New Year, New Words

Hello friends. I hope your 2022 is off to a good start. I have only a few days left until my next manuscript is due, so today’s post will be short and sweet.

As a historical novelist, I spend a fair amount of time checking to see if words were in use during my time period and sometimes end up discovering new words along the way. For example, I recently consulted my favorite online etymology dictionary to see if I could describe a child as “rambunctious,” only to discover that word did not come into use until 1834. Before that time, a person might be called rumbunctious (1824) or rumbustious (1778).

So, when I opened one of my Christmas presents from my husband to find The Little Book of Lost Words by Joe Gillard, I was delighted. I have already read through it, and have enjoyed learning some new-to-me old words.

The books specifies when the words came into use and gives brief definitions and (often humorous) sample sentences and illustrations. If you love words as I do, you might want to order a copy for yourself.

On New Year’s Eve, some members of Inspirational Regency Readers (a group on Facebook) played a game where we took turns coming up with a sentence using one or more of these example words. (If you haven’t joined this fun group yet, please do!) You might like to try it here as well (feel free to comment with your sentence below). Or, if you are an author, I challenge you to incorporate one of these into your next book….although that may prove difficult for contemporary writers.

Apanthopy: the desire to be alone; a distaste for the company of others

Blatteroon: a person who talks or boasts incessantly

Smatchet: an ill-tempered, despicable person

Pingle: to work in a useless unhelpful manner that only interferes.

Honneyfuggle: to compliment someone to get what you want.

Pamphagous: will eat anything

Collywobbles: stomach pain or sickness (I’ve used this one.)

Snollygoster: a corrupt, unprincipled person

Example page from book.

I have incorporated at least one word from this book into the manuscript I’ll turn in soon, fabulosity: an exaggerated statement or completely made-up story. (Now to see if it survives the editing process.)

That’s all for today, because I am in a state of betweenity (between two things), enjoying my time here, yet needing to finish my draft. Have a great day!