Wednesday, August 13th, 2008...12:05 am
Learn-A-Word Wednesday: persiflage \PUR-suh-flahzh\
noun:
Frivolous or bantering talk; a frivolous manner of treating any subject, whether serious or otherwise; light raillery.
Persiflage comes from French, from persifler, “to banter,” from per-, “thoroughly” (from Latin) + siffler, “to hiss, to whistle,” ultimately from Latin sibilare, “to hiss (at), to whistle.”
Good name for a blog, eh? www.persiflage.com Yep. You’re welcome.
I like the Latin root of this word, “to hiss (at)” — that’s what we’re doing blogging, isn’t it? Or, are we being hissed at??
That’s when living a little kid is good practice. Hissing at what you read here?
I can’t heeeeaaaaaaarrrrr you!
Just having to write an argumentative comment against someone’s post civilizes the whole process. To a certain degree. Hissing goes out the moment your reader has to spell. I mean, they can’t throw garbage at your face or launch a stink bomb online. The web has limitations. So far.
Have you been hissed at online when you meant mere persiflage? Or done the hissing? What’s a touchy topic?
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7 Comments
August 13th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I haven’t been hissed at of late, and I don’t intentionally try to hiss at anyone (unless they really deserve it). The world is full of touch subjects, politics, sex, religion, boundaries, relationships, etc. You name it someone is going to be “sensitive” to it…
Mikes last blog post..Adsense?
August 14th, 2008 at 12:45 am
You mean like when I suggest to my 11 year-old that it probably isn’t a good idea to wear jeans when it’s going to be ninety degrees outside?
Carries last blog post..Just Waiting for the Excedrin to Kick In
August 14th, 2008 at 3:18 am
My doctor told me I exhibited “persistent persiflage disorder”, and then he made me take my pants off.
I now suspect that he was up to no good.
SinisterDans last blog post..The Sinister Six : Episode III
August 14th, 2008 at 5:58 am
What a great word to say aloud. I’m not a hisser - I’m σαρκάζω (ancient Greek σαρκάζω or sarkazo, meaning ‘to tear flesh’).
Sarcasm is my language of choice, thank you very much.
I think I’ll blog about that today…..THANKS!
Queen Goobs last blog post..What The Hell Kind of Southern Family Reunion Was That?
August 14th, 2008 at 8:04 am
I hope you don’t mind but I linked you to my post today.
THANKS!
Queen Goobs last blog post..A \lur-nid\ Language
August 14th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Mike, that is true. Just about anything can get people hissing…
Carrie, I can imagine the sounds! My child growls about the opposite-wearing summer clothes in dead of winter….
Sinister, I am afraid of the accompanying odor with that disorder.
Queen, you may link to me anytime! Everyone is welcome to join in the Words fun here, either with my word of the week, or their own!
August 17th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Oh, I’ve been hissed at. I have never left an ugly comment on smeone else’s blog, though.
citizen of the worlds last blog post..A few words about poison ivy.
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