Wondrous Words Wednesday 28/8/13

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fabulous weekly meme hosted by Bermuda Onion, where we share new (to us) words that we've encountered in our weekly reading.

Today I don't have any new words from my reading to share for Wondrous Words Wednesday, but heard this wonderful discussion on the radio and thought I would share it with other word fans. I heard snippets of this on Radio National twice this week, although it was first broadcast in May. I had to search it out and listen to the whole thing.

Why Read Dictionaries was a session at the Sydney Writers Festival earlier this year and happily recorded for us to all enjoy. A delightful conversation between crossword compiler David Astle and author Mark Forsythe. Just click on the Download Audio button to share the joy.

The introduction alone introduces many wonderful words, possibly may favourite being groak. It turns out that I'd seen groaking in action for many years, but never known that there was a word for it.

Groak. Verb. Look or stare at longingly. Free dictionary.
To watch someone eating in the hope they will offer food. Urban dictionary.

Multispecies groaking in 2001

It's a beautiful discussion, and a very enjoyable way to spend half an hour. Very broad ranging from Capucin monks to Spam and Yakuza (although they suggest the etymology slightly incorrectly). Perhaps we should all read the dictionary a bit more often, maybe it's more fun than our school day memories would suggest?

Mark Forsyths' captivating blog The Inky Fool is also pleasantly diverting.