Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: my new favorite english word

,---- from 
dictionary.com
 
| ravel, verb
| 1. to disentangle or unravel the threads or fibers of (a woven or
|    knitted fabric, rope, etc.).
`----
 
yes, "to ravel" means "to unravel"! 
English really is an interesting language...
 
ciao
                                                g


And something that is flammable is inflammable.
 
-- 
JoeWolfDee
Among those whom I like or admire, I can find�no common denominator, 
but among those�whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.��--WH 
Auden
 

                                                g
 
 
And there are a lot of words that are used only in the "negative" form like
like ???disgruntled???, ???inscrutable???, ???nonchalant??? (no "gruntled", "scrutable" or
"chalant").
 
Some time ago I found a piece that reverted this.
 
I found it again so here it is....
----------------------
 
It had been a rough day, so when I walked into the party I was very chalant,
despite my efforts to appear gruntled and consolate.
 
I was furling my wieldy umbrella for the coat check when I saw her standing
alone in a corner. She was a descript person, a woman in a state of total
array. Her hair was kempt, her clothing shevelled, and she moved in a gainly
way.
 
I wanted desperately to meet her, but I knew I'd have to make bones about it
since I was travelling cognito. Beknownst to me, the hostess, whom I could see
both hide and hair of, was very proper, so it would be skin off my nose if
anything bad happened. And even though I had only swerving loyalty to her, my
manners couldn't be peccable. Only toward and heard-of behavior would do.
 
Fortunately, the embarrassment that my maculate appearance might cause was
evitable. There were two ways about it, but the chances that someone as
flappable as I would be ept enough to become persona grata or a sung hero were
slim. I was, after all, something to sneeze at, someone you could easily hold
a candle to, someone who usually aroused bridled passion.
 
So I decided not to risk it. But then, all at once, for some apparent reason,
she looked in my direction and smiled in a way that I could make heads or
tails of.
 
I was plussed. It was concerting to see that she was communicado, and it
nerved me that she was interested in a pareil like me, sight seen. Normally, I
had a domitable spirit, but, being corrigible, I felt capacitated--as if this
were something I was great shakes at--and forgot that I had succeeded in
situations like this only a told number of times. So, after a terminable
delay, I acted with mitigated gall and made my way through the ruly crowd with
strong givings.
 
Nevertheless, since this was all new hat to me and I had no time to prepare a
promptu speech, I was petuous. Wanting to make only called-for remarks, I
started talking about the hors d'oeuvres, trying to abuse her of the notion
that I was sipid, and perhaps even bunk a few myths about myself.
 
She responded well, and I was mayed that she considered me a savory character
who was up to some good. She told me who she was. "What a perfect nomer," I
said, advertently. The conversation became more and more choate, and we spoke
at length to much avail. But I was defatigable, so I had to leave at a godly
hour. I asked if she wanted to come with me. To my delight, she was committal.
We left the party together and have been together ever since. I have given her
my love, and she has requited it.
 
-------------
Supposedly by Jack Winter, The New Yorker magazine.
 
 
G