Thursday, July 07, 2005

We need another word for 'euphemism'

There's an excellent report in this weeks Falmouth Packet (local paper) of 'unseemly behaviour' in the local park, just round the corner from me, in what is apparently a 'particularly dense clump of undergrowth'.

I love that term 'unseemly', which has a marvellous hint of the Regency novel about it, as though Georgette Heyer had suddenly got a gig writing local journalism. I now look forward to people hitting each other with silk gloves while women simper behind fans and say things like 'La, sir!'. Still, I have to go past that 'dense patch of undergrowth' on the way for my morning swim tomorrow, so I shall make sure I have my flintlock charged and ready, just in case.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in posession of a good vocabulary must be in want of an advance...Perhaps you could have calling cards printed to send to literary agents - " Mr James Henry presents his compliments..." etc, etc. Women will swoon and men will fight duels, in between seeking to make a "good" marriage, of course. Oh, and how about reintroducing the word "forsooth" ?

James Henry said...

I love the word 'forsooth'. And 'bevilled'.