We enjoyed this essay on the supposition that most any English (or foreign for that matter) word can be turned into a posh, polite euphemism or intensifying drunkonym, which piqued the interest of linguists in Chemnitz and Erlangen to assay the subject and prove the adage, compiling an impressive five hundred synonym list in common parlance, following a long tradition of glossing terms, which includes contributions by Benjamin Franklin among others. There are the standards like blotto, totalled and gazebo’d, tosspots and more colourful, improvised for the nonce examples like tangled-legged, zozzled and slug-nutty. More from Jennifer Ouellette at the link above and let us know your favourites.
synchronoptica
one year ago: assorted links to revisit plus the Florida Purchase (1819)
two years ago: more links to enjoy plus National Cat Days
three years ago: more links worth the revisit, the throne of St Peter, delightful idioms plus Navajo Star Wars
four years ago: Pope Sanbinian, a virtual news anchor, division bells plus a daytrip to the Milseberg
five years ago: Mister X and the Long Telegram, Rihanna’s fashions as a guiding compass plus racing ranks of Big Tech
