if you’re not allowed to go outside?  A man in Cyprus decided to see if a drone could do the job. Vakis Demetriou took some video of his dog walking down the street with a drone following behind holding the leash.  Mr. Demetriou was able to control the entire walk remotely from his balcony. Now a company called Drones Direct, based in West Yorkshire, England, is selling Proflight Walkies Dog Drones, which have a built-in retractable leash, hands-free piloting, and a camera so you can keep an eye on your pet. Guided by a GPS, the Doggie Drone promises to walk your dog for up to 30 minutes along a route of your choosing while avoiding obstacles with "built-in collision avoidance technology," according to its product description. What’s a word for an interestingly bizarre idea? Ostrobo

  Valentine’s Day is almost here, or as guys like to call it, Extortion Day! My husband doesn’t understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine’s Day. He says when he thinks about romance, the last thing on his mind is a chubby toddler coming at him with a weapon!Studies show that 64% of American men don’t make plans ahead of time for Valentine’s day.  What’s a word for the act of setting a romantic mood with flowers and a candlelight dinner? Anthorexia!  Sounds more like a disease to me…anyway, as you can see, love is a many-syllabled thing:)   This year as men are on a charrette, or last-minute effort to find the perfect Valentin’s Day card, Hallmark alone offers more than 1400 choices from the romantic to the humorous.  Trying to choose the perfect card for your valentine is enough to give anyone abulia, that’s difficulty making a decision!!

  Sleep is the most important eight hours of the day. A good night’s sleep is essential to health and happiness. But if you have someone sleeping next to you that snores, getting a little shuteye can be a problem. According to a recent study by the University of Wisconsin, 45% of men and 25% of women report habitual snoring.  What’s another word for the sound a snoring person makes?  A stertor. Snoring can be as loud as 90 decibels and is the number one reason why couples find themselves sleeping in separate bedrooms. If you sleep with someone who snores, you might be experiencing a lot of matutolypea,  that’s getting up on the wrong side of the bed! Did you know snoring is actually illegal in Massachusetts unless all bedroom windows are closed and locked? Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone!  

  Do Yule Know when and where did the first Christmas tree originate? Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when evergreens were decorated and celebrated in winter in anticipation of spring.  Later, Christians began bringing fir trees into their homes and adorning them with Festoons or carved and painted ornaments to celebrate everlasting life.  Some people built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if the wood was scarce.  Other names for Christmas Tree Ornaments include gimcracks,  pokerwork,  and fiddleheads! One of the main reasons it took time for Christmas trees to catch on (in theUnited States)  is that it was challenging to find a tree unless you lived near a forest or wooded area.  But now the US has over 15,000 Christmas Tree Farms, producing over 350 million trees, and only about 2% of families Christmas Trees are cut from the wild by folks who go Christmas Chopping:) What's a word for those fallen p

My husband and I lived near the small quaint town of North Pole Alaska while serving at Ft. Wainwright Army Base in Fairbanks Alaska. The North Pole has a population of just over 2000 people. With street names like Kris Kringle Drive and Mistletoe Lane, It's known for its year-round Christmas decorations, including candy cane–striped street lights. The Santa Claus House in the North Pole is a Christmas store with walls covered in children’s letters to Santa. In the early days of Christmas letters, it was Santa who wrote to the children, but soon kids starting writing back, placing their letters on the fireplace smoodging Santa to bring them gifts. Now, the North Pole receives so many letters to Santa from children, they can hardly keep up.  Sounds to me like they could use a wayzgoose after Christmas.  Wayzgoose is a term for a printer’s holiday!   

In our house, it's a running joke that if we can’t find something important, it’s probably in my husband’s sock drawer!  He’s not alone. Millions of men hide valuables in their sock drawers and thieves (also known as priggers and jackrollers) know it! The word sock comes from the Latin word ‘soccus’, meaning a loose-fitting slipper worn by Roman comedy actors on stage. Did you know that 82% of young American men wear mismatched socks at least once a week? The Aussies call socks the walk-a-bouts because they get lost and can’t be found! In China, the city of Datang has come to be known as ‘Sock City’, thanks to its status as the world’s top sock producing region. It is estimated that Datang manufactures enough socks to supply every person on the planet with two pairs each. That’s an awful lot of socks! A Wangdoodle is a person who tosses things around while searching for something, such as matching socks. Ask me how I know!  

   Americans eat out an average of 4.9 times a week. Restauranteurs have discovered that outdoor menu boards are a great way to draw customers in an area that has heavy pedestrian traffic. Also called A-frame signs or sandwich boards, these signs allow establishments to make an impression on customers inviting them to come in and eat. This kind of marketing has prompted some restaurant owners to add a little humor to their menu boards. A sign outside one restaurant read:  “COME IN AND TRY THE WORST MEATBALL SANDWICH THAT ONE GUY ON YELP EVER HAD IN HIS LIFE!” Another sidewalk sign said: WE DO NOT HAVE WIFI…TALK TO EACH OTHER AND PRETEND ITS 1995! Or how about this one? THIS WEEKS SPECIAL: BUY ONE BEER FOR THE PRICE OF TWO AND RECEIVE A SECOND BEER ABSOLUTELY FREE! What’s a word for food that has no nutritional value?  Lubberwort!  

  If you’re like me, you’ve experienced that moment in the conversation when you can’t remember a word, even a simple word! A woman named Brittani Nichols recently shared her story. She called a restaurant to make a dinner reservation when her mind suddenly drew a blank on the word.  So she asked to make a food appointment. Speaking of appointments, a man who was trying to schedule for a trim with his barber, couldn’t think of the word “appointment” and asked if there were any available hair cutting opportunities. Have you ever asked someone to bring you something and then forgot what it was you wanted?  I think we’ve all used words like whoosiewagger, doodad, thingamabob, thingamajig, or you know… That thing in the closet. What’s a word for the inability to remember a word?  Lethologica!