Forgotten English

VERBARIAN - an inventor or coiner of words.

I used to make up words for the kids. I could always make a grumpy teen aged girl smile when I'd lean over and whisper a made up word in her ear. Mung. I would say the word and draw the syllables out. Faht, said in a regal tone. That one always worked on child number two. I saw a book by Benjamin Franklin in Border's once titled FART PROUDLY. Then there is Goby, pronounced gobbie, meaning large or huge. And on and on.

You'll notice today I have no pic. That is because my #*!! Hughes satellite system is on the fritz again. Yes, I do cuss once in a while. Anyway, I just paid $125. 2 weeks ago for a service call and now they have to come out again. Of course, it's not the "same problem" so I have to pay again. Monday will be the earliest they can come. Sometimes it doesn't pay to live in the country. When I go to Tulsa, the internet connection is instantaneous. Here, I can go do some chores while I wait to upload etc. Okay, I got that out of my system. Do any of you have any questions? I'll make Thursday a question and answer day.

So, today class, I'll tell you a wee bit about William Shakespeare. In his plays, old Bill coined hundreds of expressions, such as: eventful (from As You Like It), be-all and end-all(Macbeth). How about laughable(The Merchant of Venice), or hobnob(Twelfth Night). Gnarled (Measure for Measure), flawed (King Lear) and no, he didn't know me. Negotiate (Much Ado About Nothing), pageantry (Pericles) and lastly quarrelsome (The Taming of the Shrew). Old Bill probably even invented verbarian.