Reading and Language 06 Jan 2006 10:19 pm
Almost as “servile” is to “cervical”
Things I think late at night: “apple” is to “apical” as “tipple” is to “typical” and “topple” is to “topical”. Also, less neatly, as “vessel” is to “vesicle”. I start thinking things like this around 3:30 a.m., hoping that juggling words will help me sleep, and then they wind up keeping me awake even later.
Oh, I wish for some good reason to say in conversation, “My typical tipple is to topple the topical.” Unfortunately, I’m not quite sure what it might mean. But it’s fun to say. (Come to think of it, there’s a passage in Ojos de Brujo’s “Zambra” that sounds an awful lot like that.)
on 06 Jan 2006 at 10:26 pm 1.Ted said …
I want to play Apples to Apicals.
on 06 Jan 2006 at 10:28 pm 2.Ted said …
Oh, and “veal” to “vehicle”?
Mmm, nah.
on 06 Jan 2006 at 10:29 pm 3.Cam Sculpin said …
Yeah! I think so! Close enough for me anyway. Or “till” and “tickle”.
on 06 Jan 2006 at 10:36 pm 4.Josh said …
After reviewing the minutes of the meetings of a small and misguided chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the members of which had decided that the best way to prevent drunk driving was to lie in wait outside bars, knock over patrons as they left and steal their keys, I have determined that the typical topic was toppling tipplers.
on 06 Jan 2006 at 11:57 pm 5.Ted said …
Typical to pick a topic of toppled tipplers? That’s tip-top! (ick)
on 07 Jan 2006 at 6:29 am 6.Mia said …
Maybe not “servile” but serval is to cervical?
Rattle is to radical? Or ratical — those radical rats.
on 07 Jan 2006 at 12:32 pm 7.cookiecrumb said …
Picking on pickled tipplers? Toppling was the topic? Typical. Somebody give them a medical medal.
on 10 Jan 2006 at 10:11 pm 8.GPq said …
pill : pickle :: oral : oracle?
on 13 Jan 2006 at 11:35 pm 9.Cam Sculpin said …
And maybe “tactile” and “tactical”.