Connecting Words? Rubbish!
November 15, 2007 by Brad Shorr
Filed under Word Quiz
Joanna Young and I just launched a little project that asks, what are your connecting words?
Joanna and I got to know each other because of connecting words. She enjoyed my Word Nerd quizzes, which prompted a bit of comment exchange. Her comments were peppered with fascinating words I didn’t understand, such as footery. This led to further comment exchanges, and before long, we were talking about ideas and experiences instead of words.
British words and expressions have a way of enchanting me. Words like “footery” seem so much more expressive and clever than their American English counterparts. Perhaps that’s because they’re unfamiliar, I don’t know.
Along those lines, one of my favorite connecting words is “rubbish”. We don’t use that word much here in the Midwest. So when a blogger uses “rubbish” to describe an idea or situation, I can’t help but join in the conversation. The word strikes me as being scathing and good natured at the same time. I want to get to know a blogger who uses it.
What are your connecting words? Check out Joanna’s project post to see how to enter your contribution. We’re hoping to assemble a list of intriguing words that help us connect and start conversations.
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Hi Brad, thanks for kicking things off - and making me laugh! I’m not aware of writing about things being rubbish, but I know I say it a lot so I guess it figures in my writing too…
What would be your midwest equivalent I wonder? Perhaps we could set up a US/UK translation service?
Thanks once again for the inspiration for this project. I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes us.
Joanna
Joanna, I can’t think of a Midwestern word that captures the spirit of rubbish. As I understand your usage of the word, “rubbish” is the perfect compromise between our expressions, “crap” and “baloney”. The former is too crude for my taste, and the latter too silly. Rubbish for me!
I’m going to side with Brad on the US interpretation of “rubbish”. “Crap” was the first thing to pop into my head. If this was the late ’80s-early ’90s perhaps “bogus”?
Hi Erik, I forgot about “bogus”! That’s a good one. We used that all the time in the late 70’s. It has a bit of hippie flavor to it, don’t you think?
Okay, mine is up!
http://punctualityrules.com/2007/11/16/connecting-words/
Oh, and for “rubbish?” I usually say “Nonsense!” Or, “Piffle!” Piffle is always good (grin)
Piffle? That’s a new one. I like it!