Lost Words

Are they truly obsolete?

This morning I encountered the word psithurism in the New York Times’ Mini Crossword Puzzle. I think you all know that I am a word lover (logophile or lexiphile) and as such, I simply had to look that one up! Its definition is very nearly as the clue gave it: “a whispering sound, as of wind among trees.” Lovely, eh? One could use that in conversation on practically any given day, e.g., “I chanced to hear a psithurism as I walked along the wooded path.” In addition, I am partial to words that start with a silent “p,” as was the protagonist in the delightful P.G. Wodehouse book, Leave It To Psmith. The word appears in the Oxford English Dictionary, but as has happened before, that door was closed to me, as one must be a paid subscriber in order to use it.

The word is not actually included in Merriam-Webster, either, but it did appear in Episode 8 of their podcast, “Word Matters.” The title of this brilliant episode is “A Collection of Obscure Words That Are Pretty Much Useless.” Oh joy! Just the sort of thing that I absolutely love. You can find the episode here.

In that episode I discovered a word that would have come in handy for my MerryThoughts letter titled “Ryan the Gosling.” Anatiferous is defined as “geese-producing.” Eggs? Ganders?? Nope. Apparently, in bygone days, it was thought that barnacles might attach themselves to trees and then, at some point, fall into the water; and then, at another point, they’d become geese! Of all things! How in the world . . . ?

I’d love to regale you with more of this, but you’re better off reading or listening to it yourself, as it is hilarious as is. I now have another goal in life: to listen to all 105 episodes before I die.

So once again I’ve veered completely off of today’s agenda and am instead considering one of my many future projects—that beloved idea of a book of unusual, nonsensical, abandoned, or totally made up words, complete with amazing illustrations. What do you think? Might I manage to land an artist’s residency somewhere like, oh, I don’t know, maybe Cornwall, England, to work on said project? Anything is possible!

Whatever the frailties and perils of the internet, there’s no denying that there is a wonderland, a plethora, a plenitude, an overabundance, a surplus, a richness, yea, even an embarrassment of riches to be plumbed within it. Just by playing a little game, indeed, just by chance, I have discovered something marvelous that will enrich my word-loving life for years to come.

Now, as I amble along of a morning or an evening, post- or preprandial, to witness nature’s bounty and to hear the wind whispering among the leaves all around me, I will smile to recall that there is a word for that sound: psithurism. And to think that that nearly unpronounceable word is just one of the many crazy and delightful words created by the quirky human brain! Well, it’s something to marvel over.

I might also, on a morning walk and especially if I’m hungry and there are blackberries growing nearby, be having jentacular thoughts, jentacular meaning “pertaining to breakfast.” Yum. Blackberries plucked right from the vines on a sunny summer morning. Couldn’t be better, especially now that we have a word for it.

Nature and words. An embarrassment of riches, indeed.

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” - Rudyard Kipling

“She had always wanted words, she loved them; grew up on them. Words gave her clarity, brought reason, shape.” - Michael Ondaatje

“Don't gobblefunk around with words.” - Roald Dahl, The BFG

“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.” - Emily Dickinson

Check out Ampersand Cards for my cards and art. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to share. And if someone shared this one with you, click the button below to subscribe for free. You'll find all my poems here. Finally, if you’d like to keep up with my 365 Day Index Card art practice, click here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the "merry thoughts."