Sunday, 29 May 2011

Sunday Rest: Word Not To Use Today. Snot

Sometimes the boundary between gorgeous and revolting is razor-thin.

Snot. I started off thinking it was revolting, but it's grown on me.

So to speak...

We have, of course, two sorts of snot - what the dictionary calls nasal mucus, and the word meaning like a difficult or snobbish person, which is commonest in the form snotty.

A snotty is also a midshipman, a junior navy officer. The story goes that the reason midshipmen have buttons on their cuffs to show their rank, and not stripes, is to stop them using their sleeves to wipe their noses.

Lovely.

Anyway, snot. Perhaps it's rather a nice word, after all. The Norwegians and Danish used to use it. But I'm still not going to use to today if I can help it.

Mind you, I must admit that nasal mucus is even worse.

Word Not To Use Today: snot. From the Old English gesnot, related to the Old High German snuzza, and the German schneuzen, to blow the nose.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Sally,

    I'm sure you must have had one of these before, but as your blog is one of my regular must-visits, I couldn't BUT pass on a Stylish Blogger Award to you!


    http://idletoidol.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-first-award.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thrilled to bits, Headspace! THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.

    I have immediately rushed upstairs to change into my uber-stylish Versace cream silk-slub suit, and Philip Treacy viking-inspired fascinator.

    And then remembered I haven't actually got either, so am still in my jeans.

    Feel just GREAT, though!

    ReplyDelete

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