Some of my co-workers have a habit of calling me on every word that I use that they've never heard before. Sometimes it's one a week, sometimes I get on a real tear and they'll ask me about two in one lunch outing.
One day last year I think I said something like, "Grayson's so irritated with the dry cleaner because they returned one of his shirts with a huge wrinkle right across the placket." And everyone was like, "What the heck is a placket?" Which I think you might agree is not that obscure of a word, but maybe it is. I don't know. It refers to the "opening or slit at the top of a shirt that facilitates putting it on and taking it off." Some clothiers also refer to it as the "button placket," that thicker strip of fabric where the buttons lay. At any rate, it's not like I say it all the time, just when it's the right word for the situation. I certainly don't MAKE UP reasons to use it. (And I am typing this like I'm being defensive, which I'm not trying to be. I don't know why that is.)
So anyway, last night Nathaniel was talking about his tennis shoes:
Nathaniel: "Since my shoes have Velcro, I don't have aglets."
Me: "What are aglets?"
Nathaniel: "They're the little plastic things on the end of shoelaces."
Me: "Seriously? I've never heard that word before. Where did you hear it?"
Nathaniel: "On Phineus and Ferb. They sang a song about it."
So we have The Disney Channel to thank for that little nugget. And I couldn't be more pleased.
*** ON ANOTHER NOTE ***
We're traveling today, and I'm not sure how long it will be until I can get set up to post again. I don't know how easy it will be to post from Debbie and Gerry's house (Jonah's grandparents and my sister- and brother-in-law), but I know I'll have wireless Internet at the beach. Rest assured, I'll be back soon! I will have plenty of pictures and stories to tell before we hit the beach, while we're at the beach, and once we get back.
Talk to you soon!
5 comments:
Just wanted to let you know that yes, apparently "forewent" is the past tense of forego. So, yesterday at lunch, when you said "I forewent watching any of my favorite tivo shows last night," you were (as always) perfectly correct. :-) I love to "call you" on things, but it's just my way of increasing my vocab one "kat-phrase" at a time! Hope you're having fun on vacay!
I was so hoping I hadn't made a major gaffe and made up a word. I was pretty sure I'd used it and no one had corrected me before, but it still made me nervous. I'm glad you looked it up. I would have wanted you to correct me so I wouldn't have looked stupid upon future uses IN FRONT OF ANYONE IMPORTANT.
you've only been gone for 4 days, but i miss your sarcasm already. we must talk tomorrow, or i'm sure i'll go into withdrawal.
Darn, when I read this I was secretly hoping you were wrong ... for once! Melanie, I too am one to call her on the extensive vocabulary she uses to make the rest of us wonder about the validity of our college degrees. - Vanessa M.
V, Joining FB AND commenting on my blog in the same month? I think you're trying to give me a heart attack.
Post a Comment