Monday, July 7, 2008

Some Words Just Sound Great - and should be used more often

Word of the Day

palaver \puh-LAV-uhr; puh-LAH-vur\, noun:
1. Idle talk
2. Talk intended to beguile or deceive.
3. A parley usually between persons of different backgrounds or cultures or levels of sophistication; a talk; hence, a public conference and deliberation.
4. To talk idly.
5. To flatter; to cajole.

For me, a young writer about to have yet another commencement address inflicted on him, it was a wonderful surprise -- an honest and detailed talk, free of the usual piety and palaver that clutter those speeches.
-- Alan Lelchuk, "The Death of the Jewish Novel", New York Times, November 25, 1984

He is glad to palaver of his many adventures, as a boy will whistle after sundown in a wood.
-- O. Henry, "The Man Higher Up"

I never considered using "PalaverJournal" as a blog name.....but it might be appropriate, no?

No comments: