One of the things I've always loved about the English language is how flexible and adaptable it is. Its grammar may be a pain with more exceptions than rules, but the way it's used is a joy to behold.
When the newspapers started (some years ago now) to talk about a couple that were caught bonking, there was no such word in the dictionary - but everybody knew what it meant
It was permissible language to use in a newspaper because it wasn't using any of the then known euphemisms so they could claim innocence - but everybody knew what they meant.
I was coming home after having been in London all day and a couple passed me on the escalator. I heard the woman say "We can go and see them in the teensy of October". I knew exactly what she meant
She was talking about a date in the teens (13 - 19) of October, by the 'y' at the end added an element of approximation. Like saying "about" or adding "-ish" to a word.
Beautiful usage of a flexible language
Steve
Americanism alert.
I have noticed that good old table salt is starting to be called 'sodium' in the media.
Now some Americanized words are ok acceptable but 'sodium'
is ridiculous! considering sodium is a reactive metal that explodes on contact with water and certainly not the type of thing you would put on your chips.
How about doing a zonker on the sofa?
My stepdaughter and I have been playing a game for a couple of years now where we try to invent new words in the vain hope that they will eventually make the dictionary or be heard on TV or radio.
No real success so far but all her friends are certainly using one of our words:
Clerp (verb); To dribble in one's sleep or to miss your mouth with food.
For example, whilst eating a milk chocolate caramel yoghurt a stringy piece of soft toffee may drip from the spoon and swing against your chin or lip. In this case you have 'Clerped'. Waking up in the morning to find a small wet patch on your pillow means you have clerped.
Roy Hattersley must be considered a master of the verbal clerp.
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