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Weird Words

Posted by Janaru 
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Janaru
Weird Words
1632 Wed 25 April 2012 		avatar
I was just thinkin' of words that don't sound like the mean what they're supposed to mean. I heard someone use the word nonplussed today. That always sounded like to me like it meant no big deal.

Another is spendthrift. Seems like it should be a person who is thrifty at spending.

Those are two of mine. You got any?
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Matamore!
Re: Weird Words
1642 Wed 25 April 2012 		avatar
This isn't a very good example, because it depends on knowing its Latin root, but "sanguine" always seems to me as if it should mean (slightly paraphrasing Eddie Izzard) "in a ditch, covered in blood" (which is more or less what "sanguinary" means). I'm sure there are many other examples closer to the kind of thing you mean, but that is the first one to come to mind.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
1650 Wed 25 April 2012 		avatar
That makes sense, Mat. To me it always read like a food. Like linguine. tongue sticking out smiley
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Rumbaba
Re: Weird Words
2123 Sat 12 May 2012 		avatar
'Inflammable' appears to mean the same as 'flammable'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2125 May 12 2012 by Rumbaba.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
2128 Sat 12 May 2012 		avatar
Yeah. That's always puzzled me as well.
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Matamore!
Re: Weird Words
2200 Sat 12 May 2012 		avatar
"Slow up" and "slow down" mean exactly the same thing.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
1028 Sun 13 May 2012 		avatar
Different levels of slow?
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Kronalias
Re: Weird Words
1413 Sun 13 May 2012 		avatar
If 'flammable' means the same as 'inflammable' then...

... 'ert' should mean the same as 'inert'.

Hey, my Very Own New Word!
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
1542 Sun 13 May 2012 		avatar
Well played K,

You've shown yourself to be totally ept at neologism.
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Kronalias
Re: Weird Words
1553 Sun 13 May 2012 		avatar
My feelings are quite ert...
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
2117 Sun 13 May 2012 		avatar
Thank goodness we're being undated with new words.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
1914 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Oh my, yes! Your probably being facetious, Ironeyes, but life would be far too boring without them.
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
2108 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Moi, facetious???

Jan, surely I have done nothing that I should feel nocent about.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
2113 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
I never said you had no sense, dahlin'.
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
2138 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
In that case, I'll remain censed.
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
2157 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Sensational.
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Kronalias
Re: Weird Words
2213 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
T'would be good for posts hereafter to eschew the letters that succeed 'h' and 'm'...
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tepeethetroll
Re: Weird Words
2232 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Not a single word, but the expression "Turn it up" can be either a polite request to increase the volume, or alternatively a demand to shut the h*ll up.

I'm NOT paranoid......thats just what THEY want you to think!!!
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
2237 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Sort of like "Getting pissed" means two different things depending on which side of the Pond you're on.
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
2243 Mon 14 May 2012 		avatar
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???

Do you suggest that all posts should be totally free of those letters?
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
0149 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
Yes. They are very bad, bad letters and need a time-out! tongue sticking out smiley
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Matamore!
Re: Weird Words
0833 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
Sesame Street is brought to you today by the letters ABCDEFGHJKLMOPQRSTUVWXYZ.
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
0849 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
Zero success for the last two posters!
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Janaru
Re: Weird Words
1744 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
Cess has always sucked for me...so no news there.
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Lady Penelope
Re: Weird Words
1811 Tue 15 May 2012
The expression which has alway annoyed me is the BBC's (Particularly R7/4X) "Listen up" angry smiley Which ear am I supposed to move to the top of my head, or do they think I keep the speakers on the ceiling?doh smiley

I suppose they think it matches "look up" but that makes sense - it means "Get your head off the desk and pay attention" - at least it did when I was at school (can also mean "check" or "reseach" of course)

The older "listen in" isnt much better . Why the surplus word - what is wrong with just "listen" or where a preposition is necessary surely the right one is "listen to"
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
1905 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
We have reached the stage where yours truly seems to be the sole poster who has produced a post that would obey K's attempted veto of the use of those two letters.
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Kronalias
Re: Weird Words
2133 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
T'was a good attempt, but fell at the first second third fourth hurdle...
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Lady Penelope
Re: Weird Words
2155 Tue 15 May 2012
Ooops. Sorry I not not understand that we were meantintended to avoid theusing thosespecified letters. I wonder why[/s]whatabout Reasoning is questionable.

(Very hard difficult to avoid thedefinite article in English.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2157 May 15 2012 by Lady Penelope.
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Ironeyes
Re: Weird Words
2224 Tue 15 May 2012 		avatar
Lady P,

You what????

Whacky baccy maybe!
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