I’m currently reading another one of my beloved old British novels. This one isn’t very old at all — circa 1937. It’s Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers and is a mystery. One of the reasons I like British novels is that they are usually much better written than the modern American stuff I come across. Another reason is that they use words like “piffle.” That makes me laugh.
Last night just reading the introduction to this book had me laughing so hard that my bellybutton ached. No, normally these books don’t produce a bellybutton ache, but normally I am not convalescing from a laproscopy where they cut into my bellybutton. Any giggle makes me twinge. Any laughter makes me ache. My husband, obviously concerned with the state of my belly and not with the quiet he requires to read his books, gave me a look that said: “You’re nutty. Be quiet. I’m reading. And you’re not supposed to shake Fat Tom like that.”
I’ve always been a linguophile — or someone who digs words. (I suspect that’s one of the reasons I read Brit Lit. They’re more wordier.) Sometimes it’s the nuances of meanings that I get a kick out of. Other times it’s just the sounds. For example:
fully ambulatory
inebriated (which usually can’t be combined with “fully ambulatory”)
circumlocution
pedantic (which if you use, you usually will end up fulfilling the definition)
enumeration
moratorium
These are all really great words (and phrases). I will award a prize to anyone who can write a single sentence with all of these terms included. Yes, the words must be used correctly and no, you can’t write “I will win a prize if I write moratorium, enumeration, pedantic, circumlocution, inebriated, and fully ambulatory in a sentence.” Your only prize would be a smack.
If you’re looking for something to read, you should check out anything by Dorothy L. Sayers. Her Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries are stellar. I am sad because Busman’s Honeymoon is the last one in the series. It’s like coming to the end of an era — after this book, I’ll have no more new adventures to read. So, I’m limiting myself to reading only a few chapters a day in order to draw it out.
Now I have to go rest some more. I’ve sat up too long and my bellybutton aches. I will also give a prize to anyone who can come up with a scientific-sounding name for an aching bellybutton. (Or for someone who creates contests and promises prizes to people just to get more comments.)
The mab Blab 
Papa Steve
One day, while inebriated, yet oddly enough fully ambulatory, I was reading a pedantic blog which, through the liberal use of circumlocution, contained the enumeration of certain words which the author asked to be used in a sentence. So I did.
Papa Steve
doh! I left out moratorium….
Papa Steve
And I so wanted the prize. I dusted off a space on my bookshelf and everything.
mab
@Papa Steve: Excellent job! There’s still time for a new entry using “moratorium!” But, if you can’t think of something, I still see some form of consolation prize in there somewhere…..
Papa Steve
One day, while inebriated (against mama’s wishes, as she had requested a moratorium on my alcohol consumption), yet oddly enough fully ambulatory, I was reading a pedantic blog which, through the liberal use of circumlocution, contained the enumeration of certain words which the author asked to be used in a sentence. So I did.
Papa Steve
It would have been great to have been able to work an ‘erstwhile’ or ‘loquacious’ in there somewhere.
mab
@Papa Steve: Go for the bonus points! Add them in! I’d like to see that impressive grammatical syntax feat!
Papa Steve
One day, while inebriated (against mama’s wishes, as she had requested a moratorium on my alcohol consumption), yet oddly enough fully ambulatory, I was reading an erstwhile pedantic blog which, through the liberal use of circumlocution and loquaciousness, contained the enumeration of certain words which the author asked to be used in a sentence. So I did.
Lydia
Well, I obviously can’t top Steve, but I’m glad you’re enjoying Dorothy Sayers! I read many of the Lord Peter Wimsey series last summer. Right now I’m reading one of her theological books, The Mind of the Maker. It’s a great book for creative people, and I’m enjoying it a lot.
Brit
@ yo Belly Button . . . “vexatious venter” because I adore the word vexatious, and you could even call it Venti for short.
Brit
I don’t mean to bring puffery upon myself (and quite the enumeration it would be) so forgive my circumlocution that may very well be nothing more than piffle when I say that while I did not get inebriated in NYC, I was fully ambulatory and returned to find that my pedantic friend would reward those who did not place a moratorium on pretentious contests that might lead to extreme mischance and disappointment for so many and unbridled triumph for others who have been exposed to many years of her impeccable linguistics.
momma g
I’ll not enter the contest but will continue to observe the contestants desire to one up each other with their verbage. How about another list of words…
mab
@momma g: I agree. There needs to be a new word list. Papa Steve, I leave the writing of that list up to you. It needs to be at least 6 words, but no more than 12.
Ms. Dickinson
I adore knowing people who use big words. Thanks for the brain tickle!
Donna Moman
Yo Mab!!!!
Big words too big for me!!! My brain is on a rest cycle and has been for at least 2 years now so too much for me!!! A side note – I went over to the “Fat Tom” blog portion and howled. You have inspired me to now name my fat belly as well. Actually Mark has already done that – yes the romance is gone for sure…. Miss you!
Brit
@MAB . . . It is a truth universally acknowledge that every woman under the age of 30 must be in want of acknowledgement of piffle left on a friend’s blog. By the way, I got a sweet note from someone today with all kinds of cool souvenirs from London!!!!
mab
@Donna: I’m glad you’ve found the Blab! You should start a blog yourself. I miss your dang funny stories.
@Brit: Yay! It arrived! Sure, we took that vacation almost a year ago and therefore the souveniers are incredibly late, but hey…. it’s the thought that counts. 🙂 Thanks for being a friend willing to comment on my piffle.
cliff
This summer while I was fully ambulatory (which is not something I can say for my possibly inebriated friends) we went to a circumlocution party, oh wait, I think was a circumcision party, anyways, one of the guys there reminded me of Jim Carrey in Liar Liar when he used that line “He’s a pedantic, pontificating, pretentious ***, a belligerent old fart, a worthless steaming pile of cow dung, figuratively speaking” and several other quotes of his which I am sure you don’t want to hear about and in fact there should some kind of moratorium on any further enumeration(s) of Jim Carrey quotes so as to not cause any more puffery on my linguistic adeptness and I should simply terminate this sentence by saying one last thing and that is, I enjoyed the clipy clip party (the erstwhile comment reminds me of another person who is skilled at verbal exchanges of information and that is a student of Teresa’s named Loquacious, or maybe it is actually LaPrecious, but it does not remind me of Steve because he just uses Word’s thesaurus and generally piffles when he speaks)!
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Papa Steve
Pursuant to your request, I have posted the new list of words, but I added them to our blog. (I hope that is ok.)
http://stevegohring.blogspot.com/
mab
@Papa Steve: This is excellent! Everyone, go visit Papa Steve’s blog and try your hand at his word list. This will benefit us in 2 ways: 1) The competition for the Vernacular Victor will continue -and- 2) Papa Steve will be movtivated to post more often.
Karen
So, who won?
mab
The winner will be announced when I think up a suitable prize.
Suggestions, anyone?
Papa Steve
Well, it depends on whether I won or not…. I don’t want to suggest a fabulous prize if you are just going to give it to Cliff.
Lydia
You know what just came into my head that would be really funny? An “Ode to Underpants.” It just has a nice ring to it. I think, if I were the winner, I would like you to write that for me. That would make me happy. 🙂
Of course, I didn’t even try, so I can’t be the winner. But you could still write an Ode to Underpants if you wanted….
I did try on Steve’s blog, though! Maybe I can get Steve to write an Ode to Underpants!
I’m sorry, but that’s just really funny to me, today…I’ll quit saying it, I promise.
Lydia
Felicia’s husband is usually inebriated, to help drown out Felicia’s pedantic study of migrain medications (due to the circumlocution found on the prescription labels), yet he declared a moratorium on his drinking when he realized he needed to be fully ambulatory for the enumeration of pills for his beloved wife, who eventually lost her head over the whole matter.
Ms. Dickinson
Okay, I have the term for your aching bellybutton!
It’s the Nefarious Nittering Navel!
Papa Steve
@Lydia – Great job of combining the two contests into one cohesive story. (with a rather tragic ending, I must say.)