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Rob Watts (RobWords)

@robwords.bsky.social

2.1K followers 48 following 450 posts

YouTube word nerd. Happy host of RobWords and the podcast Words Unravelled. https://www.youtube.com/robwords https://www.youtube.com/@wordsunravelled

www.youtube.com

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 2d

I'll take it

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 3d

It is indeed. Never far from a pie and a pint.

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Reposted by Rob Watts (RobWords)

Anthony Etherin @anthonyetherin.bsky.social · 3d

THE PRINTING PRESS (Palindrome)

Repaper:
I snap, my tone placid.
A rare vellum knits art,
no coil of fires....
Midst no felt tome,
we gape, we gage, we page,
we mottle fonts.
Dim serif,
folio,
contrast,
ink,
mull ever a radical pen....
O, tympans!
I repaper.

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 8d

I think (and the OED thinks) it's from a mispronunciation of chassé, which is a dance step. So that would mean it's not related to sash.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 14d

Thanks Brian. I'll have a gander.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 17d

"If you like, I will hot it."

I'm going to enjoy watching Daniel read this silly, silly book.

Flying Squid @flyingsquid.bsky.social · 18d

@robwords.bsky.social Your amazing video about English as She Has Spoke has prompted me to do a reading of the whole thing. Here is my intro.

#books #booksky #history #language #words #audiobook #historysky

English as She is Spoke Introduction

YouTube video by Flying Squid Studios

www.youtube.com

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 21d

Na, that J is definitely doing some work. Take it away and it goes from HUNTA to UNTA.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 22d

Ditto! But I reckon we're in the minority.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 23d

Yes! To rectify is to "make straight" and your rectum is your "straight intestine".

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 23d

Thanks, Scott

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 23d

That's the thing. It's so difficult to know what we actually say! I might well be doing the "loch" thing too.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 23d

We haven't met but I would still be willing to bet you don't actually pronounce the "ch" in psycho like the "ch" in loch.

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 23d

W[h]AT [p)SYC[h]O DESI[g]NED OUR TONG[ue]??

English has a major silent letter problem.

How did it end up this way?

Wa[t]ch my new video to find out: youtu.be/NXVqZpHY5R8

Why English is full of silent letters

YouTube video by RobWords

youtu.be

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 25d

Brilliant! Thanks.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 28d

Fippence!! You genius.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · 28d

Thanks for giving it a watch!

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 12

SPOILER: Yours truly.

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · Sep 11

Guess who crossed a whole ocean to visit me this week?

Two people standing together and smiling amid sunflowers

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 7

A "learning"

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 7

Thank you, David! We did our best.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 6

Actually, I'm not sure about "latinized". It's clearly a variant of the same word, though. It looks like a deliberate attempt to obscure the word cravat using approximate consonants.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 6

How curious. The "grabat" is just latinized "cravat" (which in turn is from the French for Croat 🇭🇷). Nothing about the word suggests collecting.

It doesn’t seem to be in any of the big dictionaries, but if tie collectors genuinely call themselves that, I guess that makes it a word!

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 4

I suppose it's because of "choose".

I'm not sure how long it takes incorrect spellings to become correct. Spelling seems much less flexible than usage.

Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 4

My mouth would be too full to saying anything. It'd be all Jess.

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 4

Also: nice.

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Rob Watts (RobWords) @robwords.bsky.social · Sep 4

Word Unravelled just hit 100k subscribers on YouTube!

For such a geeky little channel, that is fabulous. Thank you if you subscribed.

And thanks to @jesszafarris.bsky.social & @martynmnw.bsky.social for making it all so fun.

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