As language evolves, we often expand the meanings of certain words and phrases. Thanks largely to slang, words like “bad” and “ill” can now be used positively. In most instances, though, those words rarely lose their original meaning. We just expand our use of them.

However, there are many words in the English language that have truly lost their original meanings over time. It’s not that we’re necessarily using these words wrong or even that we’re using an alternate definition of them. Instead, these words have changed so much over the years that it’s almost impossible to use them in their original contexts without sounding like you’re speaking a different language.

Related: 10 Pop Culture Tattoos (and Their Secretly Ridiculous Meanings)

10 Awful

Awful can mean “bad,” but it’s more commonly associated with “unpleasant.” These days, you typically use “awful” to describe something that is not only bad but that upsets or offends your senses on some level.

Yet, “awful” is derived from the Middle English words “agheful” and “aueful,” which were used to describe the sensation of being filled with awe or to describe something worthy of invoking such a feeling. Even at that time, though, the word was sometimes used to describe something that fills one with so much awe that it also inspired a sense of dread. That helps explain how the word eventually came to invoke powerful feelings of disdain.^[1]

9 Apology

We all apologize (hopefully) when we’ve done something wrong and wish to make amends to the person we’ve wronged. It’s essentially an admission of guilt mixed with a plea for forgiveness. That’s nearly the opposite of how the word was originally used years ago, though.

As recently as the 16th century, the word “apology” was used to describe one’s defense against an accusation. An apology (or “apologie”) could be rooted in facts but was also a way to say “here is my side of the story” to defend yourself—as in Plato’s Apology. It’s not entirely clear when the popular shift in meaning occurred, though Shakespeare’s use of the word in Richard III and other works gradually brought us to the point where apologies became associated with forgiveness.^[2]

8 Terrific

Centuries ago, the word “terrific” was commonly used to describe something that invoked a great sense of terror. Even as late as the 1800s, the word was more closely associated with things of great size or intensity. It was essentially a combination of “terrifying” and “excessive” that grew to emphasize the meanings of the latter word.

So, how did “terrific” come to mean something wonderful? The shift seemingly happened in the late 1800s when writers began to use the word somewhat ironically in things like advertisements and reviews. The increasingly popular idea was that something could be so bold or excessive that it almost had to be seen. Interestingly, the English language is filled with words that were once used to convey terror but gradually became something positive through the bridge concept of “awe.”^[3]

7 Cynicism

The ancient Greeks used the word “cynic” to convey the idea of someone or something having “dog-like” features. It was commonly applied to a group of philosophers who believed that people should live simple lives in pursuit of virtue. Those philosophers were referred to as Cynics by those who saw them as beggars and outcasts.

However, by the time the word “cynic” began to appear in English writing, it was most commonly used to describe those philosophers and their beliefs in a more neutral, observant way. Over the years, though, the idea of being “cynical” was adopted by those who derided such people due partially to the belief that they were judging those around them. That revised definition, combined with the beliefs of the original philosophers, eventually gave us the now-common idea of a cynic being skeptical toward modern people and systems.^[4]

6 Peruse

In more recent years, people have used the word “peruse” to describe a casual observation of something. For instance, you may peruse the sales rack of a store or a book as you flip through its pages. As far back as the 16th century, though, peruse was used to describe someone reading something in great detail or otherwise performing a thorough examination.

Remarkably, people are still arguing over the correct definition of peruse to this day. Some dictionaries offer both seemingly contradictory meanings of the word, while other sources have sided with one or the other. It’s not clear why the “skim” definition has become especially popular in recent years, though you can find centuries-old uses of that interpretation in various published works.^[5]

5 Nice

While the word “nice” can be used as an insult these days—such as saying someone is too nice or using the word to mock an obvious mistake—it is considered the standard way to convey that something is pleasant. In the 1300s and 1400s, though, “nice” was more commonly used to call someone ignorant.

What changed? Society did. The word “nice” was gradually used to describe excess luxury and, eventually, high society people who focused too much on polite appearances. As parts of the world shifted to gradually emphasize such behavior, “nice” eventually became a far less derogatory concept. Of course, you can still find the roots of the word in those who use “nice” as an insult these days.^[6]

4 Naughty

Essentially, the opposite of “nice” (especially around the holidays), “naughty” is used to describe someone or something that is very bad. It’s such an obvious example of that idea that the word is often used when you want to convey an exaggerated parody of that concept.

However, “naughty” was originally used to describe poor people who had very little in life. The word eventually grew to describe such people who were also believed to lack basic morality, which is the use of the phrase that slowly caught on. By the 1600s and 1700s, “naughty” was more commonly used to describe someone (usually a child) who is misbehaving or generally exhibits bad behavior.^[7]

3 Meat

It’s hard to imagine that there could be another definition of the word “meat.” Sure, we have adopted various slang phrases that use that word in slightly different contexts, but it’s difficult to imagine a time when “meat” was popularly used to describe anything other than food that comes from the flesh of an animal.

Yet, until around the 14th century, “meat” was used to describe almost any solid food (as opposed to liquids). If you go far enough back, you’ll find that variations of the word have been used to describe a wide variety of substances. As the English language evolved, though, the word “meat” eventually conveyed something much more specific. It grew to be used in the more specialized way we use it today.^[8]

2 Speed

Until around the later days of the Middle English era (the late 1500s), the word “speed” and its variations were typically used to convey the idea of success. Specifically, it was often related to the pursuit and achievement of your goals. While achieving those goals quickly was sometimes implied in variations of the phrase, the idea of rapidity wasn’t necessarily automatically applied to the word “speed” (or even the phrase “Godspeed”) at that time.

By the mid-1500s, though, “speed” was more commonly used to imply a quick and successful journey or endeavor. As that phrase was used by growing industrial sectors to suggest increased work and production rates, the haste aspect of “speed” became much more prominent. Even today, you can argue that we often use the word with the implication of success.^[9]

1 Bully

As late as the 1500s, the word “bully” was used like we may use the phrase “sweetheart” today. It was a term of endearment that could describe a variety of people you have an intimate relationship with. Around the 1600s, though, we find more instances of the phrase being used to describe males as essentially being “good guys” or “fine fellows.”

Interestingly, the word continued to evolve from there and was eventually used to describe blusterous individuals (typically males) who were not afraid of taking risks. Eventually, some applied that word to people fitting that description who had also done something wrong (usually something violent) to them. While “bully” was often used at that time to describe ruffians and thugs, the original intimacy of the phrase is arguably still implied in the hurt we feel that someone socially close to us would do us harm.^[10]

If there’s one thing that pretty much everybody is in agreement on, it’s that grammar snobs are, well, snobby. It’s right there in the name! Linguists, writers, copy editors, line editors, and all the rest of ’em (you know… nerds!) have a very particular way of doing things. And when it comes to language and word usage, that is their domain. So, if you have any of them in your lives out there, you certainly know they feel a particular way about the dictionary. To the rest of us, that’s a miserable slog. To them, it’s enthralling.

Today, we’re going to use this list to rankle them a little bit. Below, you’ll find the interesting tales of ten words that grammar snobs and linguists insist should not be words. Some are slang terms that haven’t ever been recognized in dictionaries or word lists. Others are strange words that have found their way into the popular lexicon despite not being officially recognized. But guess what? In time, dictionaries have come around to categorizing the following words as, well, words. And no matter what the grammar snobs in your life may say about them, that’s good enough for us!

Related: 10 Famous Writers Who Came Up with Everyday Words

10 Nother

Surely, you use the word “another” quite a bit. And probably just as surely, you’ve heard someone say “a whole nother” to describe a different thing, item, category, or grouping. It’s a little bit of a goofy word (or phrase), but people have used it to describe differences and exaggerate pairings and groupings. Now, grammar sticklers will get in your face with a very loud and very quick argument about how “nother” isn’t a word and “a whole nother” is simply nonsense. You shouldn’t break up “another” with the word “whole” between syllables, they’ll say. It’s not right!

But we’ve got bad news for grammar snobs and dictionary defenders: it actually IS right. That’s right. The word “nother” first popped up back in the 14th century and, from the start, was used to function similarly to “another.” Then, in the 19th century, it became very common to see “nother” as a standalone word and a synonym for its, uh, cousin. And now? It’s in the dictionary. It’s legitimate. Of course, it’s still not as commonly used as “another.” And you’ll still probably get weird looks from people if you do use it. But at least you can point them to the dictionary as proof that you’re not making it up.^[1]

9 Impactful

For years, “impactful” wasn’t a word. And then… the 1960s happened. During that decade and the latter half of the one preceding it, advertising agencies got their tentacles into America. Some of us would say that the country has never recovered. Jokes aside, though, ad agencies did a lot as far as finding unique ways to market their products. They also figured out an entirely new language to reference their work, their achievements, their campaigns, and more. One of the foremost and most lasting words that they created was “impactful.” Some might even say their idea to pick up that word out of thin air was… wait for it… impactful.

Basically, ad agencies took the word “impact” and altered it slightly in order to have a way to describe their marketing campaigns. Seeking to toot their own horn about how their campaigns were having a big impact on the public, they coined the term “impactful” and began using it in board meetings and conference calls. Soon enough, the word made its way outside the boardroom and landed on the street. And today, many things are seen as “impactful.” Possibly including the “impactful” punch a grammar snob might land across an advertising industry executive’s face.^[2]

8 Prolly

When it comes to text messages and Internet speak, “prolly” has pretty much taken over for “probably.” Especially among a younger generation and a fresh, new set of folks. To talk to us oldheads, we don’t recognize “prolly” as a real world. It’s a heck of a lazy contraction, and we simply aren’t here for it. But younger people don’t care, so they use it regularly—along with OMG, LOL, and every other slang term and coded abbreviation under the sun. Here’s the thing, though: “Prolly” has gotten so popular over time that it is now officially in the dictionary!

Amazingly, the first documented use of “prolly” in place of “probably” went all the way back to the 1940s. Naturally, it functioned back then just as it does now: as a clipped version of the word “probably” to be used to save some time and a bit of a spelling headache. (We suppose.) Even more amazingly, the Oxford English Dictionary has now come to recognize that it’s so commonplace (and so understood) that it deserves its own dictionary entry. At this point, after nearly 100 years in use, the grammar snobs should prolly give up this fight. Prolly is here to stay!^[3]

7 Snuck

If you want to say somebody is sneaking around but put the sentence in the past tense, what verb would you use? If you said “sneaked,” you would be correct. But tons (and tons and tons) of people believe that the correct verbiage to use in that case is “snuck.” So many people have thought that in fact—and for literally a couple centuries at this point—that “snuck” has finally entered the lexicon and officially made its way into the dictionary. See, even though “sneaked” is and has always been correct, people going all the way back to the latter half of the 19th century have employed “snuck” as the past tense version of the verb “to sneak.”

The drumbeat has been going on for so long that dictionary advocates and compilers have finally thrown up their hands and relented. Grammarians and linguists fought tooth and nail over this one for a long time and tried their hardest not to have “snuck” sneak up on them. After all, there is not a single verb in the English language that ends in -eak, which then transfers over to the ending -uck, which is the past tense. Well, there weren’t any… until “snuck” went and snuck up on us all. Today, “snuck” is officially a word you will find in every mainstream dictionary. Even if grammar snobs complain relentlessly about it.^[4]

6 Madded & Madder

Let’s offer up a two-for-one special here that’ll be sure to get grammar nerds doubly upset. Or should we say it’ll make them madder than they were before? Word snobs and linguistic experts left and right will tell you that “madded” is not a word. You can get “mad,” of course, and you can be “maddened” by something, but you can’t get “madded” over an issue or person. Right? Wrong! You actually can get “madded” by something. If you don’t do something at your job, your co-workers can be “madded” by it. And that’s a real word!

There’s a second real word in this same vein that has tripped people up quite a bit for a very long time: the word “madder.” Back in 2013, Barack Obama caught a ton of flak from grammar nerds and his political rivals alike after he used “madder” during a speech. Everybody thought that he should have said something like “more mad” to describe that to which he was referring. But if you open up a dictionary, “madder” is indeed right there. Obama was right about that one, even if it sounded wrong. And even if the rest of us debate it until we’re blue in the face!^[5]

5 Orientate

As we’ve seen so far on this list, there are a lot of words that people will argue shouldn’t be words. But few raise the anger of grammar nerds and linguistic snobs more than “orientate.” After all, “orient” is a word—and so is “orientation.” But one shouldn’t be able to “orientate” themselves. That’s the thinking of people who are so-called experts in dictionary matters, at least. There’s just one little problem with that: “orientate” actually is in the dictionary. Cry as much as they may, but grammar snobs are fighting a losing battle on this one. And the history involved here goes way, way back. Two hundred years back, in fact!

As it turns out, “orientate” was first used among British speakers of the language back in the 1840s. It was used then as it is now—as a version of “orient,” working as a verb meant for one to determine their bearings or direction. Across the pond in the United States, Americans mostly stuck with “orient” then as now. But the British kept churning on with “orientate.” And before long, people started using the two words interchangeably. Eventually, the word made its way across the pond. And now, “orientate” operates on both ends of the Atlantic Ocean. Even if the snobbiest grammar followers among us may fight it!^[6]

4 Gonna

What if we told you that “gonna” is actually a word? What are you gonna do about it? Are you gonna fight us? Are you gonna spell-check us? Are you gonna roll your eyes, sigh, and steel yourselves for the facts that we’re about to drop? Not only is “gonna” a word (sorry, sticklers), but it’s actually been a word since way back in 1806! The casual contraction of “going to” was first officially documented and added to a dictionary in that year. Dictionary makers and linguists of that era had heard people contracting “going to” into “gonna” and decided to make it official in their word lists.

In the last couple of decades, words like “gonna” have taken on new importance with the rise of text message lingo. Whenever possible, we like to shorten words and keep things on point when it comes to texting people, tweeting them, or posting on various other social media accounts. Naturally, “gonna” fits well with that. But as we now know, the word fits with much more than that, too. After all, there were no text messages back in 1806. But “gonna” still found its way into the dictionary, regardless!^[7]

3 Anyways

To hear a modern-day English teacher or copy editor explain things, you would think that “anyway” is the only acceptable word. But did you know that the word “anyways” isn’t just in the dictionary, but that it’s been in common use for more than 800 years? The word “anyways” dates all the way back to the 13th century and is documented in literature from that period. Over the next several centuries, it very gradually fell out of favor. In its place, English speakers dropped the “s” and instead used the word “anyway” to change the subject.

Today, most dictionaries list the two versions of the word as workable synonyms. While most modern people still drop the “s” and favor “anyway” over its cousin, both words are technically correct. If we’re being technical, “anyways” is a bit more commonly used in North America than it is in the United Kingdom and other places that speak English. But wherever you may be reading this, don’t let geography stop you. “Anyways” is a legitimate word, and if anybody tries to call you on that, just open a dictionary and prove them wrong.^[2]

2 Ginormous

You might assume that “ginormous” is a word created by millennials as a way to be goofy online. Instead of calling something “huge” or “humongous,” perhaps these little whipper-snappers opted to create an over-exaggerated new word to get across their thoughts about things that are really, really big. But would you believe us if we told you that “ginormous” actually comes from the World War II era? Well, it’s true!

Though it may feel like a goofy word put out by millennial kids who delayed their adulthood by being goofy online, “ginormous” actually has roots in the 1940s. The first documented and recognized use of the word came in 1942, to be exact. Your assumptions about its roots are correct: it was initially used as an over-exaggerated (and somewhat tongue-in-cheek) portmanteau of “gigantic” and “enormous.” But quickly, it caught on. And today, “ginormous” is a real word that is actually in the dictionary, no matter whether you have reservations about that or not.^[9]

1 Conversate

Not only does “conversate” contain an actual entry in every recognized and legitimate dictionary, but like a lot of the words on this list, it’s actually been around for well over 200 years. Along with “conversating” and “conversated,” the verb meaning “to converse” is a surprisingly common word with a shockingly long history. The first documented uses of “conversate” in newspapers and other written publications come way back in the very early 1800s. From there, the word snowballed its way through our lexicon.

Copy editors might bristle at the thought of using it; after all, why say “conversate” when you can merely say “converse” or even its far simpler cousin “talk”? Taken too far, “conversate” almost sounds like a word that a 12-year-old might use in front of his fellow classmates while trying to sweet-talk through giving a book report on a book he didn’t read. So, we don’t necessarily disagree with you on balking at using it in the real world, but that doesn’t change the fact that “conversate” is a real word.^[10]

+ BONUS: Firstly

Lastly, let’s drop a bonus word in there: firstly. Sure, we know that saying “first” is better than saying “firstly” when it comes to listing off a rundown of bullet points or items in a row. But while it might be extremely awkward to use “firstly” with a straight face, it’s not wrong. If we’re being technical, there are some actual grammar rules to consider here. For one, numbered words like first, second, and third all work as both adjectives and adverbs. Thus, that would make adverbs like “firstly,” “secondly,” and “thirdly” redundant.

To make matters even more pointed, some dictionaries believe that “firstly” is a redundant way to introduce a list or a bulleted number of topics. They actively recommend to people that “first” is a better choice to use than “firstly,” which they claim gets unnecessarily complicated. But enough people have used “firstly” over the years that the dictionaries collectively eventually said “screw it” and added it in as an entry. Today, “firstly” is in every dictionary worth its weight that covers the English language. It’s not ideal, but technically, it’s there. And being technically correct is the best part of being correct!^[10]

Scores of people go missing every day. An overwhelming majority of such cases end up resolved, often quite promptly. Still, far too many families of missing persons never know closure, be it reuniting with their lost loved ones or finally learning of their fate.

When someone vanishes without a trace, it’s not uncommon for that person’s last words to others to stand out in their memories. These final words can be ominous, poignant, or quite unremarkable. They may offer disturbing hints as to the missing person’s fate, or they may be innocuous statements which in no way foreshadowed what was to come. The following are accounts of ten people who disappeared, as well as the last things they said to 911 operators, coworkers, friends, or family.

SEE ALSO: 10 Unsettling Cases Of Famous People Who Disappeared

10 ‘They’re After Me. More Than One.’

Michael “Mike” McClain spent the evening of April 20, 2019, at the Tropical Lounge nightclub in Nashua, New Hampshire. The 29-year-old resident of nearby Manchester was at the club with friends and, by all accounts, had no reason to abandon his life.

That night, a dispute occurred between two women at the club. They stepped outside, at which point the situation escalated. A crowd formed. Mike, who knew one of the women, broke the fight up, but the police had been called. They dispersed the onlookers, and it was at this point that Mike’s friends lost track of him. A bit before 2:00 AM the next morning, Mike called his boss and said, “They’re after me. More than one.” This ominous statement prompted her to call him back, but there was no answer. Mike hasn’t been seen since that night.

Mike’s family knew something was amiss when he didn’t return calls on Easter or call his sister on her birthday. It is believed that he left the nightclub on foot. His phone was last pinged at a McDonald’s a few blocks down the street from the Tropical Lounge at around the time he called his boss, but there are few other clues for investigators to go on. His credit cards have shown no activity, and he hasn’t posted anything on social media. He remains missing as of this writing.^[1]

9 ‘I’m Putting Dinner On.’

Will Cierzan, 58 years old, was a longtime employee at Six Flags Magic Mountain and enjoyed watching sports, collecting Coca-Cola bottles, and cooking. He spent the afternoon of January 26, 2017, at his home in Santa Clarita, California, watching golf on TV with his nephew. After the nephew left, Will began to make dinner. At around 4:30 PM, his wife, Linda, called him, and Will said, “I’m putting dinner on.” When she called again at roughly 5:00 PM, Will was in a good mood and said that the chicken was cooked.

However, when Linda arrived home at around 6:00 PM, Will was nowhere to be seen. Dinner was cooked, the oven was turned off, and Will’s coat, keys, and wallet were all present. Nothing had been taken from the wallet. The family’s dog was at home, and Will’s truck was parked outside.

A few cryptic clues would emerge. In February 2017, it was revealed that some of Will’s blood had been found in the house. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s house showed that a white SUV backed up to Will’s garage a bit after 5:00 PM. It left only a few minutes later. Police stated that this vehicle belonged to a family member. Neither of these leads panned out.

In May 2017, detectives named Will’s nephew as a person of interest. However, he cooperated with investigators, and no arrests were made. In December 2018, a human skull was found not far from Valencia, Will’s neighborhood. This skull has not been linked with Will, though, and may very well be unrelated. Will’s fate is still unknown.^[2]

8 ‘I’m Scared.’ / ’Never Mind.’

June 21, 2013, was a busy day for Brookelyn Farthing of Madison County, Kentucky. The 18-year-old and her younger sister, Paige, took their driver’s license tests that day. Afterward, they attended their grandfather’s 70th birthday party. That evening, Brookelyn, Paige, and a cousin went to a second birthday party, this one held out in a field.

Paige and Brookelyn’s cousin decided to leave the party early on. This was fine with Brookelyn, who had made plans to sleep over at the home of a friend who was also at the party. Plans changed, however, when Brookelyn’s friend decided she wanted to spend the night at a boy’s house. The two argued, and the friend left.

Toward the end of the party, Brookelyn was seen leaving with two young men (names withheld). One of the men was dropped off, and the other man took Brookelyn to his house in Berea. It was from here, at around 4:00 AM on June 22, that Brookelyn called Paige and asked if their cousin could come pick her up. However, the cousin had had too many drinks and was in no condition to drive. Brookelyn didn’t want her mother to have to come get her, so she called her ex-boyfriend, who worked third shift. He agreed to give her a ride home when he got off work. It was at this point that the man who’d brought Brookelyn to the house left.

Before long, Brookelyn’s ex-boyfriend received several texts from her:

“Can you hurry,” “Please hurry,” and then “I’m scared.” However, another text came in, telling the ex to “never mind” and that Brookelyn was going to a party in neighboring Rockcastle County, the edge of which Berea is near. He asked who she was going with, but there was no response. Brookelyn hasn’t been heard from since.^[3]

The owner of the house later returned to find it on fire, and firefighters would find some of Brookelyn’s belongings still inside. The man speculated that the fire could have been started by a cigarette she was smoking when he left. He said he left her there because he was friends with her ex-boyfriend and did not feel comfortable being there when he arrived. He also confirmed that Brookelyn had spoken of a party in Rockcastle County. Brookelyn’s whereabouts remain unknown, and no arrests have been made in the case.

7 ‘I’ll Call You Back.’

Marion Barter, a primary school teacher in Australia’s Gold Coast, lived a seemingly normal, happy life. Things changed, however, when her third marriage ended in the mid-1990s. A few years later, in 1997, Marion abruptly sold her home and went on a trip to England.

Her family received no further word from her until July 31, when a message from Marion appeared on the answering machine of her daughter, Sally Leydon. Marion later called again from a pay phone. Marion said she was in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and was having tea and scones with some old women and that she was having a good time. The conversation played out in several chunks, as Marion had to add money to the phone. Finally, Marion ran out of coins, and the phone call had to end. Her last words to Sally were, “I’ll call you back.” Marion, 51 years old at the time, hasn’t been seen or heard from since.^[4]

Sally believes her mother truly was in England, due to the delay effect on the calls. The case became stranger in October 1997, however, when thousands of dollars were withdrawn from Marion’s bank account. Sally learned from a bank worker that the money was withdrawn in Byron Bay, New South Wales. Police in Byron Bay never found any sign of Marion.

Marion remains unaccounted for.

6 ‘Can You Send Me A Picture Of My Son In The Movies?’

At 9:30 PM on July 13, 2019, Erika Gaytan of El Paso, Texas, sent a text message to the father of her seven-year-old son: “Can you send me a picture of my son in the movies?” Erika, 29, was attending a concert at the El Paso County Coliseum, so this request didn’t seem too strange. What is strange, if not outright unacceptable, to Erika’s family and friends is the notion that she would have just abandoned her son.

Erika was at the concert with a date, her attendance confirmed by social media posts. According to the date, after the concert had ended, she was waiting for an Uber to pick her up. The date left at this point.

It is worth noting that at the time of her disappearance, Erika was facing criminal charges, both for credit card abuse and criminal mischief. Her next court date was July 26. However, El Paso detectives do not believe this is why she vanished. They do, however, consider her disappearance suspicious and have asked anyone with information to come forward.^[5]

5 ‘I Love You, Pop.’

Chase Allen Lackey, age 25, was a member of a recreational softball league. On June 30, 2017, he played a game, watched by his father, Craig. Craig will never forget Chase’s last words to him that day: “I love you, Pop.”

The next day, Chase was seen walking his dog outside his Houston-area apartment. Neither he nor his dog have been seen since. Nothing was stolen from Chase’s apartment, and his truck remained untouched.

Although investigators characterized Chase has having lived “a normal life,” foul play is suspected in his disappearance. Few details have been publicly released, but apparently some of Chase’s friends had been involved in illegal doings.^[6] However, no arrests have been made in the case, and two years on, both Chase and his dog remain missing.

4 ‘I Just Want To Talk While I Have The Chance.’

Matthew Weaver moved from his parents’ home in Simi Valley, California, to his own apartment in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, in the summer of 2018. Things were looking good for the 21-year-old power line worker, and he had plans to travel the world. These aspirations were seemingly not meant to be.

On August 9, Matthew told his father that he was going out with a new a female acquaintance. Matthew picked her up at around 9:30 PM and dropped her off during the early morning hours of August 10. During this time, they reportedly “had a private talk.” Matthew then drove to Topanga, an area in the Santa Monica Mountains. Near sunrise, he posted a Snapchat picture of a scenic view and is believed to have entered a hiking trail. A few hours later, Matthew’s female friend received some strange text messages. They read: “Like some crazy is going onsh— is going on” and “I jusst to talk while i have the chance.” There was no further communication from Matthew.^[7]

Matthew’s last known location, according to Snapchat and cell phone records, was near Rosas Outlook. At 1:30 AM on August 11, several hikers in the area called 911 after hearing cries for help. At around that time, California Highway Patrol officers reportedly also heard screams and possibly someone yelling, “He’s got a gun!” Matthew’s car was found near a hiking trail, but the keys weren’t located until January 2019, when hikers found them a mere 25 feet (7.6 m) from where the car had been. That same month, high-resolution drone photos of the area enabled Matthew’s family to find a baseball cap and a torn T-shirt which they believe were Matthew’s. Despite these strange clues, Matthew remains missing.

3 ‘Don’t Ever Say Goodbye.’

During the summer of 2013, Candice L’hommecourt of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, celebrated her daughter’s first birthday. Among those in attendance was Candice’s older sister, 25-year-old Shelly Dene. Not long after that, in August, Shelly vanished without a trace. Shelly’s last words to Candice were, “Don’t ever say goodbye.”

Shelly was known known for her adventurous spirit and love of travel and had spoken of a taking a trip to the Yukon. Over the next several months, calls and texts to Shelly went unreturned. Concern greatly increased in November, when Shelly’s phone was disconnected.

Shelly was finally reported as missing. A clue came in the form of a witness report that a man was seen taking suitcases from Shelly’s apartment around the time that she went missing. However, by the end of 2014, police had exhausted all leads.

Candice has expressed her frustration with the police, who she says are reticent to work on Shelly’s case because of her First Nations heritage and her “high-risk” lifestyle. While Shelly’s family acknowledge that she had dealt with drug and alcohol addictions, Candice noted that:

[Police] label every First Nations person that is missing or murdered [as having] a high-risk lifestyle or a high-risk profile. They keep blaming the victim for what has happened to them. They don’t blame society and what’s wrong with society . . . these things shouldn’t be happening to innocent people, no matter what type of lifestyle they live.^[8]

Shelly Dene has not been found.

2 ‘Things Are Going To Get Better.’

Olivia Medel didn’t have much, but she had her two children, Enrique and Delfina. The single mother worked hard to support them, and things were good until Olivia lost her job. After this, the family had to move from Kansas City, Missouri, back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the children had originally been born. Though it wasn’t easy at first, Olivia found work in Albuquerque. Enrique, however, began to fall in with the wrong crowd.

It started when Enrique, then 13, began to hang out with a teenager named Andy, who was around six years older. Olivia had a bad feeling about Andy, but now that she was working again, she couldn’t keep an eye on her son all the time. Sometimes, Enrique would disappear in the middle of the night. Eventually, he was expelled from school for having a gun. Olivia believes the firearm was Andy’s idea.

On March 16, 2011, Enrique, now 14, spoke to his mother. He said, “Mom, I know you’re going through a hard time, but things are going to get better.” Olivia never saw her son again. Enrique’s uncle spotted him that night outside an Allsup’s (a convenience store). The uncle told Enrique to go home, but the latter said he was going to stay with some friends. He stopped answering his phone later that night and has been missing ever since.^[9]

Olivia felt that the police didn’t take her seriously when she reported her son missing, taking Enrique for a runaway. Ultimately, investigators did question Andy several times. The shady youngster gave inconsistent answers and was also found to be in possession of some of Enrique’s belongings. So far, however, no arrests have been made, and the case seems to have gone cold.

1 ‘No, I Need The Cops.’

In 2013, Brandon Lawson, 26, was living in San Angelo, Texas, with his longtime girlfriend and their four children. The oil field worker had found a new, more stable job with better hours and was set to start soon. But then Brandon didn’t come home on the night of August 7. This led to an argument with Ladessa, his girlfriend, on the evening of August 8. He had dealt with drug issues in the past and had recently relapsed, so Brandon staying out all night was cause for concern. At around 11:53 PM, Brandon grabbed his cell phone, a charger, his keys, and his wallet and left. His pickup truck was low on gas.

Before long, Brandon called his father, Brad, and asked to stay with him for the night. Brad said Brandon was welcome, but since the former lived three hours away in Crowley, he advised Brandon to go back home and work things out with Ladessa. A few minutes later, Ladessa called Brandon and suggested that he go stay with his brother, Kyle, if he was still angry and didn’t want to come back home. Kyle lived only five minutes away. Brandon must not have been into the idea, because Ladessa then called Kyle, saying she was worried about Brandon.

At 12:34 and 12:36 AM, Brandon tried to call Ladessa, but she didn’t answer either time. At 12:38, he called Kyle and said he’d run out of gas on Highway 277, not far from Bronte. Kyle called Ladessa, who left a gas can on the porch for Kyle before going to take a bath. Kyle and his girlfriend, Audrey, left to pick up the gas can at 12:45. At 12:48, Brandon tried to call Ladessa again but got no response.

Here’s where things become really strange. At 12:54 AM, Brandon made a disconcerting 911 call. Parts of the 43-second call were unintelligible. Brandon spoke of running out of gas and being in a field. He said he “accidently ran into” some people before there was background noise that may have been gunshots. The operator asked Brandon if he needed an ambulance. Amid indeterminate background noise, Brandon first replied in the affirmative but then changed his mind and said, “No, I need the cops.” Brandon did not respond to the operator after this, though the unidentified background noise seemed to get closer to him before the call ended.

Four minutes later, a passing trucker spotted Brandon’s pickup truck parked awkwardly on the highway and called 911 about it. At 1:10 AM, Kyle and Audrey found Brandon’s truck and were surprised to see a Coke County sheriff’s deputy there, too. There was no damage to Brandon’s truck. Kyle and Audrey initially assumed that Brandon was hiding in the field since he had an outstanding warrant in Johnson County. They surreptitiously called Brandon and managed to reach him one last time. Brandon said he was ten minutes into the field and bleeding and implored his brother to get to him quickly. The call ended, and Brandon responded to no further calls or texts.

Multiple searches for Brandon yielded nothing. Neither his bank account nor his cell phone showed any activity after that night. A few months after Brandon’s disappearance, investigators decided that Kyle was a suspect. They questioned him, and Kyle volunteered to take a polygraph test. He passed. Brandon is still missing.^[10]

Nigger. Perhaps no other word in history has developed such a strong sense of taboo (at least in the United States). It is so loathed these days that even random and unrelated words have been deemed racist for merely sounding like it. These words vary from regular words found in dictionaries to names of places, plants and commercial enterprises.

Every word and name here has a distinct origin from the n-word and yet, they all somehow got caught up in what we could consider the human equivalent of misidentification. We are now told we had better learn to avoid using such words or learn their correct pronunciations (in the case of names), lest we find ourselves in the middle of some negative controversy or, worse still, the latest target of cancel culture.

SEE ALSO: 10 Insane Decisions That Nearly Ruined Pop Culture Classics

9 Niggardly

Niggardly is one of the most non-racist word a person could ever use. It means stingy or miserly. Unfortunately, that meaning has been eroded by its first six letters, which bear a strong resemblance to the n-word even though both are unrelated. Little wonder the use of niggardly has always sparked outrage.

Even Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders was recently caught in the crossfire after a video emerged of him using the word sometime in 1986 when he was still the mayor of Burlington, Vermont. In the footage, he said, “I am not going to be niggardly about funding for daycare.”

Bernie Sanders is just one of the several elected officials and government employees who have gotten into problems over the use of the word. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), also caused a controversy when he used the word during a debate about veteran spending in 2012.

In 2009, a teacher in Ukiah, California was forced to resign amidst racism accusations, after using the word during negotiations with officials of his school district. He had accused the district office of being “negative and niggardly.” The district superintendent, Lois Nash, who was involved in the negotiations, was black.

Seven years earlier, in 2002, another teacher in North Carolina received a reprimand after using the word in class. An African-American student in the class had gotten offended, prompting the uproar. The teacher was pressured to apologize over accusations “of not being sensitive to the diverse school population.”

The worst of all was David Howard, who was an aide to Anthony Williams, the Mayor of Washington DC until 1999, when he was forced to apologize and resign after using the word. The uninformed mayor quickly accepted his apology after mistaking the word for a racist one.

The Howard incident was so controversial (and unique at the time) that Julian Bond, the Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) condemned Howard’s critics saying:

“You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people’s lack of understanding. David Howard should not have quit. Mayor Williams should bring him back—and order dictionaries issued to all staff who need them.”

Mayor Williams later rehired Howard after realizing the word was not racist.

8 Nigaz

In 2009, Nigeria’s state oil company, NNPC, revealed it had entered into a joint venture with the Russian government majority-owned gas company, Gazprom, to build refineries, gas pipelines and power stations in Nigeria. They called the partnership Nigaz.

The name had no racial undertone. Nigaz is from the first two letters of Nigeria and the first three of Gazprom. It does not even share the same pronunciation with the n-word. It is pronounced “nye-gaz.”

Nevertheless, the name caused an uproar in Nigeria, an African nation with a predominantly black population. Several Nigerians asked for the joint venture to be renamed. Some even set up a Facebook group called “Nigerians No Nigaz.”

However, some Nigerians remained undisturbed by the name. When asked what he thought about the joint venture, an unnamed Nigerian man said “White people are making too much of this. As long as the Russians pay us, they can call it what they like.”

7Negre

Negro and negre are two French words for black people. However, the American term “Negro” is very different from the French term “Negro”. While the word has negative connotations in both nations, it is worse in French. Some Americans tolerate the use (particularly in a historical context) of Negro. The French do not. The French “Negro” is the American equivalent of “nigger”.

However, the French still tolerate the use of negre, which even pops up in regular conversations. Think of the French negre as what Americans mean when they say a person is colored. The French negre also doubles as a slang word for a ghostwriter. It is even common for white French writers to describe themselves as negres.

Negre first appeared as an alternate word for ghostwriter in the 1700s when writers used it to denote the fact that they were working for someone else. Curiously, the same writers that freely use negre in their writings and conversations are often surprised when they read early American literatures where blacks were called Negroes.

The difference between the American and French Negros and the use of negre in France has sometimes led to controversies. Such as in 2010 when French cosmetic millionaire, Jean-Paul Guerlain, said he “worked like a negre” to develop his successful Samsara perfume, on live television.

No one complained about the statement until newscaster, Audrey Pulvar, who was born and raised in Martinique, a French overseas island in the Caribbean, called the cosmetic giant a racist. Protesters soon showed up outside Guerlain’s flagship boutique and called for a boycott of his products. He was fired and, after more than a century of existence, the famed perfume house no longer had a perfumer from the Guerlain family working for it.

6 Nigger Rapids

Nigger rapids is a rapid (the fast-flowing part of a river) along the Gatineau river in the town of Bouchette, Quebec, Canada. Bouchette is fairly known in Canada. It is not even included in maps. However, the town and river did make the news few years ago when people realized the name of the rapids that ran through it contained the taboo word.

It is somewhat unclear how the rapids got its name. According to a resident of Bouchette, the rapids was named after a black man who died after floating logs obstructed his route along the river. A second theory indicates the rapids was named after an equipment used in sawmills located along the river over 150 years ago.

This is plausible considering sawmills used to have an equipment that shares a name with the n-word. However, according to official government records, the name first appeared in 1912 when Reverend father Joseph Guinard found the remains of two black people along the river. He buried them along the rapid and named it after them in remembrance.

Whichever is true, we would agree that the name of the rapids has no racist undertone. However, that changed nothing when people called for a change of name over concerns that it was offensive. Not everyone wanted the name changed though. Others said the name should be left alone because it reflected the history of the town.

5 Niggle

In 2017, the Daily Mail was accused of racism over a front-page editorial about Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle. The tabloid used a photo of the couple on its front-page and included the headline “Yes, they joyfully in love. So why do I have a niggling worry about this engagement picture?”

Niggling is the word here. It has no relationship with the n-word even though it could sound like the n-word if pronounced in some way. Niggling is from niggle, which refers to a continuous annoyance, concern or discomfort a person feels.

Anyone familiar with the Daily Mail knows it is a tabloid. Tabloids use sensational headlines, news and rumors to make sales. Most believe the Daily Mail was only trying to generate controversy to make sales. However, some think the Daily Mail had real racist intentions since Markle is biracial. Her father is white and her mother is African-American.

4 Negro Point

Negerfjellet (pictured), Negerdalen and Negerpynten are three words you will only hear in Norway. They actually refer to the names of a mountain, valley and headland in that order. The names sound unremarkable to regular English speakers until you realize that “Neger” means Negro.

Like every other word on this list, the names do not have racist origins. The mountain got its name from the black rocks surrounding it. The headland, Negerpynten, which means “Negro point” in English, was named after the massive amounts of black stones in the area.

The names did generate some mild controversy in Norway few years ago when some people requested for the renaming of the geological features. Rune Berglund of the Antiracist Center in Norway said the names were derogatory. The Norwegian Polar Institute, which is responsible for naming geographical locations in Norway, later said the names would remain.

3 Nigger Hill, Nigger Stream And Niggerhead

In 2016, New Zealand renamed two hills and a stream over concerns that their names were offensive. Niggerhead hill was renamed Tawhai hill, Nigger hill got the name, Kanuka hill and Nigger stream was renamed Pukio stream. All new names were from the native Maori language.

How the areas got their initial names remain unclear. However, records indicate they were named after the carex secta, a specie of grass native to New Zealand. The grass is also called the niggerhead and grows around all three geographical features.

Commenting on the incident, New Zealand land information minister, Louise Upston, said the new names were necessary because the old names were offensive. She added that the names were not in lines with the vision of the country.

2 Negerball

Every year, the village of Raindorf in the German state of Bavaria organizes a charity ball called Negerball. The proceeds of the fundraiser is then donated to lifesaving projects in underdeveloped African nations. The event has been organized for over four decades and was called “Young People Dance for Africa” before it was renamed.

You will agree that the ball is the probably most un-racist thing you could ever imagine until you realize that the new name, Negerball actually means Negro ball or nigger ball in English. This is even though the name has no racist undertone.

The name generated a controversy in 2017 when the organizer, KiRiKi, created a Facebook page for the event. Someone took offense and reported the page to Facebook, which promptly took it down over concerns that it was racist. The removal was followed by an uproar by supporters of the event.

The Negerball controversy is considered a perfect illustration of the difference between regular German and the Bavarian dialect of German. Both Germans and Bavarians consider nigger outright racist. However, Germans consider Negro offensive but not necessarily racist while Bavarians see it as just another word for black people.

KiRiKi later renamed the event Negaball, which we would agree reads and sounds like the controversial Negerball. However, sources say nega really means “Niederbayerische Entwicklungshilfe zu Gunsten Afrika.” That is, “Lower Bavarian development aid to benefit Africa.”

1 Nyjer Seeds

The African yellow daisy, Guizotia abyssinica, is a small, black and exotic birdseed. It is very important to American bird keepers since some birds would eat nothing else. However, it is native to Africa and parts of Asia, from where it is exported into the US.

American importers called it the Niger seed until the American Wild Bird Feeding Industry renamed it Nyjer over concerns that Niger was racist. This is even though the seed was named after the African nation of Nigeria where it grows. Another source says the name is from Niger, another African nation just north of Nigeria.

The Wild Bird Feeding Industry said the name change was necessary because buyers often got disturbed and confused when they saw the name. Buyers often mispronounced Niger like the n-word. This is even though Niger is pronounced “nee-jair” or “nye-jerr.”

The pronunciation problem later forced sellers to rename it “thistle seeds.” However, the new name soon proved detrimental to sales since people often mistook it for seeds of the infamous thistle weed. Some city councils even tried banning the sales after falling victim to the error. So, the American Wild Bird Feeding Industry opted for Nhjer.

English is an amazing language with its roots in the Eastern Germanic family of languages with an enormous dollop of influence from the Romance languages (mostly through French). That has led to a number of very curious but definitely fun words to appear over the centuries. This list looks at ten of those words: mostly familiar but seldom used.

See Also: 10 Wrong Words That Are Actually Right

10 Malarkey

You may have heard this word recently when Democratic hopeful for the 1820 presidential election and supercentenarian, Joe Biden, recently surprised everyone with his hilarious use of the phrase “no malarkey” which he also painted on his campaign omnibus. But jocularity aside, what does malarkey mean? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it refers to “nonsense talk” and it originated in the 1920s. The rise in popularity of its use occurred in parts of the US with heavy Irish immigrant influence so it is possibly related to some unknown man by the name of “Mullarkey” but we’ll never know. What we do know is that there is a tinge of irony to the fact that Mr Biden has chosen this particular phrase for his campaign given his recent public speaking blunders, such as “poor kids are as bright as white kids” and the incredibly hilarious, yet so terribly wrong “No man has a right to raise a hand to a woman in anger other than in self-defense and that rarely ever occurs. And so we have to just change the culture. Period. And keep punching at it and punching at it and punching at it.”

9 Flim-flam

Flim-flam is yet another word with much political use! It means insincere talk or deceitful words. Here it is in a sentence: “Ninety percent of political commentary is flim-flam”. Its origins are in the 16th century and the term is a form of symbolic reduplication. Reduplication is a linguistic trick used in most languages to draw attention to something or emphasize it. A recent (and somewhat shocking) form of this is when Whoopi Goldberg absolved Roman Polanski of his child-molestation crime by saying it wasn’t “rape-rape” (so much for #metoo). I’m not certain his 14 year old victim would have felt the same way. Other common uses of reduplication are the words “razzle-dazzle”, “bye-bye”, “hip-hop”, and the funnest form (shm-reduplication) “fancy-shmancy”.

8 Gigglemug

Once upon a time politics was filled with gigglemugs. These days there are more triggeredmugs but that is beside the point. A gigglemug is a face (and by extension a person) who has a smile constantly plastered to their face. The word implies disingenuousness. Hollywood is still bursting to the seams with gigglemugs. The term comes from the British use of the word “mug” to mean face which probably came from the old 17th century mugs that were often decorated with faces (toby jugs are an example of this). This use of the word mug is seldom seen in modern English except in the form a mugshot. And the word giggle comes from the 1500s and is an onomatopoeia for the sound we make when we giggle.

7 Collywobbles

Collywobbles refers to a stomach ache or butterflies in the stomach. Despite what you may have heard about this word originating as an aberration of “cholera morbus” that is unlikely. When this word arose in the early 1800s, there was also a commonly used meaning for the word “colly” which was a reference to coal dust. Here’s a great bit of knowledge for you: you’ve been singing the twelve days of Christmas wrong your whole life. You know the “four calling birds”? They weren’t calling at all! They were “colly birds”—a slang for blackbirds. Anyway, there is no real reason to believe that coal dust was the root of the term either, though both theories have been suggested. Most likely it is just a cutesy word made up to distract a child from his stomach pains.

6 Poppycock

Neither related to opium nor penises, poppycock is a very American term from around the mid 1800s and most likely came from Dutch migrants who used the phrase zo fijn als gemalen poppekak meaning a person with great religious zeal (literally meaning “as fine as powdered dolls shit”). The connection to feces (and dolls obviously) was lost and the term ultimately came to be used in English to mean something which is nonsense. It is easy to see how a term referring to the type of character who preaches enthusiastically on a street corner could come to be used to mean anything nonsensical.^[1]

5 Nincompoop

A nincompoop is a foolish or stupid person—it is somewhat synonymous with the term “Youtube commenter“. The word first appears in the greatest language of all (English, duh), in the 1600s. It’s origins are widely disputed but range from the boring (a reference to the Biblical Nicodemus who naively questioned Christ), to the logical sounding opinion of the brilliant Dr Johnson who claimed it to be an aberration of the Latin non compos mentis (not mentally competent). And then finally the most bizarre origin theory is that it comes from Dutch nicht om poep which could refer to a farting effeminate gay man (I didn’t make that up . . seriously).^[2]

4 Claptrap

Claptrap is a weird word with a slightly different meaning originally to its current use. Now it means something which is a load of rubbish; actually it’s pretty similar to malarkey. The source of this word, however, has theatrical origins. If you are a fan of the hacker named 4Chan, you’ll know the use of the term “trap” to refer to a crossdresser who traps straight guys by tricking them into thinking he is really a girl (this is not related to transgenderism by the way). “Claptrap” came about in much the same way. When something was claptrap, it was a special theatrical trick designed to make people clap unexpectedly. Presumably this was often done with actions that were ridiculous or foolish so in modern parlance the term has no relation to clapping and every relation to ridiculous or foolish talk—in other words: nonsense.

3 Whippersnapper

When not rejecting a bunch of Malarkey, Mr Biden can be found sniffing the heads of young whippersnappers. A Whippersnapper is, of course, a belligerent youth or simply a lazy bored youngun. The term is a fascinating mixture of two things: in the late 16th century and early 17th century some young people took up the habit of snapping whips to pass the time: much like modern kids playing with fidget spinners. Emerging in the English language around the same time was the phrase “snipper-snappers” which referred to street kids. Simply by chance these terms merged and left us with “whippersnapper”. It is not very commonly used these days unless you are in a black and white British moving picture.

2 Mumbo-Jumbo

Mumbo-Jumbo refers to meaningless words: phrases that make no sense or make sense to just a small number of people (such as political jargon). It can also mean the practices of a person involved in strange non-standard religious practices (typically religions deemed sinister or dark such as voodoo or witchery). It is this latter meaning from which the word originates. Maamajomboo is a Mandkinan word (a language in Gambia) describing a man who dresses up in a weird costume to perform rituals. Here is the rather hilarious 1803 Encyclopedia Britannica definition of Mumbo Jumbo: “A strange bugbear employed by the Pagan Mandingos for the purpose of keeping their women in subjection. [E]very man marries as many wives as he can conveniently maintain; and the consequence is, that family quarrels sometimes rise to such a height, that the husband’s authority is not sufficient to restore peace among the ladies. On these occasions, the interposition of Mumbo Jumbo is called in; and it is always decisive.”^[]

1 Trumpery

The French word Tromperie came from their verb tromper meaning “to deceive”. The word travelled, via Middle English (before Shakespeare and that darned confusing modern English of his) to our own language as trumpery, which means the same thing: deceitfulness or a deceitful thing. It has no historical confluence with the current President of the United States of America—though, in a similar fashion to the “backronym” (an acronym definition invented after the acronym itself), many fancifully believe it does. Another word that very much describes politicians in general is “snollygost”—a shrewd and unprincipled person who does things for their own gain. Can you name a politician who has done this? Or more simply: can you name one who hasn’t?

+ Competition Time!

COMPETITION IS NOW ENDED: See the comments for the winner’s names. It’s time for another competition! In order to combat the unfairness of comment voting count when people around the world wake at different times of the day, the winner of this competition will be chosen at random from all the comments. Five people will win a copy of this amazing book! There are unlimited entries allowed (one comment is one entry) but your comment must contribute to the discussion; you can’t just post mumbo-jumbo and hope to win! I’ll pick the winners at midnight (Pacific time). You can be from any country. You can be any age. You need to be a registered user of .com, you can sign up here or log on here. If you are already registered you are eligible. Guest posts are not included.

What do you win? Just the best book on languages ever! The Mother Tongue – English And How It Got That Way by the brilliant Bill Bryson whose books we have featured before. In The Mother Tongue, Bryson “brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language.”

As one reviewer puts it: “Who would have thought that a book about English would be so entertaining? Certainly not this grammar-allergic reviewer, but The Mother Tongue pulls it off admirably. Bill Bryson—a zealot—is the right man for the job. Who else could rhapsodize about “the colorless murmur of the schwa” with a straight face? It is his unflagging enthusiasm, seeping from between every sentence, that carries the book.”

Bryson’s book are some of my favorite so I’m certain it will be loved by the winner. Good luck!

The deathbed can lead people to speak with great honesty and, in many cases, humor. This is a list of 20 last words by famous people.

1. Pardon me, sir. I did not do it on purpose.

Said by: Queen Marie Antoinette after she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner as she went to the guillotine.

2. I can’t sleep

Said by: J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan

3. I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.

Said by: Humphrey Bogart

4. I am about to — or I am going to — die: either expression is correct.

Said by: Dominique Bouhours, famous French grammarian

5. I live!

Said by: Roman Emperor, as he was being murdered by his own soldiers.

6. Dammit…Don’t you dare ask God to help me.

Said by: Joan Crawford to her housekeeper who began to pray aloud.

7. I am perplexed. Satan Get Out

Said by: Aleister Crowley – famous occultist

8. Now why did I do that?

Said by: General William Erskine, after he jumped from a window in Lisbon, Portugal in 1813.

9. Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries’!

Said by: James French, a convicted murderer, was sentenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.

10. Bugger Bognor.

Said by: King George V whose physician had suggested that he relax at his seaside palace in Bognor Regis.

11. It’s stopped.

Said by: Joseph Henry Green, upon checking his own pulse.

12. LSD, 100 micrograms I.M.

Said by: Aldous Huxley (Author) to his wife. She obliged and he was injected twice before his death.

13. You have won, O Galilean

Said by: Emperor Julian, having attempted to reverse the official endorsement of Christianity by the Roman Empire.

14. No, you certainly can’t.

Said by: John F. Kennedy in reply to Nellie Connally, wife of Governor John Connelly, commenting “You certainly can’t say that the people of Dallas haven’t given you a nice welcome, Mr. President.

15. I feel ill. Call the doctors.

Said by: Mao Zedong (Chairman of China)

16. Tomorrow, I shall no longer be here

Said by: Nostradamus

17. Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard, I could kill ten men while you’re fooling around!

Said by: Carl Panzram, serial killer, shortly before he was executed by hanging.

18. Put out the bloody cigarette!!

Said by: Saki, to a fellow officer while in a trench during World War One, for fear the smoke would give away their positions. He was then shot by a German sniper who had heard the remark.

19. Please don’t let me fall.

Said by: Mary Surratt, before being hanged for her part in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln. She was the first woman executed by the United States federal government.

20. Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.

Said by: Voltaire when asked by a priest to renounce Satan.

Technorati Tags: history, last words

The English language is notoriously difficult to learn. First, it is full of strange idioms, like the sayings about not crying over spilt milk, looking a gift horse in the mouth, or having egg on your face. Second, it is shocking, stupefying, formidable, and distressing that we have so many synonyms.

Many of these difficulties arise from the fact that English is based on a combination of different languages. Sometimes, we can easily see the similarities between English words and the languages from which they are borrowed. Other times, this can be a little harder.

The following 10 English words have rather strange origins that may surprise you.

Top 10 Silliest English Words And Their Origins

10 Lesbian

The word “lesbian,” which is used to describe women who love other women, is derived from the Greek island of Lesbos. Around 600 BC, a poet named Sappho lived on this island. Most of her poetry has been lost to time, but we have collected fragments of her works from other writers who quoted her in their works.

Much of her writing was about women, and many of her poems are quite passionate about love. This has led to speculation that she may have been homosexual. By some accounts, she may have been married and had a daughter. But it is difficult to piece together the snippets that exist about Sappho.

Her daughter was named Cleis, but some scholars argue that this was really the name of Sappho’s lover. Her husband was said to be Kerkylas from the island of Andros.

However, the name “Kerkylas” is close to the word for “penis” and “Andros” is like the word for “man.” So the fact that her husband was named “Penis from the Island of Man” implies that this was probably a joke.^[1]

9 Assassin

An “assassin” is a person who commits murder for money or a fanatical reason, such as political ideology. The history of this word stretches back to the Crusades. At that time, a sect called the Nizari Ismaili operated out of Lebanon. They were fanatical Muslims answering to a leader known as the “Old Man of the Mountains.”

This sect was responsible for murdering many leaders of opposing forces. It was believed by Western Europeans that the members of Nizari Ismaili did so after consuming large quantities of hashish, which would make them high. Although this is debatable, it earned them the nickname hashishin (“hashish user”).

By the time this word became part of the English language, it had already made its way through the Italian and French languages and mutated into the word “assassin.”^[2]

8 Walrus

Before writing The Lord of the Rings, author J.R.R. Tolkien worked for the Oxford English Dictionary. As part of his duties, he had to uncover the histories of words beginning with the letter W, including “walrus.” Tolkien found varying histories behind this seemingly simple word.

He believed it to be most likely that “walrus” was derived from hrossvalir, an Old Norse word that translates to “horse-whale.” The whale part makes sense because walruses are also massive and have flippers. But the horse part is confusing. All we really know is that someone long ago probably looked at a massive mustachioed creature with giant tusks and thought the best comparison to a land animal was a horse.

Although Tolkien decided on the horse-whale etymology of “walrus” as the most reasonable, he labored over this decision for quite some time. Reportedly, he had more than six versions of this word’s history, some of which still exist in the Oxford English Dictionary archives.^[3]

7 Quarantine

Undoubtedly, we have all encountered the word “quarantine” on television or in the newspaper. Some may have even experienced it firsthand since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic as this term has long been associated with disease outbreaks.

“Quarantine” is derived from the Italian word quarantino (“40-day period”). Back when the plague was spreading across Europe, Venetian policies dictated that incoming ships from affected countries could not enter the ports until 40 days had passed. This was meant to ensure that no cases of plague were brought into the country.

In a similar manner, people traveling during the coronavirus pandemic have been ordered to isolate for two weeks to prevent disease transmission. We should probably be thankful that we no longer use the 40-day period from the time of the plague.

However, you may be wondering how 40 days was chosen as the correct length of time to isolate someone. It is likely because 40 is an important religious number in Christianity. Medieval Christians believed that Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert and that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights in the story of Noah’s Ark.

The idea that people needed 40 days to become purified fit well within existing religious beliefs of the time.^[4]

6 Nimrod

“Nimrod” is often used as an insult for someone who is clumsy or foolish, but this word originally had a very different meaning. Nimrod is the name of the great-grandson of Noah in the Bible, and he was said to be a mighty hunter. This word only came to be associated with clumsiness and foolishness in the 1980s, and the reasons for this are debatable.

According to one theory, the alternative meaning of the word arises from its use in Bugs Bunny cartoons. Bugs was pursued relentlessly by inept hunter Elmer Fudd. That rascally rabbit sometimes referred to Fudd as a “Nimrod” to sarcastically compare his lack of hunting skills to those of the mighty Nimrod from the Bible.

However, due to the young audience misunderstanding the insult and the sarcasm, “nimrod” became a widely used term to describe someone who was klutzy or foolish.^[5]

10 Offensive English Words With Hazy Origins

5 Muscle

When you look at a large, muscular person, the first image to pop into your head is unlikely to be a teeny-tiny mouse. Thus, it may surprise you to know that the word “muscle” is derived from the Latin word musculus (“little mouse”).

The reason for this odd connection between muscles and mice is all about appearances. Our ancient ancestors simply thought that a flexed bicep looked a lot like a tiny mouse was moving under a person’s skin.

The Middle English language had another word for someone muscular—lacertous. You may be happy to note that this word does not have anything to do with mice. Instead, it means lizard-like. Perhaps the lizards back in the day were quite jacked.^[6]

4 Cancer

The connection between the astrology sign Cancer and the disease of the same name is based on crabs. The word “cancer” is derived from the Latin word meaning “crab.” The Cancer astrology sign is based on a constellation that is supposed to look like a crab, though it really looks more like an upside-down Y in the sky.

In Greek mythology, Heracles crushed a giant enemy crab under his foot during a battle with Hydra. Afterward, Hera rewarded the crab for its service by placing its remains in the sky among the stars. That became the Cancer constellation.

Returning to reality, a cancerous growth, usually surrounded by swollen veins and connections, was named after its similar appearance to a rounded crab body with legs extending from it. The likeness between crabs and cancerous tumors was noted by multiple prominent ancient Greek physicians, including Hippocrates.^[7]

3 Malaria

Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitoes and characterized by recurring fevers, anemia, and jaundice. However, the history behind the name of this disease comes from a misunderstanding about its cause.

Before we knew that mosquitoes were responsible for infecting humans with malaria, there was something called the miasma theory. According to this theory, decaying materials gave off a toxic vapor that caused illnesses like malaria and cholera.

The word “malaria” is derived from the Italian mala aria (“bad air”). The vapors involved in miasma theory were often linked to marshes. A lot of decay was found in these wet regions, and people living near marshes often got sick.

The real cause? Mosquitoes like to lay their eggs near the standing water found in marshes.^[8]

2 Tragedy

When you think of a tragic event, you probably do not automatically think about goats. Then again, maybe you do. The ancient Greeks certainly did, and this is why “tragedy” is derived from the Greek words tragos and oidos, meaning “goat song.”

Some confusion surrounds the exact origins of this word. But the connection to goats seems to arise from plays involving satyrs, nature spirits that combine human and goat or horse features. They were commonly seen in satyr plays. These plays often accompanied the performances of tragic plays, and they tended to be dramatic but funny.^[9]

1 Candidate

Candidates running for political offices nowadays tend to be shrouded in scandal. Back in ancient Rome, they were shrouded in white togas instead. These garments were specially made to be very white, leading to the men who wore them being called candidati (“whitened men”).

This term originates from the Latin word candidus (“pure white”). Funnily enough, this word is also the basis for the English word Candida, which is a persistent type of fungus that can be difficult to eliminate.

This is likely because the fungus itself is white and can overgrow on the tongue, forming white patches called thrush. However, the connection between an annoying fungus and politicians is certainly interesting enough to be mentioned.^[10]

Top 10 English Words Derived From Arabic

This list is a follow up to 20 Famous Last Words. Some of the quotes were taken from the comments, some from my own knowledge and research. The deathbed can lead people to speak with great honesty and, in many cases, humor. These quotes strike a chord with all of us as, inevitably, we will all one day be in the same position – what will you say on your deathbed?

1. Es Lebe Die Freiheit! (Long live freedom!)

Said by: Hans Scholl – German resistance leader, spoken from the guillotine, before his execution in 1943.

2. Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough!

Said by: Karl Marx, asked by his housekeeper if he had any last words.

3. I have not told half of what I saw.

Said by: Marco Polo – Venetian traveller and writer.

4. A King should die standing.

Said by: Louis XVIII, king of France. King Louis suffered from gout which left him wheelchair-bound most of his adult life.

5. Brothers! Brothers, please! This is a house of peace!

Said by: Malcom X – American human rights activist, breaking up a fight moments before he was shot.

6. Die, my dear? Why, that’s the last thing I’ll do!

Said by: Groucho Marx

7. Hello. We’re looking in … We’re overlooking the Financial Center. Three of us. Two broken windows — Oh god! Oh g—

Said by: Kevin Cosgrove, an office worker who called for help during the 09/11 attacks and was cut off as the building collapsed around him.

8. In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts, and in living color, you are going to see another first — attempted suicide.

Said by: Christine Chubbuck, 30-year-old anchorwoman, who shot herself live on the air.

9. Now I can cross the Shifting Sands.

Said by: L. Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. The Shifting Sands are the impassable deserts surrounding the Land of Oz.

10. France, armée, Joséphine… (France, army, Josephine…)

Said by: Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of France, on his deathbed.

11. Relax — This won’t hurt.

Said by: Author Hunter S. Thompson. It was the final sentence on his suicide note.

12. Acta est fabula, plaudite! (The play is over, applaud!)

Said by: Attributed to Caesar Augustus, ruler of the Roman empire. (This phrase was commonly used to signal the end of a show in Roman theatres)

13. I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.

Said by: Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara de la Serna Lynch, right before his execution in Bolivia.

14. My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.

Said by: Oscar Wilde

15. This is a hell of a way to die.

Said by: George S. Patton, who died from a car accident, while out hunting.

16. We got a bad fire! Let’s get out – we’re burning up…

Said by: An Appolo 1 astronaut, probably Roger Chaffee. All three crew members died in a launchpad fire in 1967.

17. Home to the palace to die…

Said by: Czar Alexander II of Russia after an anarchist assassination attempt. He died of his wounds mere hours later.

18. Don’t disturb my circles!

Said by: Archimedes – Greek mathematician who was killed by the Romans, while proving geometric theorems in the sand before him.

19. Don’t let me die like this, say I said something.

Said by: Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionary.

20. Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel.

Said by: George Appel, a convicted murderer, was sentenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.

Language is a fascinating thing. The words we use today are drawn from, and have evolved for, today’s usage from a wide variety of sources. One source is someone’s name. An eponym is a word that has its origin in a person’s name. This list contains 10 eponyms and their fascinating origins. Be sure to add any others you know to the comments…

Named After: Mickey Finn

This term refers to something added to someone’s drink, without their knowledge, that is designed to intoxicate, incapacitate or, at worst, kill them. The act of “Slipping someone a mickey” is common in detective stories and spy fiction. Mickey is named after Mickey Finn, a criminal who operated in Chicago in the late 19th and early 20th century. He started off as a pickpocket whose favorite prey was the drunken patrons of the bars in South Chicago. He then became the proprietor of The Lone Star Saloon and Palm Garden Restaurant, which was where he put the technique that bears his name into practice. Finn, or one of his employees, would lace a patron’s drink with chloral hydrate. Once passed out, they would be escorted to a back room where they were then robbed and dumped into the street. When they came to, the effect of the drug left them with no memory of the events. Finn’s scam was eventually exposed and the bar was closed by authorities in 1903.

Named After: Etienne de Silhouette

The definition of silhouette is, “an image of a person, object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior”. Silhouettes are a popular artistic technique that started in the 18th century, with the outline of the subject being cut from black card. Artists that used them include Hans Christian Anderson and William Heath Robinson.
The popularity of the form has grown, and they are widely used today. Many films, especially Films Noir, have used silhouettes for artistic effect. Silhouette is also a favorite technique of modern day photography & design, and many can be seen in optical illusions. As well as art, they have many practical applications such as road signs, and are used in Jane’s manuals to depict aircraft and other vehicles. Etienne de Silhouette was a French finance minister who, in 1759, imposed harsh economic demands on the country to fix France’s credit crisis during the seven years war. Some of his measures included taxing “signs of wealth”, such as doors, and seizing, and then smelting, gold and silverware. One of his hobbies was creating paper portraits. The term was, at the time, used to mock Silhouette and referred to something cheaply done.

Named After: Draco

Draconian is defined as “unusually severe or cruel punishment”, but is often used nowadays to mean any sort of harsh regime or thought. It is often used in the press to refer to government policies, and is widely used in fiction. This is perhaps one of the most interesting entries. Draco was a lawmaker in Ancient Greece, who abolished the “oral law” system, and then replaced it with a written code, against which a person’s crimes would be judged in court. To ensure everyone was aware of the law, it was carved into wooden tablets and displayed for the population to see. This, arguably, laid the foundations for the system of law widely used today. So, the question is, how can a man who created a system which was fairer than the one which preceded it, have a negative word associated with him? The answer is in the laws that he created. Minor crimes that would result in a fine or a warning today, were punishable by death.

Named After: Mentor from Greek Mythology

This is another entry from Ancient Greece that has stood the test of time. A mentor is described as a “teacher or trusted counselor”. Mentoring is very common today, both on an informal basis and as a part of formal education programs. The idea of a Mentor is also very common in fiction. I am sure we have all had mentors, be they family, teachers or friends, who have guided us. In Homer’s Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, asks Mentor to look after his son, Telemachus, when Odysseus departs for the Trojan War. The two develop a near-paternal relationship, as Mentor (and the Goddess Athena, in disguise as Mentor) helps Telemachus to overcome the difficulties he faces.

Named After: Thomas Derrick

A Derrick is a lifting device designed for moving large objects. They are used widely in engineering, and are also used to drill for oil and gas reserves. Thomas Derrick was a hangman in Elizabethan England. Derrick was a convicted rapist who was facing the death penalty. In an event that could be straight out of a spy film, Derrick was offered a pardon by the Earl of Essex, if he worked for the state as an executioner. During his time as a hangman, he designed a new system with a topping lift and pulley, as opposed to the rope over a beam method. Derrick executed over 3,000 people. One of whom, rather ironically, was The Earl of Essex, the man who pardoned him.

Named After: Captain Charles Boycott

A boycott is defined as “the act of voluntarily abstaining from, using, buying or dealing with an organization or country as an expression of protest”. Boycotts are widely used today for a variety of reasons: I know (as I am sure you do, as well) people who avoid differing brands as an act of protest. At the other end of the scale, there have been examples of entire countries boycotting something: for example, the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Charles Boycott was an English Estate Agent in Ireland. In 1880, harvests were poor and many tenants were struggling to pay their rent. One landlord, Lord Erne, offered his tenants a ten percent reduction on their rents. Some of these rejected this and demanded 25%. This was refused by Erne, and Boycott then attempted to evict some of the protestors. Instead of violence, the protestors used a new kind of resistance, isolation. The simply refused to have any dealings with Boycott. This spread throughout the area. Boycott’s workers stopped, local businesses refused to deal with him and even the postman refused to deliver to him! As well as the problems caused by isolation the extra staff that Boycott needed to draft in from other areas resulted in him losing money on that year’s harvest.

Named After: Franz Mesmer

Some definitions of mesmerize are “to attract strongly, like a magnet” and “to induce hypnosis in”. The kind of feeling you have when you just cannot take your eyes from something, despite any distractions, one where the outside world seems to disappear and all focus is on that which mesmerizes. Franz Mesmer was a German physician and astrologist. He is known for a particular medical procedure where he sat with a patient, looked into their eyes and made passes in front of their face. Mesmer believed that this would remove the barriers in our body and allow the free-flow of the processes of life. This procedure was later developed, by others, into the complex hypnosis procedures practiced today. Mesmer was highly criticized at the time for his procedures, mainly due to the lack of scientific evidence to support them. Disclaimer: Hypnosis is still a highly controversial area today. Some people think of it as a pseudoscience and some people swear by it. Personally, I am a sceptic but this article in no way wishes to provoke anyone.

Named After: William Henry Hoover

William Henry Hoover was an American businessman who, in 1908, bought the patent to a model of vacuum cleaner designed by janitor, and friend, James Spangler. The company became the leading manufacturer of vacuum cleaners in the 20th century, and they are known for introducing a number of innovations to the market. Hoover was also known for his community spirit. He was a great philanthropist, using much of his wealth to improve the lives of his workers and others around Ohio, where his company was based. For example, he donated some of his land for a community centre, was instrumental in establishing railway lines in Ohio and served as president of the Goodwill Mission. He was nicknamed “boss” by his employees who held him in high esteem for the way he treated them. During the depression, Hoover held over $100,000 of home down payments for his employees and was known to personally visit sick employees.

Named After: John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich

Although the act of eating bread with other foods dates back to prehistoric times, the modern sandwich was named after John Montagu. The exact circumstances for the naming is still a matter of debate, with 2 main hypothesizes being argued. The most popular one is that he asked his servants to bring him pieces of meat between slices of bread during long card games so the cards would not get damaged by the grease. The other is that, due to Montagu’s commitments as a statesmen, he needed a quick and easy meal which could be eaten at his desk, a concept that’s common today.

Whichever story is correct, I am sure that he had no idea that what is now one of the most popular, versatile and enduring meals would bear his name. Over 1.69 billion sandwiches were bought in the UK last year. There is even a British Sandwich Association. As well as the eponymous sandwich, Montagu was a very important British statesman, who held many positions of high office in the armed forces and the government. He was an astute politician and an excellent diplomat. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty 3 times, and was also Secretary of State for the North of England. He was a big supporter of exploration, and helped to fund Captain James Cook’s voyages. This led to the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii), the South Sandwich Islands and Montagu Island, in Alaska, bearing his name.

Named After: The Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher Masoch

Ok, I decided to leave this one till the end, not because I enjoy either of these acts personally, but because it is a fascinating example of the nature of eponyms and language. Two opposite ends of a scale, named after two totally unrelated men. The terms are widely used today and have medical, as well as social, applications. The Marquis de Sade (1740-1814) was a French revolutionary, aristocrat and author. He believed in extreme freedom from law, religion and morality. His books were full of sexual fantasies, with an emphasis on violence. This was highly controversial in its time, and Sade spent half his life in various asylums, where many of his works were written. Sade was also accused of various sexual crimes including violence, false imprisonment of prostitutes, sodomy and spiking people’s drinks so to gain sex from them (see number 10).

Conversely, Leopold von Sacher Masoch (1836-1895) was a harmless Austrian author and journalist. He was a utopian idealist whose writings contained many humanist and socialist ideas. Many of his works are, sadly, not translated into English. Some of his writing, including his best known work, Venus in Furs, described someone voluntarily receiving pain and humiliation from a sexual partner. Masoch believed this led to a state called “suprasensuality”. It is not known to what extent Masoch took part in these practices in real life, but there is some evidence that he did, including making himself a slave to one of his girlfriends for a period of six months. Masoch did this not for any sinister reason, but because he was a ultra-romantic who believed that the submission of a man in a male dominated society was an act of love.

The English language is a magnificent body of words which has grown to its huge extent by absorbing words from all other languages it has encountered. Because of this absorbance of words, and the natural evolution of languages, we have lost from daily use many words as new ones take their place. Here are twenty words I feel are perfectly good for day to day use and deserve to be given an airing more often. If you don’t agree, be aware that I am willing to puzzle you.

1. Gardyloo – Derived from the French shout of “garde à l’eau” (Beware of the water!) when a chamber pot is emptied out of the window into the street below. Particularly associated with Edinburgh’s high tenement buildings (pictured).

2. Puissant – Meaning powerful or mighty. Commonly used to describe nobles of the French or English aristocracy. Should you meet the Queen feel free to slip it into your chat.

3. Sweven – A vision or a dream. “[The Queen] went in to the Sultan and assured him that their daughter had suffered during all her wedding-night from swevens and nightmare.” 1001 Nights, translated by Richard Burton.

4. Pismire – An ant. This word comes from a joining of the words piss and myre. A myre means a small insect and piss means… Well, some ants produce a smell similar to urine.

5. Ambodexter – One able to play with either hand. The word was used to describe someone untrustworthy i.e. you never know what they will do. If you hate someone who also happens to be ambidextrous it makes for a good sly insult.

6. Contumelious – Scornful or arrogantly rude. Welcome to the world of publishing on the internet.

7. Excogigate – To plan, plot or devise. From the Latin for ‘to bring out by thinking.’ Never used in relation to list writing.

8. Galimaufry – A jumble or confused medley of things. A particularly apt word for describing some of my previous lists. Also used to describe a mix of chopped meats.

9. Septentrional – Of the north. Comes from the seven stars of the Great Bear. If you must refer to the north, why not do it with style?

10. Twattling – To gossip; talk idly and too much. While a tattler may be someone who gossips, the word can also describe someone who makes a fuss over a pet.

11. Zenzizenzizenzic – To the power of eight. This word was used before superscript notation came into common use. In the 16th century it was explained as “[it] doeth represent the square of squares squarely”.

12. Cozen – To swindle by artful deception. Probably derived from the word for an Italian horse-trader, so be careful about buying an Italian horse.

13. Hugger-mugger – In a state of confusion and disarray. Or to act in a secretive way. Or, presumably, to make a confused mess and try to keep it secret (pictured).

14. Welkin – The sky or the vault of heaven. Still occasionally used in the phrase ‘make the welkin ring’ for an event so loud it makes the heavens reverberate. A classier way of asking ‘Did the earth move for you?’ is ‘Did the welkin ring for you?’

15. Attercop – Spider. Used by Tolkien, that lover of archaic words, to describe the great spiders of Mirkwood. Attercop originally meant poison-head, and had the same negative connotations when attached to a person as spider does today.

16. Equipollent – Equal in force or power. When used in logic, it means two arguments validly derived from the same data. Using the data from this list, commenters will either love or hate it, but the conclusions won’t be equipollent; what’s not to love?

17. Apricity – The feeling of the warmth of the sun in winter. This word sparked this list when I used it in conversation and no one knew what it was. Nothing particularly funny, just a great word and a great sensation.

18. Dwimmer-crafty – Another word used by Tolkien, meaning skilled in the magical arts and particularly sly in the use of concealment and illusion. I like to describe the current Prime Minister as dwimmer-crafty.

19. Sanguinolent – Tinged with blood, or with a passion for bloodshed. Should you find your urine is sanguinolent be sure to visit the apothecary.

20. Pizzle – To beat someone with a dried bull’s penis. Today you can still buy walking sticks made from dried bull penises, but in the past they were sometimes used for public floggings. It took some work before I could discover exactly what was happening when I read about Quakers being pizzled through the streets.