Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Oh Nothing, Just Boondoggling

The word of the day is boondoggle. I encourage you to look it up yourselves if you doubt that it's a real word. When used as a noun, it means work of little or no value done merely to keep you busy or looking busy. It has a few other meanings as a noun and it can be used as a verb.
In other news, boondoggle has just been nominated to join the list of my favorite words. As of now, there are only three words with such an honor (pumpernickel, gubernatorial, and lederhosen). Lest you begin to think that every time I hear an awesome word it gets nominated, I am here to tell you otherwise. Last week I learned the word "thimblerigger" and while totally and completely awesome, it did not get a nomination. If forced to tell someone my top five favorite words, it might make number five, but otherwise, it is not voluntarily on my list. Say it five times, "thimblerigger, thimblerigger, thimblerigger, thimblerigger, thimblerigger" and now say boondoggle five times, "boondoggle, boondoggle, boondoggle, boondoggle, boondoggle." You weren't supposed to say them fast so if you did go back and say them carefully. Note the difference in quality of sound. Thimblerigger starts out with a sound rough enough to force your tongue into accidentally tripping over the rest of the sounds until the first r and the igger at the end gets swallowed so that you can just finish saying the word. Boondoggle, on the other hand, takes its time swirling around your mouth from b to e and ends up calming you with its smoothness. Even "boondoggling" sounds incredible. Plus, it is something any procrastinator/lazy person should be familiar with. Familiar--I never liked how that word sounds.

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

Made by Deb, boondoggle keychains; friend of Napolean Dynamite. Now it makes sense.

Sunday, May 03, 2009 1:22:00 PM  

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