Words......

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Well you didn't know my mother.

When I was growing up my mother had what I would have considered an extensive vocabulary. At times I swore she was making words up. I loved listening to her stories and how she spoke, I could always imagine the places she spoke about and the adventures. There were certain words that my mum(that's how she spelt mum)used frequently, and to this day I use many of these same words, even though I may get a quizzical look from the recipient.

What sparked this flashback of memories you might ask. Well I'll tell you. Are you familiar with Reader's Digest? If so you will know they have a section in there called "Word Power". It tests your vocabulary IQ or Word Power. I love that section. You go through the words pick your answer and see how many you got right and then you are rated fair, good or excellent. Some months I am just so pathetic, I haven't a clue as to what most of the words mean. Each month they present the words based on a theme. The July issue was "Manly Man" celebrating all things manly. In another edition they did it on newspaper names and their meanings. This month's theme "Words of Yesteryear". Of course my curiosity was piqued so I quickly looked down the list and out bounced words I haven't heard of in a while nor had I used since my girls were little.

Here are a couple of the words.....Ragamuffin(I love that word and how my mum made it sound), Lollygag(again another of my favourites it use to remind me of Lollies{lollipops}) of course that isn't what it meant. Or what about Rapscallion.....awe yes that was one of my mums all time favourites. It's funny you know even as a little child I knew what those words meant only because of the tone and the situation in which the words were used. I still use those words to this day, however, as I said I do get the odd look as if I made it up.

If you want to know the answers to those words check out Reader's Digest September 2010 edition.