I learned a new word today!

@TheHorse (222193)
Walnut Creek, California
November 8, 2022 10:22am CST
Actually, I learn a new word any day I want to. But I'll probably forget them a soon as I learn them. Maybe I'll have "recognition memory" for some of them. Somehow, I got hooked up with an email called "Word Genius." They send me a fancy word every day, define it, and use it in a sentence. There are ads for some "objective" news source around the definitions. I consider myself a "blue collar" writer. I try to eschew obfuscation in my writing by using clear, every day language. What was today's word? "Escritoire." I was able to guess the meaning of this one from my distant memory of having spoken some French at one time. I said "a place for writing." It turns out an "escritoire" is a small desk for writing, usually with several compartments or drawers for pens and such like. So here I sit at my rather large "escritoire," doing the modern equivalent of writing. Ha! I used the word! Now back to my blue collar tendencies.
11 people like this
11 responses
@DaddyEvil (139792)
• United States
8 Nov 22
Whether you realize it or not, you have a tendency to throw out "50 cent words" when you're writing "normally". Sometime I do the same thing. *shrug* Most people still understand us from the context anyway. I was afraid some of your little friends at the pre-school were teaching you new words you shouldn't be learning.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (139792)
• United States
8 Nov 22
@TheHorse I agree, I smiled when I read it.
3 people like this
@sallypup (62438)
• Centralia, Washington
8 Nov 22
@TheHorse I have confused more than one over seas reader many times.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Nov 22
I reckon some words are normal for some folks and not normal for others. I thought my "eschew obfuscation" joke was pretty funny.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472430)
• Switzerland
9 Nov 22
Scrittoio in Italian, a small writing desk, I would have guessed it right, it is an obsolete French word.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472430)
• Switzerland
9 Nov 22
@TheHorse Correct, the French don't use it anymore. Ecritoire is no more used in modern language, as those small desks only used to write letters manually are no more used either. The most common French term is now "bureau".
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Nov 22
@LadyDuck I'd have to ask what a "bureau" means in English. I've always wondered what a "dumbwaiter" is as well.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Nov 22
Does "obsolete " mean the French don't use it any more?
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (74014)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 22
Sure is an interesting word.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (74014)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 22
@TheHorse Well, English is a mash up of a lot of words. We're constantly borrowing words from other countries.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Nov 22
@kaylachan We are indeed! Hey, where did "indeed" come from?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Nov 22
Very French-sounding.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99404)
• Atlanta, Georgia
9 Nov 22
That's interesting, It might be something I would like to do.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Nov 22
I haev no idea how they found me. I hope they're not selling my email address to R*ssians and Republicans.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99404)
• Atlanta, Georgia
10 Nov 22
@TheHorse I know they’ve sold mine to the Republicans but I haven’t heard from the R’ ssians yet.I meant to ask, is that your school picture and where are you in the picture. It’s a neat picture.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Nov 22
@RubyHawk It is. I think it was Fifth Grade. We were about to head to Springfield to see the Capitol (or is it Capital, or both?) of Illinois.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183855)
• United States
9 Nov 22
You had me at obfuscation.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Nov 22
I got "eschew obfuscation" from a bumper sticker I used to see in Berkeley, back when Liberals were funny.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183855)
• United States
10 Nov 22
@TheHorse lol I see. How's your book going?
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
8 Nov 22
Interesting...now I learned a new word too.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Nov 22
I like the sound of French words!
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
8 Nov 22
@TheHorse I do too. I do speak a bit of french. I can read it better then I speak it.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Nov 22
@Happy2BeMe I can't do either very well. But I can recognize words with French derivations, like this one.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (48255)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
8 Nov 22
Also called a secretary...
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (48255)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
9 Nov 22
@TheHorse I actually have one tucked into a corner of my dining room.
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Nov 22
Ah, good one! I had heard that but forgotten.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (110426)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Nov 22
I am curious if you will remember it tomorrow.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (222193)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Nov 22
There's a chance I might in this case because I believe "ecrit" means write or written in French. And "oire" is pretty common in French, if I recall correctly.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (81959)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 22
I have an escritoire for my desktop PC. It has a place for my keyboard and two nooks for notebooks and notes and a top shelf where I can put my small speakers. Neither my writing grammar nor Grammarly knew what the world was.
@JudyEv (344642)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Nov 22
I actually knew this word. There has been several featured on Antiques Roadshow from time to time. Fiacre likes big words too.
@spiderdust (14759)
• San Jose, California
8 Nov 22
I didn't know that word either! I consider myself as someone with a pretty extensive vocabulary too.