Words Worth

Posts and events that demonstrate the quirkiness, humor, beauty and flexibility of the English language.

Words Worth: SMONDAY

Jeff

Neologism – A relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not yet been fully accepted into mainstream language. — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neologism


Smonday: The moment when Sunday stops feeling like Sunday and the anxiety of Monday kicks in.

“Smonday: The moment when Sunday stops feeling like Sunday
and the anxiety of Monday kicks in.”

 
Picture Via

 

If you enjoy language, wordplay, etc., check out other WordsWorth posts HERE.


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 20120 – JBRish.com



Humor – Waiting for a Return Text

Jeff

 

Contemporary Words

Textpectation

 

Picture Via

If you enjoy language, wordplay, etc., check out other WordsWorth posts HERE.


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 20120 – JBRish.com



Words Worth: Derivations – 20190905

Jeff

Etymology is the study of word origins. I am often intrigued by the evolution of idioms. According to linguist Joy Levine, “There are approximately 25,000 idioms in the English language alone.”


Spilling the Beans

“To Spill the Beans”

Sources: Text, Background Photograph

If you enjoy language, wordplay, etc., check out other WordsWorth posts HERE.


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2019 – JBRish.com



Words Worth: Paraprosdokians – 20170724

Jeff

I must admit that I am a punster. I enjoy a good pun and perhaps even a not-so-good pun and I am often the originator of puns much to the groans of my friends and relatives.

Since I find word play interesting and entertaining, I thought I would bring JBRish readers a few Paraprosdokians to “enjoy.”

A paraprosdokian is a form wordplay or literary device. It is a phrase or sentence that ends in an unexpected way which causes readers to reinterpret the opening phrase or sentence of a text. Often, it is used to create comic effect. Some paraprosdokians change the meaning of an initial phrase, and play on the double meanings of the words.

Simply put, a paraprosdokian is a linguistic U-turn that results in humor or surprise.

Source: Literary Devices and Terms

Today’s Paraprosdokians

 

  • Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool, so I gave him a bottle of water.

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  • Take my advice — I’m not using it.

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  • Hospitality is the art of making guests feel like they’re at home when you wish they were.

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  • Is it wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly?

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  • I was going to give him a nasty look, but he already had one.

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If you enjoy language, wordplay, etc., check out other WordsWorth posts HERE.


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2017


Words Worth: What-ology?

Jeff

Most JBRish readers probably know that the suffix “ology” denotes the study of something. Well, here is a challenge…if you accept it.

BuzzFeed has an “Ology” quiz. They will present you with thirteen words ending in “ology” and you need to guess the correct area of study. I anticipated doing pretty well, but I missed three of them. I guess I have more studying to do. Is there an ology, ology?

For example, here is one of the items I did not answer correctly:

 

Horse Picture courtesy of Jeffrey B. Ross

WHICH OLOGY IS THE STUDY OF HORSES?

A – Hippology
B – Hoppology

Now don’t go looking this up IF you want to accept the challenge. If you think you are an “ology” expert, you can test your knowledge here:

Do You Know What All These “-Ology” Words Actually Mean?

 
See previous Words Worth entries HERE

Words Worth – PUN-ishment 20160816

Jeff

pun; (noun)

“a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.”**

**https://www.google.com/#q=define+pun

At JBRIsh, which really is not gibberish, we enjoy a good pun as much as anyone and perhaps a bit more. Our readers, friends and others send them to us all the time. I thought it was about time that we shared those puns which we find most amusing. Of course your mileage may vary, but we do hope at least some of them bring a smile to your face. A good pun is a gem, but one that is not so good is just PUN-ishment!

 

  • Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, ‘I’ve lost my electron.’ The other says, ‘Are you sure?’ The first replies, ‘Yes, I’m positive.’

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  • A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

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  • I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

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  • Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

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  • The fattest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

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Do you have a favorite pun or a real groaner? If so, send it along in the comment section and perhaps it will make our most appreciated list!

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Words Worth entries HERE

Words Worth – PUN-ishment 20160514

Jeff

pun; (noun)

“a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.”**

**https://www.google.com/#q=define+pun

At JBRIsh, which really is not gibberish, we enjoy a good pun as much as anyone and perhaps a bit more. Our readers, friends and others send them to us all the time. I thought it was about time that we shared those puns which we find most amusing. Of course your mileage may vary, but we do hope at least some of them bring a smile to your face. A good pun is a gem, but one that is not so good is just PUN-ishment!

 

  • No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

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  • Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

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  • Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: ‘You stay here; I’ll go on a head.’

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  • A backward poet writes inverse.

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  • There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

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Do you have a favorite pun or a real groaner? If so, send it along in the comment section and perhaps it will make our most appreciated list!

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Words Worth entries HERE

Words Worth – English Can be Weird!

Jeff

I have often heard it said that English is one of the most difficult languages to learn because the grammar rules have so many exceptions. As our Words Worth selection below also reveals, English provides a challenge to those learning how to spell correctly!

Yes, English can be weird. It can be understood through tough, thorough thought though.
“Yes, English can be weird. It can be understood through tough, thorough thought though.”

Do you have any short English examples we can include? Leave them in the comments below!

Via

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Words Worth entries HERE

Words Worth – Confusing Word Meanings

Jeff

I am not a member of the grammar police and I am not particularly fond of their worker’s union (wink, wink). All kidding aside, I do like to think I know a fair amount about grammar and word usage, but I must confess, I have some weak areas. If you would like to try your skill at a grammar and word usage test, check out the link below. Fair warning, however, some of the word pairs have fairly nuanced meanings which are often overlooked in common usage.

Ahem! I did manage to earn a “Grammar Pro” ranking.

Here are a few from the quiz to give you a hint. You are on your honor not to look these up for the correct answer beforehand; you’re being watched!

Which of the following words would fit in the blank space?

“The weather just gets worse the ______________ west you go.”

A – farther B – further

Do you know the difference between infer and imply?

What is the difference between the abbreviations e.g. and i.e. is a bit more tricky.

Try your luck at the linked quiz below:

How Well Do You Know These Commonly Misused Words?

How well did you do?

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Words Worth entries HERE