The, "I have a question," thread

[The Call of the Wendigo]

Why can you be extinguished and distinguished but you can't be tinguished?

[Fangirl Three]

The Latin words that they derive from are ex-stinguo and di-stinguo, so if there was an English word derived from the root it would be stinguished, not tinguished.

[The Call of the Wendigo]

Thank you, Fangirl.

[Nightjar]

Why can you be expunged and impinged but you can't be umpenguished?

[Fangirl Three]

Despite their surface resemblance, expunge and impinge come from different roots.

expunge < expungere < ex-pungere, to delete something by pricking holes through the paper/parchment (pungere = to pr1ck)

impinge < impingere < im-pangere, to drive into (pangere=to fix or drive)

[Nightjar]

OK, what about the word "gormless"?

If you're especially sharp, intelligent and on-the-ball does it mean you're replete with "gorm"?

[The Call of the Wendigo]

impinge < impingere < im-pangere, to drive into Pangea.

[Fangirl Three]

If you're especially sharp, intelligent and on-the-ball does it mean you're replete with "gorm"?

More or less.

There was a dead word 'gom' or 'gome' which meant 'attention, notice, care'. The last citation in mainstream English is from 1410. 'gom' went out of use but 'gormless' survived.

It survives in dialects as 'gaum' or 'gawm'.

[Guest]

Did James Brown and George Clinton ever meet?

[flibbington2.0]

When did onions change?
As a fliblet I'd always tear up when chopping an onion. Hasn't happened in at least a decade.
Was the teary eye element modified out of them?

[Butterfield]

Or maybe you've become immune to them.

[Guest]

Do Steam ever have holiday specials/money off vouchers?

I think I want to buy a game, but £6.99 looks a bit pricey.

[Nightjar]

When was the last time anyone saw red spider mites?

[Guest]

A couple of days ago. They seem to like my front door.

[Nightjar]

I don't think I've seen any since I was a small.

[Butterfield]

I remember there being millions of them in an area by the playground at my primary school. Funnily enough, I saw some on some rocks whilst I was in Dorset last week. I think I've seen one or two in my bedroom over the years, usually going around the ceiling.

[The Call of the Wendigo]

I've not seen any in years.

[The Call of the Wendigo]

And I've not seen a harvestman or an earwig since I was at school.

[Butterfield]

I saw an earwig the other day, there's often one around the green (garden waste) wheelie bin.

[Butterfield]

I saw a harvestman last year in Northumberland. It was on my bed.

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