This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Friday 11 February 2011

Word to use today: macaroni.

Yankie Doodle went to town
Riding on a pony.
He stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni.

I spent years and years trying to work out what that was all about.

I mean, if Yankie Doodle had stuck a bit of macaroni in his hat and called it a feather, then I could understand it - though of course it would still be bonkers.

Ah, but now I think I get it. When macaroni arrived in Britain from Italy, people must have served it up a lot to show everyone how rich and clever they were.

And of course this was so annoying that macaroni came to mean anyone who wore foreign fashions, fancied himself a lot, and was generally a bit of a twit.

Macaroni. This word is from the Neapolitan word maccarone, and is probably connected to the Greek word makaria, which is food made from barley.
Although macaroni is usually made from wheat.

Hint for use. Macaroni cheese must be the most boring food on the planet. Enjoy something different!

2 comments:

  1. Far be it from me to disagree with the Boss of the Word Den but Macaroni Cheese is MOST DELICIOUS and I wish I could have it more often than I do. The reason I don't is: it's bad for those suffering from a tendency to 'embonpoint.' All that luscious CHEEEEEEEESE.

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