Wordy Wednesday

I was going to call this post "High Heels and Anal Sex", but since it's Wednesday I won't. On days like this, though, I'm glad I don't have any site meters telling me about visitors to the blog, as I think I'd rather not know.

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High Heels

On the Emilia Hour last night (back after her month off), there was a report about a High Heels race. I think it was in Australia, but I didn't catch the name of the country, and couldn't find it on the Web. How feeble is that? Apparently, they also have them in DC and Russia.

It amazes me that they don't have fatalities in races like this, but then it amazes me that anyone manages to walk in heels at all. Maybe it's easier than it looks - I've never tried. I'd have thought, though, that the women's lib movement would have done better in the 1960s to have been burning heels rather than bras (not that I've got any problem with them doing the latter too). Or don't liberated women wear them (heels, I mean)?

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Words

Years ago I remember hearing about people who looked up an obscure word in the dictionary, then made a point of using it in normal conversation that day, or week. So for example, one might talk about the terrible negative equity in, say, Moss Side, Manchester, because houses there are likely to be subject to floccinaucinihilipilification in the current economic climate. That would have made a great last word on Chris' blog. Oh well.

Anyway, I took delivery of a brand new dictionary yesterday. It's a Cypriot-Greek-English dictionary, which I think qualifies just about every entry as obscure, as far as a lot of people are concerned. Cypriot is a dialect of Greek that preserves some Byzantine words and forms, as well as useful Turkish phrases for dice rolls in backgammon.

When they come to make the Cypriot Reservoir Dogs, they'll be thankful that the language has a word to describe someone who's had their left ear severed, though apparently this is more often used to talk about goats. I don't know why they cut their ears off...

I'm not sure I fully believe the English translations, though I suppose they're meant to explain the meaning rather than what you would actually say in English. Nevertheless, there is liberal use of the "F" and "C" words, with sexual connotations all over the place.

Here is an example. Chefalonno apparently means "to raise one's head, to grow, to become independent, to grow a stalk, to have an erection, to look after the clematis". I bet the last one about the clematis is something dodgy as well that's been literally translated.

You do have to remember that this dialect has been used by generations of villagers and farmers, who tend to talk about earthy things. And that in 1400 pages you're going to find some odd things.

Anyway, if you're looking for a challenge, try managing to slip "middle finger used for anal sex" into, em, a conversation...