Words for today

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s Wide World of Words

to drive turkeys to market (19th century English) to walk in a drunken, unsteady manner (the turkey-driver is forced to follow the birds’ meandering course along the road)

wayzgoose (1731) an entertainment given by a master printer to his workmen, marking the beginning of work by candle-light, usually about Bartholomew-tide (August 24) consisting of an annual outing and dinner

slavermagullion (Scottish dialect) a foolish and lubberly person

Nottingham goodnight (1950s) the loud slamming of doors and saying of Goodnight by a courting couple: this supposedly reassures the listening parents, and the couple, neither of whom have left, then retire to the sofa

bunting time (1699) when the grass is high enough to hide young men


Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

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Wide World of Mottos

• Western Australia: Cygnis Insignis (Latin, "Distinguished by its swans") 

• Belize: Sub umbra floreo (Latin, "Under the shade I flourish") 

• Luxembourg: Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin (Luxembourgeois, "We want to stay what we are") 

• Romania: Desteapta-te Romane (Romanian, "Wake up, Romanian") 

• Greece: Eleutheria i thanatos (Greek, Liberty or death)

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.  

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Lost in translation . . .

WELCOME TO …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s Wide World of Language Mistakes

• In a German lift: Do not enter the lift backwards and only when lit up. 

• In a Norwegian lounge: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar. 

• For visitors to the Czech Republic: Take one of our horse-driven city tours: we guarantee no miscarriages. 

• In a German maternity ward: No children allowed in the maternity ward. 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK


Picture Credit: 54677546@N02/28917675201 Look via photopin.com

Danish favourites . . .

• cowboybukser - jeans
• hinke - hopping on one leg
• raevesøvn - sleeping with one eye open
• morgenfrisk - fresh from a good night’s sleep
• baderotte - a beach thief 
• elastikspring - bungee jumping 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Wide World of Product Names

ADAM Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

• Skum – Swedish Confectionery 

• Crap - French chocolate 

• Dribly - Italian lemonade 

• Zit - Greek lemon and lime soft drink 

• Schmuck - German confectionery 

• Bang Bang - Spanish chewing gum 

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Adam Jacot de Boinod’s Wide World of Words – Ireland

grace-card (Irish mid 19C) the six of hearts in cards

the boy with the boots (Anglo-Irish late 19C) the joker in the pack of cards

smut (Dublin) the remains of a nearly burnt-out candle

gudget (Donegal) a short thick-set man

clitherer (Hiberno-English, Galway) a woman with too much to say

crawthumper (Hiberno-English) an ostentatiously devout person


Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK


Picture Credit: 72959997@N00/27683678883">Double Entendre Bar</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com

Adam Jacot de Boinod gets lost in translation

• Pepsi’s slogan ‘Come Alive with Pepsi’ was dropped in China after it was translated as Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave’. 

• When General Motors tried to market the Chevy Nova car in Central and South America, they overlooked the fact that No va means, ‘it doesn't go’ in Spanish. 

• When American Airlines wanted to advertise its leather first class seats in the Mexican market, it translated its ‘Fly In Leather’ campaign literally, which meant (vuela en cuero) Fly Naked in Spanish. 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK


Picture Credit: 39160147@N03/27256764966">Pepsi Emoji Displays, 5/2016, pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube #Pepsi #Emojis</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com

Welcome to …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s

Wide World of Language Mistakes

• On a detour sign in Japan: Stop: Drive Sideways 

• In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: We take your bags and send them in all directions 

• Over the bathroom sink in a Mexican hotel: The water has been passed personally by the hotel manager 

• In a hotel room in Cambodia: Sorry for guests who have problem, and thank for guests who have no problem 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Welcome to … Wales

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s  -

Wide World of Words - Wales


gambo a home-made cart, often incorporating old pram wheels (also called a bono - short for boneshaker or a bogey)

bar cwtch! a warning for others to stay away from one’s cwtch (spot, place) while picking blackberries etc.

blaggudy rough, dirty (esp. of a football or rugby team)

yorks the practice of tying colliers’ and other workmen’s trousers above the ankles to prevent dirt and dust from reaching the upper parts of the body


Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Wide World of Product Names

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s   Wide World of Product Names

• Polio - Czech detergent 

• Vaccine - Dutch aftershave 

• Climax - Kenyan disinfectant 

• Naked - New Zealand fruit and nut bar 

• Noisy - French butter 

• Last Climax - Japanese tissues 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Welcome to …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s

Wide World of Words - Scotland

raw-gabbit speaking confidentially on a subject of which one is ignorant

maulifuff a woman without energy; a young woman who makes much fuss and accomplishes very little

ramstamphish rough, blunt, unceremonious; forward and noisy

pursy (Scottish dialect) short-breathed and fat

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: 32136271@N08/28784092822">A Thussel!</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Wide World of Language Mistakes

In a Rome laundry: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

On a box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong: Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life.

In a Thai advertisement for donkey rides: We have our own ass if you would like to take a ride.


Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: 82186157@N00/12622037773">Failure to communicate</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com

Welcome to …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s  Wide World of Words

gulch (Newfoundland English 1895) to frequent a sheltered hollow for sexual intimacy

exhibition meal (Hobo slang) a handout eaten on the doorstep: the madam wants the neighbours to witness her generosity

growlery (Dickens: Bleak House 1852) a place to growl in; jocularly applied to a person’s private sitting room

shangle (Cumberland + Westmoreland dialects) to fasten a tin or kettle to a dog’s tail

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK