Thursday, September 14, 2006

There's just no call for this except it's interesting

Well, it is interesting to me. The other day when I was looking up "puggle" in my dictionary (just to make sure it was not readily available to all you guessers), I saw some other words that were interesting. Imagine that! (I love dictionaries.) There was the word puisne [pyoos-nee] which comes directly from French puisné [pwee-ney]. It literally means "born later" and refers to a younger sibling. But what amused me was, following a hunch, I discovered that the word "puny" comes from this term. I think that's what I will start calling my younger brother. You can try it, too, Rachel.

Here's a puny looking critter, especially considering his reputation. This, my friends, is a Tasmanian devil. Taking a nap, evidently. He wouldn't even give us a snarl. So much for Taz.

12 comments:

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

Aren't they supposed to be mean? Did you try poking him with a stick?

spookyrach said...

Sometimes I poke my puny, puisne brother with a stick. It makes him snarl.

But most of the time he snarls on his own and you don't have to waste time finding a stick.

There are many other words I like to use for my brother and puisne is now at the top of the list. The list includes crotchety and cantankerous, among others.

You are so helpful, david. I'm sure Jonboy will thank you for it.

jonboy said...

Call me what you will, I'm still bigger than the two of you put together.

By the way D4vid, I ran across a book at that I checked out for a paper I am working on. I've decided that I probably won't use it, though, because I think the author wrote it just to hear himself talk. That's the only reason I can determine for someone using big, funy-sounding words that are nonsensical to the mass public. I made my assumption after reading the title of the chapter 1: "Markets and coercive pecuniary externalities."

jonboy said...

... Of course, I should probably reconsider my last past after reading the title of my own blog. I still have to look it up every once in awhile to make sure it makes sense.

jonboy said...

... last "post"... it should read "last post."

spookyrach said...

"coercive pecuniary externalities" - sounds pretty cool. I'm going to try to work it into my conversation sometime today.

jonboy is also curmudgeony. And anti-cathartic.

jonboy said...

Spooky -- You're a stinky lier, you Pooh-Pooh head! (See, I'm not anti-cathertic.)

jonboy said...

... "cathartic" ...

little david said...

Hey, you two, take it outside! You're both lactophages.

Patti said...

So cute! I just love animals! We have a very big skunk in the neighborhood who is almost all white. He is also very bold. And he has made friends with my cat Grover.

Anonymous said...

not cute at all. i don't have one of those p-things you mentioned. maybe i am that. hey, i don't like that word! i like being the queen bee better!

Lori said...

why he's cuter than a one earred monkey!!