Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun. (Don’t forget to leave a link in your comment if you’re participating.)
All of my words this week come from books with beach themes. The first two are from The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand.
1. pareo - “She was wearing her bathing suit and a pareo.”
A pareo or pareu (either spelling is correct) is a wraparound skirt usually made from a rectangular piece of printed cloth and worn by men and women throughout Polynesia.
2. spliff – “But I have just been lost in the wilderness and experienced what I can most accurately describe as fear for my life, and a little spliff feels like exactly what I need right now.”
This word isn’t a beach word, but it does show you how out of it I am. A spliff is a joint (marijuana cigarette) sometimes rolled with half weed, half tobacco.
My last word is from Beach Trip by Cathy Holton.
3. loa – “Like their own personal loa .”
I had to look on wikipedia to find this one. According that site, loa are spirits of the Voodoo religion practiced in Haiti and other parts of the world. They are similar to saints or angels in Christianity.
What new words have you discovered lately?
26 Comments
July 8, 2009 at 5:51 am
I just guess what pareo was when I read this. Nice to get some confirmation that I was on the right track.
July 8, 2009 at 6:47 am
Light words this week. No multi=syllables. I only found one new word this week. See it at Joyfully Retired.
July 8, 2009 at 7:33 am
All things you can find on the Brady Bunch Hawaiian vacation episode!
… well, 2 out of 3.
Longest WWW to date: http://dustandspores.blogspot.com/2009/07/wondrous-word-wednesday-infinite-jest.html
Put on your skimming glasses.
July 8, 2009 at 7:55 am
This is a great list. I haven’t started my reading for the day so I have nothing to offer but I do like the beach theme for your collection.
July 8, 2009 at 8:23 am
I thought about “Gilligan’s Island” when I read your list today. ”
Good memories.
My list is here.
July 8, 2009 at 8:49 am
Oh no – I’m pretty sure you could find all of those on a Brady Bunch vacation! Great words.
My words are from the same book as yesterday’s tease The Loved One and they are all about the mortuary profession. You can find them here.
July 8, 2009 at 9:29 am
Interesting. I’m not well versed in marijuana lingo. LOL
–Anna
July 8, 2009 at 9:35 am
I like “pareo”. I’ve often wondered what those wrap-around skirts were called. My words are here.
July 8, 2009 at 9:35 am
Pereo sounds so much better than the “wrap around thingy”…that’s what I’ve always called them. lol I’m going to try to remember that one. My words are here today:
http://jo-jolovestoread.blogspot.com/2009/07/wondrous-words-wednesday-july-8.html
July 8, 2009 at 9:37 am
Taking part of the first time today! It was fun!
http://www.vombatiformes.com/booklog/?p=512
July 8, 2009 at 9:44 am
Good words! Didn’t know that marijuana slang either.
July 8, 2009 at 10:40 am
To paraphrase a certain somebody: I know what a spliff is, but I didn’t use it.
I haven’t joined in on the WWW yet, but I will next week.
July 8, 2009 at 10:43 am
I’ve heard of pareo before. All my words this week are all about clothing…very strange.
http://southernsassythings.blogspot.com/2009/07/wondrous-words-wednesday.html
July 8, 2009 at 10:58 am
disapprobation: The act of disapproving….
(so why not just say that?)
Good Morning!
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
July 8, 2009 at 11:10 am
Fun words – only pareo is familiar.
July 8, 2009 at 11:37 am
That is a beach theme, perfect for July.
I have a couple others from The Castaways on my list.
http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/wondrous-words-wednesday-15/
July 8, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I don’t even know why I haven’t yet joined in the fun of this meme. I think it’s a great idea and you can actually learn a lot of words. Yours are a perfect example. Don’t worry, I am out of it too since I had no idea what a spliff is either.
July 8, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Now you’re making your meme have themes — too cute!
July 8, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Thanks for the vocab lesson.
July 8, 2009 at 2:41 pm
My words are here:
http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2009/07/wondrous-words-wednesday-july-8.html
July 8, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I’ve probably left this identical comment here before, because I’m thinking it week after week, LOL:
I love this feature on your blog. These are all new-to-me words!
July 8, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I meant to mention that I was familiar with all your words this week!
July 8, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I’m a little later than normal, but here are my words for this week: http://wordlily.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/words-from-my-reading-13/
July 8, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I’m not sure it’s good that I knew what a spliff is, but it came from reading rather than indulging in anything illegal. You can get a pareo wrap in Hawaii. I guess this means you can get one in Nantucket, too? Not very Polynesian, as beaches go. LOL
July 9, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Spliff—never heard of this one…laughed when I saw the description!! Great words this week and 3 more to add to my word list of knowledge!!
July 10, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Those are great words. I love the word pareo. It just makes you feel good enough to put on a bathing suit.