Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Withering Words

In my ongoing effort to take my mind off of not having seen my youngest in over a month, you may have noticed that I've been spending quite a bit of time looking into patterns of popularity in social media

Desperation? 

Intellectual curiosity? 

Potato, potaaato.

One thing I found on twitter was the trending hashtag #WordsNotUsedOftenEnough.

Looking further I saw that it's wasn't quite as mundane as referring to "please" and "thank you", although those words are, without a doubt underutilized these days.

And not necessarily single words either, but phrases too. For example self-validation like "I look great" or humor like "not till you marry me."

But all of this talk about words rarely utilized did get me thinking about how many words are becoming obsolete. How in the past I'd read books or articles and have to look up words that are new to me. Either I've gotten quite a bit smarter (I'm sure that's it) or our language has become decidedly uninspired. All of the new "words" I learn these days tend to be acronyms, like smh or iirc (google them, I did). Fun, but not exactly intellectually stimulating which, at my age, I hear I'm in need of so I don't end up one marshmallow short of a s'more. I just made that up, think it'll catch on? Maybe if I add the hashtag #WordsNotUsedOftenEnough?


Day and Night Sandwich Cookies | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #bake

Day and Night Sandwich Cookies


In the interest of the sanctity of an intact s'more, I decided to head into my home office, peruse my bookshelves (sadly, a word that may soon wither) for a dictionary and see what words I could find to use. Arbitrarily opening to any old page, I came up with some words that are new to me and others that I did know but have not seen used in a long time.


Withering Words: Use them or lose them. What new words have you used today? | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #humor #funny



So here you go. Ten interesting words used in a few sentences. Apropos of nothing, mind you, I just let the words take me where they will.

I ween that your orotund grandiloquence will result in wroth reactions. No, you won't get fragged, but I can't guarantee that being a windbag won't get you thrown in some jerkwater tarn. Imagine how saggy your weemus will be then. Attitudinize that!

Ween: to think
Orotund: with a booming voice
Grandiloquence: use of pretentious language
Wroth: angry
Fragged: attacked with a hand grenade
Windbag: a person who talks too much
Jerkwater: small unimportant place
Tarn: small mountain lake
Weenus: elbow skin
Attitudinize: to take an attitude.

Anyone want to check my orthography?

Orthography: proper spelling.

Make that eleven interesting words.

Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics




Day and Night Sandwich Cookies
                                                                        ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 stick margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

12 bars (.45 oz each) cookies and cream candy bars

Directions:
*Cream 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 stick margarine, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix in 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
*Using the same bowl and beaters, cream the other 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 stick margarine, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat in the other egg and the remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix in 1 cup flour, the baking cocoa, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge. Keep refrigerated for one hour up to one day.
*Break each candy bar in half.
*Cover baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the white dough into approximately 24 balls. Do the same with the chocolate dough. Place onto baking sheets. Press the white dough balls only down slightly with the heel of your hand, as they will not spread as much as the chocolate cookies. Bake for 10 - 11 minutes.
*Remove from oven. Gently flip over the chocolate cookies on the cookie sheet. Place a candy piece on top. Let sit for one minute to melt. Top with a white cookie. 
*Allow to cool before moving.

16 comments:

  1. Weenus is my favourite. And the only one I didn't need a dictionary to understand. When my brother was younger he'd walk around telling everyone he could see their weenus. It would always cause mad scrambling as people checked their zippers.

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    Replies
    1. Ba ha ha ha, that's the best word definition story ever!

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  2. LOL! Weenus is a funny word! My favorite word lately has been "pedantic" because I can't tell a story in front of my husband or daughter without them correct each little detail about it! So annoying!

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  3. Do you check local trends or worldwide? I have seen some crazy trends you wouldn't expect to be coming out of Salt Lake. One trending as I type this: #ScareAPatientin3Words. Srsly. WTF. LOL. ;)

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    Replies
    1. Yikes, seriously? Some people have way too much time on their hands. Like more than me even.

      Delete
  4. Some words I have not even heard of till this post just saying

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  5. When I see the words ween and weenus I think of something totally different, and laugh like a little kid.

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  6. I'm so silly. My favorite words are fuzzy and hyperbole. It's my superior opinion, that neither are used frequently enough. Love this post.

    Chad will love these cookies. Whit will too. I see some baking therapy in my future.

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  7. So much fun! I love words! and, sadly, so many of the most interesting are members of a dark and distant past.

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    Replies
    1. I think these days we're so busy making up our own words that we forget there are perfectly good ones out there completely unused.

      Delete
  8. Okay I can handle this...Karen step away from the dictionary. Purdue will be home soon. How is he by the way. Is this year going any better for him. I guess I should put this in email instead but I know you have comment moderation so it won't slip by your eyes. Great words and I think one marshmellow shy of a s'more is awesome I can't wait to use that one on my daughter tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete

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