YvonneThe first three of my words this week, feature in my current read, thriller ‘The Shadow Cartel’ by author Layton Green.
About once a decade, someone with the description of a ‘blue Indian’ has murdered a drug dealer, either with a slingshot, a knife, or an ATLATL
ATLATL – A device for throwing a spear or dart that consists of a rod or board with a projection (as a hook) at the rear end to hold the weapon in place until released.
Jimmy’s voice was an odd combination of a COPACETIC surfer and a smoker’s growl
COPACETIC – Very satisfactory; in excellent order
If so asked, he would have tried to assassinate the President of Mexico rather than face El General’s spokesman again, handing over his own body parts to his superiors like some mindless GOLEM
GOLEM –
In Jewish legend a clay figure brought to life by magic.
An automaton or robot
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The final place this time, goes to a word which is very relevant right now in our UK political system, as the ‘in’ or ‘out’ of the European referendum, draws ever closer
The term ‘PURDAH’ is in use across central and local government to describe the period of time immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on the activity of civil servants are in place. The terms ‘pre-election period’ and ‘period of sensitivity’ are also used. The purdah period for the EU referendum will begin on 27 May 2016, which is 4 weeks before the poll on 23 June 2016. The purdah period before referendums is regulated by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. During the purdah period before the forthcoming EU referendum central and local government are prohibited from publishing material relating to the referendum although some exemptions apply. The purdah period before general elections is not regulated by statute, but governed by conventions based largely on the Civil Service Code
PURDAH –
Seclusion of women from public observation among Muslims and some Hindus especially in India
A state of seclusion or concealment
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a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we have encountered in our reading. It is hosted by Kathy, over at ‘BermudaOnion’s Weblog’.You can either stop by and leave a link to your own ‘mystery’ words of the week, or just browse the eclectic mix of words that others have discovered, there is always a great selection.
Don’t forget that Kathy and the rest of us, all love to read your comments as well, so that we can visit and share your words of the week!
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I’m glad you included an illustration with the atlatl because I never would have pictured it. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pronounce it. I hear copacetic fairly often here – maybe it’s an American thing? Thanks for playing along.
Hi Kathy,
Surprisingly the atlatl is pronounced exactly how it sounds and if, like myself, you can’t picture one in action, this great clip is available, with pronunciation and demonstration…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjV7lYP6hRw
It looks as though most of my US friends are with you in knowing all about copacetic, although it genuinely is new to me and not a word I have ever heard over here. I even had trouble pronouncing this word!
Thanks for stopping by and for hosting a great meme 🙂
Atlatl and Purdah were both totally unfamiliar to me. I’m not sure we even use the latter term in our political system here. Honestly, I’m plugging up my ears and wishing I could run when faced with anything political these days. 😉
Golem sounded familiar, though I doubt I could have put a definition to it. I probably just remember hearing the word back when my son was heavy into Pokémon and would “share” his knowledge with me. (and I bet you didn’t even consider that definition!)
I love the word copacetic and have heard it all my life. It brings to mind the 60s/70s and flower children. As Kathy said… perhaps it’s just an American thing.
Hi Kelly,
I did notice the reference to ‘Golem’ the Pokemon character, when I was checking out the word. However, it is a long time since my nephews were avid Pokemon collectors, so the names of the characters have long since been confined to the back of my mind!
For all that we are in a state of purdah right now, referendum fever is available just about 24/7 on one TV channel or another! I think I am still split about which way to vote. When that doesn’t have any news grabbing revelations to frighten us with, we are subjected to another lecture by your own Donald Trump, although our coverage seems to be quite one-sided as Hilary Clinton gets very little air time in comparison.
After the many comments by my US blogging friends, including yourself, I checked out copacetic again and went further down the definition source list, where I discovered that not only could I have spelt the word with an ‘s’ copasetic, but that it is indeed a word of North American extraction, although its exact heritage is a bit uncertain.
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week 🙂
I knew copacetic , but not the others.
Hi Mary Ann,
After establishing from previous comments, that copacetic seems to be an almost total Americanism, I have tried in vain to establish an English equivalent.
Although to be honest a more relaxed take on the official definition of copacetic would probably be most widely used here and to me sounds so much less pretentious and unfriendly – ‘No Big Deal’ – ‘No Worries’ – ‘It’s Fine’ to mention a few such phrases.
Thanks for visiting and have a good rest of the week 🙂
Informative and interesting words! I had not heard of these before. On the topic of politics, I don’t think I’ve seen such a mess here in my neck of the woods in my lifetime. Sometimes I just ask myself if these politicians and their supporters are joking or actually serious.
Hi Naida,
Our pending ‘in or out’ of Europe referendum is quickly becoming something of a debacle.
It has split both of the main political parties right down the middle, as every member of parliament has been given a free vote and they don’t have to vote with the official party line.
To my mind this can only mean one thing … No matter which way the vote goes on June 23rd, I can’t see any other option than an emergency general election … This is not what the country needs right now, in these turbulent economic times!
Then we watch what is going on in your own Presedential elections and it does make me wonder what the ‘civilised’ ‘democratic’ world is coming to!!
They do say that friends should never discuss finance, religion or politics 🙂