Good morning readers! Let’s get right to it: I rounded up four words in this week’s issue of Words Nobody Uses or Knows. (Side Note: If you haven’t already, check out this year’s Love List. We’ve profiled 12 of Cincinnati’s hottest locals, and each one offers bits of wisdom on love, work and passion, just in time for Valentine’s Day.)
But moving on. My favorite word of the issue is vittles, found in Garin Pirnia’s review of Marid Gras on Madison, a new Creole cafe in East Walnut Hills.
vittles: food; edible provisions (n.)
The singular version of vittles, vittle, is archaic, and for whatever reason it’s no longer used in today’s vernacular. In fact, Microsoft Word doesn’t even recognize vittle as a real word unless you add an S to it.
In the issue: ”
I
n January, Latoya “Toya” Foster of New Orleans to Go food truck fame opened a brick-and-mortar version of her Cajun/Creole vittles called Mardi Gras on Madison in East Walnut Hills.”
The next two words, halcyon and zelig, are found in this week’s Sound Advice on Dave Mason, a dude in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that I’ve never heard of. (But, let’s be real, I’ve never heard of anybody in Sound Advice. I am not anyone’s version of cool.)
Halcyon can be used as an adjective or a noun and it has two different (though similar) meanings.
halcyon:
an idealized, idyllic or peaceful time (adj.) OR
a legendary bird, identified with the kingfisher, which is supposed to have a peaceful, calming influence on the sea at the time of the winter solstice (n.)
If you type halcyon into Google Images, as I just did, you’ll not only get a picture of a naked woman on chaise lounge (?) but this:
An awesome sketch of the halcyon, the legendary ostrich/hawk/dinosaur hybrid that controls the seas.
In this issue: ”
Life is a circle and it’s come back around full force for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason, who began his legendary career nearly 50 years ago as co-founder of Traffic and now revisits those halcyon days with his latest touring concept/project, Traffic Jam. “
The second word, zelig, is an odd one. Sounds very star-trek, or something.
zelig: One who unconsciously mimics the traits or appearances of those with whom he or she associates.
In this issue: ”
In the latter part of the ’60s and the dawn of the ’70s, Mason was like Rock’s Zelig, constantly finding himself at historical crossroads.”
Alright, last word that Nobody Uses or Knows is filchers, found (where else?) in Kathy Y. Wilson’s editorial on how those of us silly enough to pursue journalism as a career are all poor, so very poor. But rich in spirit and lax work schedules?
filchers: one who filches; a thief (n.)
In this issue: ”
My 2014 1099s are like that photo album your mom’s been keeping from the photo filchers in the family; she has been saving it to share with just you.”
Enjoy the weekend readers!
This article appears in Feb 4-10, 2015.