Bonnyclabber – Wordplay Wednesday™ 03/13/2019

Green Milk ~ Ew? Or Yum! 

When Americans think of Ireland, we often imagine rural farmers and green pastures. Though it has its urbanites, as we do, much of the rural vernacular with roots in the kitchen, still permeates modern syntax.

BONNYCLABBER* (bänʹē klab’ɘr) n. – [derived from Irish] thickly curdled sour milk.  [WW #207]

In case you don’t spend all that much kitchen time using the multitude of baking dishes languishing in your cupboards, you may not know that your bonnyclabber could be useful, rather than distasteful.

Baking and cooking with bonnyclabber not only brightens your yummy baked goods, but utilizes a food product you would normally toss down the sink.

Put the milk carton back in the fridge and mark it “FOR BAKING” and have a fun weekday event baking pies on “Pi Day”—March 14^th—or an aromatic weekend of green Irish shamrock cookies for St. Patrick’s Day! (March 17^th) Your bonnyclabber will fit right in.

And if you want a little more Irish to go with your week and Irish-American Heritage Month, a straight-from-Ireland word will motivate you to enjoy a jaunty jig or two when your yummy pies, cookies and cakes are done!

 

IRISH WORDPLAY WEDNESDAY: BACHRAM (“BOCH-rum”): Bachram is boisterous, rambunctious behavior, but it can also be used figuratively for a sudden or violent downpour of rain.

We’ll skip the downpour of rain—had enough for the winter—so let’s get bachram and tip a pint of green beer to go with our bonnyclabber pie. Gabháil le do shláinte agus do shaibhreas! (Cheers to your health and wealth!)

This week, grab your copy of Paddy’s Request, a delightful tongue-in-cheek eBook that perpetuates the fun myth of St. Patrick and the snakes, by the inimitable John F. Harnish. Curl up with your fave green libation, and enjoy your tasty treats made with bonnyclabber while you read!

Word Challenge: BACHRAM (Irish) / BONNYCLABBER*. I don’t know about you, but when I bake with libation in hand, I can become a tad bachram. Makes it tough to measure the ingredients! Enjoy, as you fit bonnyclabber into your week of Celtic writing. (*Bonnyclabber is in the English dictionary.)

Learning knows no prejudices or boundaries, and it isn’t fattening! Expanding your mind is a no-cost, simple joy. Do you feel that way too? What’s your inspiration? Share your creative genius and Wordplay Wednesday comments below.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle) 

Cheers to learning a new word on Wordplay Wednesday!

           

@PenchantForPen

@Irishwriter

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series about pioneering R&R Radio DJs. The true behind-the-mic tales make GREAT Holiday Gifts available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!

E-N-Dzzzzzzzz  

Wordplay Wednesday™ March 15, 2017 – Banjaxed

St. Paddy’s Day … after ... with Attitudes & Platitudes 

When it comes to slang, we all have our childhood telltale signs of origin. When you least expect it, a down-home expression creeps into your upper crust city talk, and your cover is blown.

Sometimes, though, you simply enjoying messing with your friends. Want to sound like you’re from Ireland the day after St. Patrick’s Day? 🍀

BANJAXED (banʹjaxt) vt. – not in the English dictionary (imagine that). It is, however, bandied about on the Emerald Isle. From an Irish-Information.com newsletter, “An oft-heard and seldom questioned word that is uttered throughout Ireland. It not only sounds great but can be applied to a number of situations! It essentially means broken, beyond repair, in a bad way.” [WW #103]

I laughed out loud when I read their first of four examples, “I'm banjaxed after last night! (After a few pints.)” Ah yes, the Irish bear a mostly exaggerated drunken stigma, though seriously, drinking has little to do with heritage. It has everything to do with attitude—now that we claim.

While everyone else laments they tied one on, were three sheets to the wind, snookered, toasted, hammered, mangled, drunk as a skunk, wankered, or wasted, you can be the cream of the after-party in your slurred Irish lilt with, “Man, I’m banjaxed today from last night’s partying … let’s have another go!”

A word to the wise who don’t drink and drive, or simply don’t drink, it’s easy to still be part of the day-after festivities. Dive into your best acting mode and put on a show worthy of banjaxed. If they weren’t with you the night before, they’ll never know and your party reputation is safe.

Whether you toast with ale or ade (Kool-Aid, Gatorade …) on St. Paddy’s Day, or any day, start with a few Irish toasts of wit and wisdom.

Selected toasts from IrishCentral.com:

May your giving hand never fail you.

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.

Dung hills rise and castles fall, we are all equal one and all.

And in case you need a refresher course—it’s St. “Paddy’s” Day, not St. “Patty’s” Day. To get in the Irish mood, a couple of fun, fresh takes for a wee $1.23, of St. Patrick’s infamous snakes myth, by John F. Harnish. St. Paddy’s Request.

Word Challenge: BANJAXED. Irish or other, a twisted toast to your brother: Thank God Mother had another! Be creative and insert banjaxed into your week of drunken writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others.

A little Irish ditty for you!

GENTLEMAN GEORGE

So, Gentleman George

How are you today

Lickety-split

You’re on your way!

Goin’ to the market

Or off to the sea

Gentleman George

Would ya like some tea?

What’s the hurry

Stop for a while

Chat with your friends

And lend them a smile!

See the redhead

Pourin’ yer beer

Gentleman George

She’s callin’, ya hear?

Give ‘er a wink

Tell her a tale

Not a whopper, ya see

Not as big as a whale!

Oh, a wife ye got

And a kid or two

Oh, Gentleman George

Now, what’ll ya do?

Don’t listen, ya hear

To yer devil within

For ya’ll feel much better

When yer t’home, my friend!

Good man, Gentleman George!

© 2001, L.Rochelle

'Til next time ... Sláinte and enjoy a wonderful "wordful" week …

                       

@PenchantForPen

@Irishwriter

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