I don't pretend to be an expert, but I haven't seen 'ballocks' in the wild in living memory. And if we're insisting on 'original' spellings perhaps you should campaign for the return of 'beallucs'!
It's appeared in Twitter a few times recently. I may be a bit older than you but it was certainly seen in MY living memory. Anyway, I shan't be campaigning about it.
Six Things - brilliant, as always. I so look forward to the next edition, and the edition after that, etc., etc. And great to take part in WCOREW. What’s next?!
Bit of a shame the smallest words are too small to read.
I noticed "Sle" next to "Shenanigans". What's "Sle"? I thought.
Then I spotted "Fo" nearby on the left of "Pebble" and realised what was going on - "Fo'c'sle" has got in trouble in the wordcloud processing and got split up.
Quite likely there is a "C" on its own, about the same size, somewhere in the cloud but I haven't spotted it yet.
This is what you get when you employ a word that isn't made up of all proper alphabetic characters. Y' can't trust 'em.
Thanks, Steve! I'm honoured to be included here. The whole competition was wonderful: a joyous bit of nonsense that became a daily ritual and an escape from the general awfulness of everything. Thank you, Lev.
Jan 13, 2023·edited Jan 14, 2023Liked by Lev Parikian
If “The Mighty Bollocks” were not a ska-punk band in the early 80s, then that was the vital failure that led, inexorably, to Brexit, Trump, and the rise of the Elon Muskovites.
Hi Lev,
Is "ballocks" now extinct as the spelling, despite its demonstration of the origin of the word as a diminutive?
Pedantically yours,
Les
Hi Les,
I don't pretend to be an expert, but I haven't seen 'ballocks' in the wild in living memory. And if we're insisting on 'original' spellings perhaps you should campaign for the return of 'beallucs'!
It's appeared in Twitter a few times recently. I may be a bit older than you but it was certainly seen in MY living memory. Anyway, I shan't be campaigning about it.
Six Things - brilliant, as always. I so look forward to the next edition, and the edition after that, etc., etc. And great to take part in WCOREW. What’s next?!
Enjoyed being part of this wonderful daftness but really hoped codswallop would do better. (Not a sentence I ever thought I’d write!)
Wordcloud.
I love it.
Been staring at it for ages.
Bit of a shame the smallest words are too small to read.
I noticed "Sle" next to "Shenanigans". What's "Sle"? I thought.
Then I spotted "Fo" nearby on the left of "Pebble" and realised what was going on - "Fo'c'sle" has got in trouble in the wordcloud processing and got split up.
Quite likely there is a "C" on its own, about the same size, somewhere in the cloud but I haven't spotted it yet.
This is what you get when you employ a word that isn't made up of all proper alphabetic characters. Y' can't trust 'em.
I hadn’t noticed that!
It was great fun taking part in this. Interesting to see the human behaviour this provoked too.
Claire Copperman nails it (as so often!)
Thanks, from one of those whose word-appreciation was enhanced by this thing!
Thanks, Steve! I'm honoured to be included here. The whole competition was wonderful: a joyous bit of nonsense that became a daily ritual and an escape from the general awfulness of everything. Thank you, Lev.
Thanks for running the competition. It was both silly and fun. I can't say why I enjoyed it so much but I did!
A great read just now at a table in view of - good word - “Blencathra”
If “The Mighty Bollocks” were not a ska-punk band in the early 80s, then that was the vital failure that led, inexorably, to Brexit, Trump, and the rise of the Elon Muskovites.
I left Twitter but am so glad you are doing this. I miss your wit and wisdom.
Thank you!
Oh the joy of words and how I love the English language. Some great words in there, Lev and a brilliant article. You are made of stern stuff!