Funny Old English Words

As language evolves the words that we use change. Sometimes this is a good things as many Old English words are hard to pronounce...

 

Other times we stopped using some pretty good words. There are a lot of funny Old English words that have been forgotten. Today we are going to look at some of my favourites...

1) Gardyloo: What you yelled out to warn pedestrians that you were about to empty your bed pan out the window onto the street below.

Used in a sentence: 'Gardyloo!' (splat).

2) Ugsome: Another way of saying loathsome.

Used in a sentence: That person who emptied their bed pan onto the street is an 'ugsome' individual.

3) Logodaedalus: Someone who has great skill in the use of language.

Used in a sentence: He may be a 'logodaedalus' but it still doesn't take away from the fact that he emptied his bed pan onto the street below.

4) Grouthead: Another way of saying blockhead.

Used in a sentence: Run, that 'grouthead' is emptying his bed pan again!

5) Clapperdudgeon: A beggar or someone who pretends to be diseased to illicit donation from passer-bys.

Used in a sentence: Hey, he hit that 'clapperdudgeon' when he emptied his bed pan onto the street below!

6) Dacryopoes: To excite to tears or the tears that you have when you cut into an onion.

Used in a sentence: When they ended the practise of emptying bed pans onto the street below people had a fit of 'dacryopoes.'

Now lets put all of these funny Old English words into one sentence:

I had 'dacryopoes' when I saw that 'ugsome' 'grouthead' who is also a 'logodaedalus' yell, "Gardyloo!" only to hit that 'clapperdudgeon' with what was in his bed pan.

I think that having read this article you have now gained a greater appreciation for modern day plumbing. But I hope that you will also see the necessity for bringing some of these funny Old English words back into modern usage.

I beg of you...Nay, I demand that you go forth and blog these words back into existence! Email someone right now and tell them about some ugsome article that you've just read. If someone asks you for spare change, shout, "Away with you, clapperdudgeon!" For these words are too good to just let die and must be brought back so that future generations will have the opportunity to use them.