UNWONTED TERMS FOR UNCOMMON SITUATIONS

What does “cattywampus” mean and why you should know it: 10 odd words

Published on January 7, 2024

Image: Patrick Tomasso

Everything that exists, even if only in our minds, can be named. Such is the beauty of words, and the English language is especially rich and ingenious in this regard. Its lexicon not only embraces the conventional but also celebrates the delightfully odd.

Within its linguistic treasure lie peculiar words like "kerfuffle," "bumfuzzle," and "collywobbles" that dance on the tongue and paint vivid portraits of unusual situations. Take a moment and read about twelve seldom-heard terms that almost seem unreal.

Kerfuffle

Image: Hans-Peter Gauster

Have you ever heard the word "kerfuffle"? It is a delightful linguistic oddity that describes a state of mild chaos or disorder.

This peculiar term originated from Scottish dialects in the late 18th century, derived from the Gaelic cur, meaning to twist or bend, combined with fuffle, suggesting disorderly movement or commotion. As with quite a few examples on this list, the very sound of the word itself evokes its meaning.

Discombobulate

Image: Uday Mittal

Another word that rarely gets thrown around, "discombobulate," aptly describes a state of confusion, disorientation, or bewilderment.

The prefix dis- means negation or reversal, while combobulate is an invention that might have been influenced by similar-sounding words like "discompose" or "discomfit." Together, they form a word that evokes the sensation of being mentally perplexed.

Bumfuzzle

Image: Michele Tresemer

Another word that describes a state of confusion, "bumfuzzle," originated in the Southern United States in the mid-19th century with an uncertain etymology, possibly arising from a blend of "bamboozle" and "fuddle."

This term embodies the linguistic treasure found in regional dialects, showcasing English's ability to develop expressive terms to portray the complexity of human emotions.

Flummox

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

A word that closes this trilogy of confusion terms, "flummox," also describes a state of bewilderment, perplexity, or confusion.

Making its first appearance in 19th-century England, its exact etymology remains uncertain, possibly derived from combining flummock, a word meaning to bewilder or confuse, with the suffix "-ox," adding emphasis or exaggeration.

Flibbertigibbet

Image: Priscilla Du Preez

"Flibbertigibbet" is a term that can be used to describe someone who is frivolous or overly talkative. Its origins can be traced back to Old English, where flibbert denoted a frivolous person and gibbet referred to an inconsistent and unstable individual.

The word, as hard to pronounce as it is, serves as an apt definition for a lively yet disorganized individual. Think of someone who, when exposing his thoughts, is enthusiastic yet all over the place.

Whippersnapper

Image: Papaioannou Kostas

We all know a "whippersnapper," even if we probably don't call them that way. The term is used to describe a young and inexperienced person, often with an air of arrogance or impudence.

The word dates back to the 17th century, blending "whip," meaning something small or insignificant, with "snapper," suggesting someone who talks back or is impertinent. It was initially used to mock young men who cracked whips while herding cattle, and it evolved into a light-hearted term teasingly aimed at youthful individuals displaying an excess of self-assurance.

Bibble

Image: Jaritos Mexican Soda

If you’ve ever heard someone eating, sipping, slurping, or drinking noisily, then you have heard someone "bibble." As with many cases in the English language, the origin of the word is very possibly rooted in onomatopoeia: a written emulation of the very sound that it aims to describe. The word is not to be confused with "nibble," which means "to take small bites" of something.

Gobbledygook

Image: Towfiqu Barbhuiya

One –even less used– cousin of the term "gibberish," "gobbledygook" is an endearing linguistic oddity used to describe incomprehensible or jumbled language, often mixed with obscure slang or meaningless words.

Coined in the 1940s by Texas Congressman Maury Maverick, this term blends "gobble," reminiscent of turkeys' sounds, with "gook," signifying muddled, unclear speech. Initially aimed at criticizing bureaucratic language, it was eventually used to describe similar discourse in every other sphere as well.

Abibliophobia

Image: Susan Q Yin

The kind of phobia that will turn anybody’s home into a library, "abibliophobia," is a charmingly peculiar term that describes the fear of running out of reading material or being without books.

While not officially recognised in psychological dictionaries, its origins can be traced to the Greek roots a-, meaning without, biblio-, referring to books, and -phobia, denoting fear. This word defines the anxiety book lovers might experience at the thought of an empty shelf or an absence of new reading material.

Cattywampus

Image: Balint Szabo

A regional dialect, "cattywampus," is a term that describes either something positioned diagonally or something that is going the wrong way.

In either case, the word evokes a sense of playful disorder or misalignment and is an example of the English language's knack for inventing expressions that illustrate situations that aren't quite straight or are plain wrong, but in a lighter sense.

Collywobbles

Image: Nik Shuliahin

A funny word to describe a not-so-funny sensation, "collywobbles" refers to a feeling of nervousness, unease, or fluttering in the stomach.

Its origins trace back to the 19th century, merging "colly," an old English term for coal dust or darkness, with "wobbles," implying an unsettled or wobbly sensation. Initially describing a feeling of stomach discomfort or anxiety, it evolved to signify a broader sense of nervousness or apprehension.

Unwonted

Image: Nick Fewings

The most fitting word on this list was left for the last. "Unwonted" is a very rarely used term that describes something uncommon, unusual, or not customary.

Coming from Old English, it combines "un-" as a prefix denoting negation or reversal and "wonted," which is derived from wont, meaning accustomed or habitual. An unwonted word in itself, this was a much more used term in the days of Charles Dickens and Henry James, when prose and spoken language were more adorned.

The living machine

Discover 12 of the most fascinating (and surreal) facts on the human body

Published on January 7, 2024

Image: MART PRODUCTION

The human body is an incredibly sophisticated machine, full of mysteries. Throughout history, science has revealed fascinating facts about how it works, yet lesser-known curiosities continue to surprise and challenge our understanding. Are you ready to discover 12 fascinating quirks about your body that will leave you speechless?

Lungs

Image: Aakash Dhage

A person inhales and exhales over 2,000 gallons of air daily, taking roughly 21,000 breaths a day. We perform this action almost unconsciously, but it is vital to absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.

Now, did you know the right lung is slightly larger than the left lung to make room for the heart? And that the lungs contain over 300 billion tiny blood vessels called capillaries that, if unfolded, would extend to 1,500 miles? Don't worry, you learn something new every day!

Nails

Image: xx

The primary function of nails is to protect the fingertips, which contain a high concentration of nerve endings. In fact, this is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body.

Because they are more exposed, fingernails grow at a much faster rate than toenails. Fingernails grow about 1/8 inch per month, while toenails grow about half as much. Nail growth is also determined by factors such as weather, often speeding up during the summer. If you happen to lose a fingernail, it may take up to six months to grow back from base to tip.

Stomach

Image: Aakash Dhage

The stomach is a fascinating organ with many peculiarities. For example, it produces hormones that influence appetite and sleep, and it can stretch to hold up to 50 ounces of food when we eat.

But perhaps its most incredible feature is its production of hydrochloric acid, which kills bacteria and aids digestion. This acid is so potent that it can even dissolve metals such as zinc. Fortunately for us, the stomach has a protective layer of mucus that is renewed every three to four days. If this lining weren’t continually replaced, it would dissolve. In other words, your stomach would digest itself.

Height

Image: Surja Sen Das Raj

Your thigh bone, or femur, is the largest bone in your body, accounting for about a quarter of your total height. But did you know that human height can vary throughout the day and with age?

Every morning when you wake up, you are about 0.5 to 0.75 inches taller than when you go to bed at night. This is because the soft cartilage between your bones gets compressed by the force of gravity when you stand or sit. Starting in your forties or fifties, people gradually lose nearly half an inch of height per decade due to bone density loss, disc compression, and other age-related factors.

Skin

Image: Leighann Blackwood

On an average adult, skin covers an area of about 20 square feet and has multiple functions. The outer layer, called the epidermis, consists of dead cells that help regulate temperature and protect the body from dirt and germs. But did you know that your body is constantly losing and replacing these cells?

Every minute, you shed more than 30,000 dead skin cells. In fact, the entire surface of your skin is replaced every month, which, in other words, means that you will lose around 40 pounds of skin and have around 1,000 different skins in your lifetime.

Bones

Image: Nino Liverani

We all remember what we learned in school: the human body has 206 bones. However, at birth, humans have approximately 300 bones, many of which fuse as we grow, resulting in the 206 bones found in adults. More than half of these bones are located in the hands and feet, with 27 bones per hand and 26 per foot.

Another interesting fact about human bones is that they are as strong as granite. A small piece of bone can support up to 9 tons of weight!

Eyes

Image: Vitalii Khodzinskyi

The eye is one of the most complex and fascinating organs of the human body. It can distinguish up to 10 million colors and adapts so quickly that it can adjust to extreme light conditions within seconds. Plus, your eyelids blink 15 to 20 times per minute, equivalent to roughly 10% of the time you spend awake!

If you have blue eyes, you are among the 8 to 10% of the world's population. Blue eyes result from a mutation that reduces pigment in the iris. Researchers believe this mutation first appeared in a person living in Europe 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, which means that all blue-eyed people living today share a common ancestor.

Food and drink

Image: Tony Litvyak

The human body needs food and water to survive. In fact, water makes up approximately 50% to 70% of body weight, depending on age, sex, and body composition. While the body can survive up to seven days without food, it can only last about two days without water.

Have you ever wondered how much food and drink we consume? Here's the answer: The average person eats roughly 55 tons of food and drinks about 11,000 gallons of liquid during a lifetime.

Temperature

Image: Liana S

We know that factors such as age, diet, physical activity, illness, and the time of day can influence temperature. In fact, body temperature tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening.

But here's the most surprising fact about body temperature: in just 30 minutes, the human body produces enough heat to boil half a gallon of water. Now that’s a figure you probably didn’t expect!

Tongue

Image: leyre del rio

For its size and composition, the tongue is the strongest and most flexible muscle in the human body. It is covered with roughly 10,000 taste buds, each containing up to 100 cells that help you detect flavors ranging from sweet to spicy. As you age, some taste buds die and are not replaced, which is why younger people often have a more sensitive sense of taste than older individuals.

But here's a fact that will blow your mind: your tongue print is as unique as your fingerprints. From the impression of a tongue, it is possible to identify a human being with similar accuracy as with fingerprints or the iris of the eyes. Luckily, it’s not a technique commonly used by forensic police!

Veins

Image: Elīna Arāja

Did you know that the human body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels, enough to circle the Earth two and a half times? Additionally, an average adult has roughly 1.2 to 1.5 gallons of blood circulating through the body. So why do veins look blue?

If you look at your wrists, you can probably see blue veins under your skin. It may sound strange, but the reason for this is to do with the way your skin absorbs light and reflects it back to your eye. So, now you know, nobody has blue blood, not even royalty!

Ears

Image: Franco Antonio Giovanella

Your inner ear contains fluid that helps send information about balance and movement to your brain. This fluid is also the reason you sometimes get motion sickness. When you look out of a car window, your eyes signal to your brain that your body is moving, but because you are actually sitting still, your brain becomes confused, which can make you feel queasy.

Earwax is produced by your body to protect your ear canal from dirt, insects, and bacteria. Although we commonly call it "wax," it is actually a substance largely composed of dead skin cells and other secretions. By the time it reaches the outer ear, earwax has been inside your ear for about a month!