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Sunday 29 December 2019

Sunday Rest: Twixmas, Word Not To Use Today.

Well, if you can't see what's wrong with this one there's no hope for you.

Word Not To Use Today: Twixmas. Presumably the idea behind this word is that this period of the year is between (or betwixt if you want to be cringingly twee and archaic about it) Christmas and New Year. 

Yes, the fact that New Year doesn't end in -mas does make it even worse.

The word mass probably comes from the last words of the Catholic Latin mass, Ite, missa est, which means Go, it is the Dismissal. The Old English betwix probably has something to do with the Old High German zwiski, which means, charmingly, two each.


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