Yvonne
Wondrous Words Wednesday … Is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we have encountered in our reading
This would usually be my post as part of the ‘Wondrous Words Wednesday’ meme, which is hosted by the lovely Kathy @ BermudaOnion blog. However, Kathy is taking an extended and well-earned break from blogging, so I am sending her all Best Wishes and hope to have her back again very soon, she is sorely missed 🙂
I have so many new to me words stacking up, that I thought I would share just a few of them with you anyway, in the hope that Kathy won’t mind too much! Hurry back Kathy, I’m only keeping your seat warm!
My first word this time is taken from one of my recently read psychological thrillers –
“She started planning their family when she was a teenager – practising her married signature, making lists of baby names that went well with Walker. That was long before she knew anything about sperm counts or motility or ejaculation blockages”
MOTILITY –Â
Motility is the ability of an organism to move independently, using metabolic energy. This is in contrast to mobility, which describes the ability of an object to be moved. Motility is genetically determined, but may be affected by environmental factors.Â
Next up is a word I came across in this 5 star murder / mystery –
“Did you like it? I mean I don’t mind a bit of exercise, but spending all day with noisy kids whilst canoeing, ghyll scrambling and whatever else, is not exactly a pleasurable job to have”
GHYLL – A gill or ghyll is a ravine or narrow valley in the North of England and other parts of the United Kingdom. The word originates from the Old Norse gil.
GHYLL SCRAMBLING – Suitable for everyone from beginners through to adrenaline hunters Ghyll scrambling involves travelling up or down a mountain stream with plenty of short climbs slides and jumps to ensure you are truly wet by the end of the activity.
Next up a word from this lovely WWII romance.
“All three of the Carmichael boys were courageous and skilful shinty players. In her mind’s eye Flora could see them practising with their sticks on the beach, their long limbs stretching with athletic ease as they flicked the ball from one to another”
SHINTY – Is a team game played with curved sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread in Scotland, and was even played for a considerable time in northern England and other areas in the world where Scottish Highlanders migrated. While comparisons are often made with field hockey, the two games have several important differences…
This word I came across when completing one of my regular daily online crosswords –
CAPO – AÂ clamp fastened across all the strings of a fretted musical instrument to raise their tuning by a chosen amount.
Four new to me words this time, how many did you recognise?
…
Motility is a word used by Psychologists, so I knew that one. I never heard of the other ones though. I searched for Shinty on youtube, it does look like hockey, but on grass instead of ice. I’m afraid I don’t know enough about hockey to see the differences, but it doesn’t matter, I learned about an old game. That’s fascinating.
Hi Anca,
Ah! You compared ‘shinty’ to ice hockey, however if you check out field hockey, you will see significantly more similarities. Back in the day, we use to have field hockey sessions as part of our PE (physical education) lessons at school. Mind you, I spent more time with bruised ankles and legs than anything else, and never really enjoyed the game at all!
I would be interested to know in what context a psychologist would use the ‘motility’, I must check that out, thanks for sharing that information!
Great to have you stop by and I hope your week is going well so far 🙂
It is used for children or people with learning disabilities or physical problems that might impede their movements, as in blind children. It usually involves walking. Another thing we learned is fine motricity, as in the ability to handle small objects.
At school we had gymnastics, athletics, and basketball, so I’m not familiar with hockey at all.
We had netball rather than basketball and whilst athletics was included in the summer months, field hockey was definitely a winter sport, along with rounders!
Thanks for that lovely explanation of motility and I also discovered another new word in motricity. I shall have to remember that one if the arthritis in my fingers gets any worse. I already have trouble opening jars and ‘childproof’ bottles and picking up small items is always a bit hit and miss 🙂
I’m familiar with a capo, but that’s because there’s always been a lot of music/musicians in my life. I feel sure I learned motility in science class at some point, but I’m not sure I could have defined it. The others are totally new to me!
Hi Kelly,
We have a few rather tenuous musical connections and my youngest nephew actually plays guitar, however he is a man of few words, to say the least, so the subject of a ‘capo’ has never come up in conversation! Dave used to play the trumpet at school and my eldest niece taught herself to play the keyboard and played saxophone and clarinet in the school band for a while.
I actually had to look up ‘capo’ in the crossword solving app. as I had three of the letters and couldn’t work out the fourth. It’s one of those words you either know, or you don’t!
I’m pleased that you knew at least one of my words this week. I must admit that I get a little disappointed if I visit other blogs which take part in the meme and I don’t know any of their words!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope that your week is going okay so far! 🙂
All new words to me, although Shinty does sound somewhat familiar.
I hope you’re well and looking forward to Christmas.
Hi Nikki,
The book I found ‘shinty’ in has quite a few more ‘new to me words, ready to be shared in following posts. The book was set in the Scottish Highlands, so most of them are colloquialisms, but fun and interesting nonetheless!
Everything is good down in Somerset, thanks for asking and I hope it is with you too?
We haven’t been going out and about much, as most people seem to be acting so recklessly and as if there is nothing wrong (or if there is, nothing is going to happen to them!), it just isn’t worth taking the risk. A quiet Christmas a deux is definitely on the cards for us, what about yourself?
Thanks for stopping by, great to hear from you 🙂
Hi Yvonne,
I’m working right up until Christmas Eve (new job!) and then I’m off until the new year. It’ll be a relatively quiet Christmas… I’ll be tracking Santa & playing games with my niece & nephew on Christmas Eve, but the day itself will be fairly quiet.
I hope you’re well 🙂
My great niece and nephew wanted us to get together with them for Christmas Day, however with Nanny & Grampy there would be 9 of us altogether and that’s just a bit too risky being squashed around the dining table or in a single lounge area, so we sadly declined.
We are hoping for a better summer, when we can all get together and have a huge family celebration somewhere, even if it is a BBQ out in the open!
What’s the new job, or don’t you want to say? 🙂
The only one of these I knew was ‘ghyll’ and I’m not at all sure how I knew even that one. Interesting that it comes from an old Norse word. Shinty sounded familiar but when I read its meaning I felt that I was mistaken as I can’t see how I would have heard of that.
Hi Cath,
I suppose that if ‘ghyll’ is a typically northern word, then that might explain its Norse influence. I never really picked up on the word itself, as my eye was first drawn to the phrase ‘ghyll scrambling’, which sounds like an activity I would be looking to avoid at all costs!
If I hadn’t read about ‘shinty’ in a basic context within the story itself, I might well have assumed it was a kind of card game, as that’s the kind of ring it has to it!
Thanks for stopping by, it is always good and interesting to get other people’s take on these new words. I hope the shopping trip wasn’t too stressful! 🙂