Lost Words

There was a rather splendid article on the BBC website a few days ago which highlighted a list researchers have drawn up of 30 words that have been lost to the English language.

These words are, without exception, fabulous. I do hope some of them end up making a comeback. Most of them are so wonderfully literal - a quacksalver for a fake doctor, tremblable for something that fills you with fear. My favourite two are probably:

Merry-go-sorry - a way of describing being both joyful and sorrowful at once.

Ear-rent - the figurative cost of spending time listening to pointless talk.

Do join me in bringing these back into everyday conversation!