I was cleaning out my computer satchel and came across these pages from last year’s Forgotten English daily calendar. I clearly never got around to blogging about them. Since I’m waiting for the sun to come up before I get to work in the labyrinth, I’ll just do that right now.

Pseudodox: false, not true opinion. Well, that’s one easy one. The phrases “death panel” and “health care rationing” spring right to mind. Thanks, Sarah Palin! Oh, and anything James Inhofe has said for the past week and a half. As we say in Feydeau, Christ on a bicycle!

Ambiloquy: the use of indeterminate expressions; discourse of doubtful meaning; double-speaking. Vid. sup.

Carriwitchet: a hoaxing, puzzling question, not admitting a satisfactory answer. As in, how do you craft legislation when half your establishment is made up of determined nihilists?

Balitorium: riotous proceedings; the boisterous merrymaking which often accompanies a bonfire. Hey, one I can actually use, and more often than one might think, except for those who actually read this blog, who are usually involved with said boisterous merrymaking. Let the balitorium begin!

Vlonkers: sparks of fire. Let the balitorium begin, but beware the vlonkers! Those things can burn you in inauspicious locations.

Flammivomous: vomiting flames. This has nothing to do with my balitoria; I just liked the word.

Sprunch: the sexual advance of a male, a much stronger term than spark or wing. Another one just for fun. The original calendar says that some hillfolk use sprunchin’ to mean copulation. Let sprunchin’ thrive!

Foot-muff: exactly what it sounds like, a fur-lined thingie for your feet so that you don’t get chilblains on your tootsies when you go sleighing. But it sounds naughty.

Let’s go check in with the labyrinth.