[lit-ideas] The Meaning of Liff
- From: John McCreery <mccreery@xxxxxxx>
- To: Anthro-L <ANTHRO-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 11:54:24 +0900
No, it's not a misspelling. "The Meaning of Liff" is the title of a
wonderful little book by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd that my wife
handed to me this morning. The preface explains,
> In Life*, there are many hundreds of common experiences, feelings,
> situations and even objects which we all know and recognize, but for
> which no words exist.
> On the other hand, the world is littered with thousands of spare
> words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about on
> signposts pointing at places.
> Our job, as we see it, is to get these words down off the signposts
> and into the mouths of babes and sucklings and so on, where they can
> start earning their keep in everyday conversation and make a more
> positive contribution to society.
>
> *And, indeed, in Liff.
Thus, for example,
Aasleagh (n.)
A liqeueur made only for drinking at the end of a revoltingly long
bottle party when all the drinkable drink has been drunk.
Aberbeeg (vb.)
Of amateur actors, to adopt a Mexican accent when called upon to play
any variety of foreigner (except Pakistanis -- for whom a Welsh accent
is considered sufficient)......
Yonkers (n.)
(Rare.) The combined thrill of pain and shame when being caught in
public plucking your nostril-hairs and stuffing them into your
side-pocket.
York (vb.)
To sh8ift the position of the shoulder straps on a heavy bag or
rucksack in a vain attempt to make it seem lighter.
Hence: to laugh falsely and heartily at an unfunny remark. 'Jasmine
yorked politely, loathing him to the depths of her being' -- Virginia
Wolf.
And lots of other great stuff on the 150-odd pages in between.
Highly recommended for holiday and/or everyday reading.
John McCreery
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