Gallimaufry- A Hodgepodge of Words

Gallimaufry - A Hodgepodge of Vanishing Vocabulary - Book Review

Feb 12, 2008 Rachel L. Webb

Gallimaufry is a highly entertaining book for word lovers and language lovers. Be thrilled by saggar- maker's or caterbrawl along with many other long forgotten word

Gallimaufry A Hodgepodge of vanishing vocabulary by Michael Quinion is a fun book to dip in and out of, and you will want to keep coming back for more. It's a book for wordies and those with a love of unusual words – and meanings it would make a great present. For scrabble-players it’s a total exciting trip into the world of new words.

Gallimaufry A Hodgepodge of vanishing vocabulary contains many words that have metamorphosed for example paraphernalia which originally meant the personal property of a married woman, or blancmange which was a meat dish and not a desert.

Old-fashioned Words

Many of these lovely old words and terms have almost completely disappeared from today’s language, but Michael Quinton brings them alive in his entertaining text. Not only is the word given with its definition but some historical tidbits too, Samuel Pepys and Jane Austen frequent the pages with their original uses of the words in their writings.

Relive times gone by with chapters on Food and Drink, Health and Medicine, Entertainment and Leisure, Transport and Fashion, Names, Employment and Communications. Rethink the way you speak. Do you say train station or railway station, radio or wireless, refrigerator or fridge? Have you always used one or in your youth did you refer to something by another or its original name?

Gallimaufry offers intrigue if you’re excited by words, their evolvement and their meaning then this book is definitely a winner.

The Meaning of Obscure Words

Did you know that sackbut was a brass wind instrument, mistranslated from sambuka which was actually a medieval triangular instrument or that mockado was a commonly used woollen fabric of the sixteenth century?

And so it goes on, with an array of words never before encountered, nankeen, fearnaught, closh and not forgetting the book’s namesake

Gallimaufry (noun)

1. a dish made up of leftovers
2. a miscellaneous jumble or medley

Quinion is the bestselling author of other word books - Port Out, Starboard Home and Other Language Myths both of which are on the next birthday/Christmas list. A must have list of fascinating facts, interesting tidbits and plenty of fodder for entertaining dinner party stories.

Did you know that Duff was a boiled or steamed flour pudding and the word a northern take on the word dough? Or that plum-duff was what sailors called dried fruit so plum-duff was more likely to have been currant duff?

Enlightening stuff from this really interesting hard-back book, it’s not for everyone but will be well enjoyed by the wordies of the world.

The copyright of the article Gallimaufry- A Hodgepodge of Words in Reference Books is owned by Rachel L. Webb. Permission to republish Gallimaufry- A Hodgepodge of Words in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Gallimaufry