I open my Samuel Johnson Dictionary of 1755 at random and read the: “Eclogue, n.s. [εκλογη.] A pastoral poem so called because Virgil called his pastorals eclogues.” All I can say is that it’s a shame he didn’t call them Thunderbirds like his dad did.
I am actually on the first page of the Es, and in silly mood having, so far this morning, been for a run up the hill to the kantina and back, done 15 minutes of dumbbells (thanks for the routine Mike, simple and effective as promised) and written about 4,000 words; it’s only 10.45 as I write this (yesterday as you read it) and I am on schedule to leave the house at 11.30 to head to Yialos for a few things and then over to Nimborio for lunch with Jeanette at her house by the sea. Neil has been up in his den sorting out his things that are now all out of the shop, and the sun is straining to shine through some low cloud that may or may not develop into something wet later.
So, so far, Wednesday has been going well. And what’s that got to do with the dictionary of old words? Nothing really, I just couldn’t think up anything interesting to say. But I do note a few other words on this page as I sit here:
Did you know I was an eame? I certainly didn’t. In fact I am a great eame. It’s a word that comes from the Saxon eam, and/or Dutch, eom, and means Uncle; “a word still used in the wilder parts of Staffordshire” according to Sammy J. I wonder if anyone in Staffordshire still uses this word today, even in the tamer parts of the county. Maybe you can enlighten me. Also on this page I see that I qualify as an earthling, a word I thought came from some 20th century science fiction film or book, but no. The earliest recorded use, in this book, is from ‘Drummond’ who wrote, “To earthlings, the footstool of God …” sometimes before SJ classified it, in 1775, as meaning, ‘An inhabitant of the earth; a mortal; a poor frail creature,’ all of which I qualify as, especially after the dumbbell work out just now.
He also gives us, on this page, earthquake, which we know well around here, echinated which I am but which I intend to do something about in a minute (bristled like a hedgehog), and ebriety, which I fully intend to suffer from later on this afternoon, if suffer is the right word. I’ll let you look that one up, but a clue: it’s from the Latin Ebrietas.
And so on with the day. You may notice that the Share on Facebook link below this post is now accompanied by an advert (if you have not got an ad blocker on); I’m hoping that this is all working well now (like our water, touch wood) as, if they are, it means I don’t have to add those links manually every day. So, I’ll be looking to see. If the link/advert looks useful to you feel free to click it, it doesn’t cost anything.
There, have a nice day wherever you are. More nonsense from me soon.
