In these ongoing columns about oddball vocabulary, I try to provide not only definitions, but also etymology (that is, the word’s origin) — if it’s sufficiently clear and interesting. (Granted, that last adjective can be a stretch with etymology.) But last week, I somehow skipped the origin of peduncle, a stalk-like structure found in many
READ MOREHard to believe these Weird Word columns are now well past their 40th installment — with no end in sight from the seemingly endless supply of oddball terms in English. Here’s a dozen to get your week going: Bosky (BOSS-kee, adj.) – A bosk is a small thicket, especially one with bushes. (That is actually
READ MOREWhen you want to enhance your outdoor living space, consider building with retaining wall units. Segmental retaining wall (SRW) units are the basic building blocks of landscaping, and you will save on design and labor costs when you do it yourself. Whether you want to level a slope, build a sitting wall or add a
READ MOREAs we proceed through “March Madness” toward a strange Sunday-Monday conjunction of Easter and April Fools’, your Weird Words writer is compiling a suitable pair of vocabulary lists: one on fools & madness — and then, more positively, on the death and resurrection of Christ. In the meantime, here are 10 more oddball terms to
READ MOREAs these Weird Word columns seem to strike chord with Webb readers, some of you may wonder just where I find all this oddball vocabulary. Of course there are numerous books listing weird words; but I try to avoid simply ransacking these — and in the same way, I don’t make a habit of grabbing
READ MOREAs I watch what’s being spun on TV, I can’t believe the hosts of an ABC morning show want me to believe that they’re knowledgeable and will help educate the American people on what’s really going on in the world. They might as well follow that up with if they don’t, David Muir will on
READ MOREThis week, Webb’s “Weird Words” attempts to set its own record by offering no less than 34 oddball vocabulary terms — thereby matching the number of columns we’ve reached so far in this pawky series. Here goes: Acus (AY-kuss, noun) – A needle used in surgery. Relatedly, it’s a shortened synonym for aculeus, which dictionary.com
READ MOREThis is one of my favorite columns to write each and every year. We have the results of our 16th Annual Webb Weekly Uncle Ron’s Monster Buck Contest. I am very proud of our Monster Buck Contest and the job all involved do in making this happen. Which is not me. I stay out of
READ MOREThis week, after a couple of typical columns on oddball vocab, “Weird Words” once again takes up the related field of etymology; that is, where words come from, what they used to mean and how they acquired their current definitions. Here are eight terms related to food or eating, all with an origin that’s unusual
READ MOREThe big news this past week from the Williamsport Regional Airport was there would soon be commercial flights touching down in Montoursville. There have been no commercial airlines going wheels up out of the airport since 2021. There has been a lot of money, construction, and effort put into the facility. Believe me, I’ve heard
READ MOREGirl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania is honored to announce that Sarah Marie Kline from Lycoming County has earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Girl Scout Gold Award, for the 2024 Gold Award class. Kline is a graduate of Montoursville Area High School. She attends Pennsylvania College of Technology, majoring in Baking
READ MOREI only needed a few things when I went to the store before the snowstorm two weeks ago. I went to Aldi’s to get most everything I needed that afternoon. I needed Velveeta cheese and fresh Italian bread, which they don’t carry. So, my husband dropped me off on the way home after dinner with
READ MORENo matter how much a person may have studied or prepared for a new job or occupation, the cold water of reality hits almost immediately. Sooner than later, many ask themselves, “Dear God, what have I got myself into?” In previous columns, I have noted my own awakening to serving in local government. For this
READ MOREAs we put out the last issue for the year 2023, I want to take this time to thank you all for your support. At the Webb Weekly, we are all family. Everyone knows everyone. We see each other out and about throughout the year, but all of us get together once a year for
READ MOREOften, around this time of the year, editor Steph has sent out notices to Webb Weekly writers reminding us to get our pre-Christmas columns in early to beat the holiday deadline. Such was not the case this year, as the calendar gives us a bit more time until the big day arrives. For procrastinators, the
READ MOREA tip of my Webb Weekly cap with the American Flag on the side to the greatest generation. “Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy— the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” ~ President Franklin D.
READ MOREHaving spent some fall columns on related language matters like etymology and doublets, we’re back to our titular subject last week and this. As promised in the previous installment, here’s a second set of 12 weird words to chew on; after these, we’ll move on to something more seasonal for mid-December. As usual, we’ll look
READ MOREIt is beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go across the West Branch Valley. This Christmas carol seems perfect as we head into December. The song has been recorded by many artists over the years with different musical styles. I’m still old school and like Bing Crosby’s version the best. The song
READ MOREOver the last month or two, Webb’s Weird Words has taken a largely thematic approach, with columns on animals, etymology, alcohol and a little-known linguistic item called a doublet. So now, let’s get back to our eccentric English exploration: plain old-fashioned oddball words. Here are 12, with another dozen forthcoming next week: Assegai (noun, ASS-uh-guy)
READ MOREI have mentioned before that my father and I are building an addition. It has been several months since my last update. No. I am not slacking. We are still making progress. 96.75% done. I am still doing my best to chronicle the entire experience. Oh my, folks. There is never a dull moment. My
READ MORE“The early bird gets the worm” is a well-known English proverb that historians trace all the way back to the 1600s. Though the words might first have been popularized hundreds of years ago, they remain as true today as they were then, particularly in regard to holiday shopping. Savvy shoppers have long touted the importance
READ MOREWith lower temperatures and milder conditions, fall provides a perfect opportunity to tackle that home renovation to-do list. Whether you plan on making minor improvements or wholesale changes are on the horizon, taking on a few DIY projects can help you boost your home’s curb appeal (and its value) while also prepping for colder weather
READ MOREMy plan for this column was that throughout October, there would be only columns dealing with Lycoming County candidates in the November election. I purposely planned it that way so that voters would be informed about the candidates on the ballot. But, I want to make an interruption in this plan because the state of
READ MOREAs Webb Weekly’s “World of Weird Words” nears its 20th installment, we’ve been on an etymology bender — examining odd and unusual word origins. When I first gathered up my favorite etymologies for these columns, I couldn’t help noticing how many were related to animals. We looked at some of those beastly beauties last week.
READ MOREOne of the many favorites on my weird-word list is the now-archaic term camelopard. Pronounced “kuh-MEL-uh-pard,” it blends “camel” and “leopard.” The word is a long-ago British attempt to name a then-newly-discovered beast shaped liked the former and colored like the latter. Go ahead — try a guess. (Answer provided later.) In the meantime, after
READ MOREAs Webb’s “Weird Words” hits its 15th installment, here’s a personal question for vocab-loving readers: Just how many words do you think you know? For that matter, how many words does the English language actually have? Wanna take a guess before I tell you? Well, various online sources indicate the average American is familiar with
READ MOREWilliamsport’s Treyson Potts has attended many PSU games. He was a huge fan as a kid. Yes. Potts has many ties to State College. Several in his family went to State. He always wanted to play for the Nittany Lions. The dynamic running back was on their radar. But a few knee injuries during his
READ MOREWe are at No. 14 in these ongoing columns about oddball vocabulary; so here are 14 more weird words for your week. These are, incidentally, all nouns unless otherwise noted; and since most have fairly instinctive pronunciation, I left that out too, except where needed. Arsole – While it sounds indecent and is not listed
READ MOREBy Joseph W. Smith III Last week’s “Weird Words” marked installment No. 12; so I took those two digits as a theme and picked out several goodies from pages 1 and 2 of my ever-growing oddball vocabulary list. But I got only halfway through that selection before running out of space. Here is the other
READ MOREFor me it was a glorious day in May when I emailed Steph Nordstrom — my estimable editor at Webb — with what I considered a long-shot: I was pitching a weekly column on oddball vocab words. To my everlasting joy, Steph okayed the idea without hesitation — telling me she’d read the dictionary just
READ MORELast week, Webb’s Weird Words paid homage to the current bestseller Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. When all was said and done, I wound up adding nearly 40 new words from Verghese’s novel to the ongoing list of oddball vocab I use for these columns. Most were Indian or medical words, since the novel
READ MOREAs promised in last week’s Weird Words round-up, here comes another baker’s dozen from the sprawling list of oddball vocab I keep for these columns. Our theme for this pair of articles has been hyphenated terms — or shall I say “two-tiered”? Or maybe “double-barreled” — if that doesn’t seem too heavy-handed … or hoity-toity.
READ MOREApril is a special month for me as a writer for Webb Weekly. It was in April of 2014 that I wrote my first article, a LION (Leader in our Neighborhood), on Kathy Fenstamaker, a mother who hosted headbanger bands for young people. For the next two years, I wrote over 80 columns on all
READ MORE