Wordsmiths
About the group:-
Evolving English Group has evolved into The Wordsmiths.
PSITTACISM, SCARAMOUCH, CALABASH. Three unusual words. If you have heard all three before you are doing well. If you know what they all mean you're a word star! If you would like to know the meanings, read on.
PSITTACISM. Mechanical, repetitive and meaningless speech.
SCARAMOUCHE. 1. A stock character in commedia dell 'arte and farce who is a cowardly braggart, easily beaten and frightened. 2. A rascal or scamp.
CALABASH. 1. Any of various gourds especially the bottle gourd.
2. A tropical American tree, 'crestinia cujete m of the bignonia family bearing large gourd like fruits.
3. Any of several other plants having gourd like fruits.
4. The fruit of any of these plants.
There are four more shades of meaning. If you have read this far perhaps you can find the other four.
If you have found this small journey with words interesting you may like to try our Wordsmiths Group. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday each month in Upavon. We take a subject and look into the words associated with it and their derivation and use. We take our language seriously but not ourselves, with lots of derailed trains of thought, so you’ll get plenty of laughs to go with your etymologies plus good coffee and biscuits.
Of course you may think the above is psittacism!
For further details:-
Please send a message to The Wordsmiths Group Leader - Joanna Goulson