As both of my regular readers might know, I'm very keen on word games, and keen also to use them to help me learn languages.
Now there are lots of games involving the use of a dictionary ... one excellent one is the very instructive " how far can you throw your dictionary" but that's probably not going to a be a big help language-wise, unless you use it as a sort of platform on which to use your "complaining loudly" French/Latin/Welsh/Spanish skills ( Zut, Eheu,Rarglwyd, Zas) .
No ... but the other day I think I invented a new dictionary game which is actually quite interesting and educational. Mind you, I've thought I've invented new ideas in the past......... I thought of it while I was "doing" French actually... here's the story ...
I was leafing through my favourite French dictionary, "Le Robert & Collins <poche> Française-Anglais Anglais-Français " .... and noticed the words jet and jetable right next to each other ....
...and thought " that's nice" ... the disposable jet ........ le jet jetable !
... and then I thought, as you do ... well, maybe I can find some more pairs like that, right next to each other on the page, and making a neat little ,er, pair.
So, dear reader, I had a look .... if you want to get to the Welsh bit, feel free to whizz along a bit, but isn't it nice to think that you might be witnessing the birth of a new idea that will sweep the Universe (?) ... (???)
le violon violet the purple violin ( I've seen those in the shops)
le vermine vermoulu the worm-eaten vermin ( lots in my garden)
l'arbalète arbitraire the arbitrary crossbow ( pretty dangerous )
le fichu fichu the rotten headscarf ( or the lousy headscarf)
le Verseau versé the well-versed Aquarius ( I'm Sagittarius me)
le signet significatif the meaningful bookmark ( I've got a few)*
le seuil seul the lonely doorstep ( great title for a children's book )
la rasade ras the full glassful ( rarely seen served in pubs)
le ragoût ragoütant the unsavoury stew ( often seen served in pubs)
le trépied trépidant the pulsating tripod.
la véliplanchiste velléitaire the indecisive windsurfer
le tamis tamisé the subdued sieve
le tacot taciturne the silent old banger
le tabouret tabou the forbidden stool
le surnom surnaturel the supernatural surname
l'ocean ocre the ochre ocean
l'oiseau oisif the idle bird
l'omoplate omnisports the general-purpose shoulder-blade
That was about 2 x 20 minutes of searching, and I haven't shown you the ones that weren't particularly interesting like " le volaille volage" .. the fickle fowl .... mind you, it could come in useful I suppose.
OK Welsh fans ... now I am going to try it using a Welsh dictionary. I'm starting with Mr Gruffudd's "Welsh Learner's Dictionary" .. I sat in the park this afternoon with the dog and tried to find some nifty Welsh pairings in it ... so here's some ... remember, the two words have to be right next to each other in whatever dictionary you are using ...
twnnel twp stupid tunnel
selsigen selog zealous sausage
olew olaf last oil
iau iau younger liver
llofnod lloerig lunatic signature
llidiart llidus inflamed gate
neidr neilltuol special snake
nith niwclear nuclear niece
organ oren orange organ
simne siwan unsteady chimney
mewnwr mewnol internal scrum-half
glin glew brave knee
godineb godidog splendid adultery
utgorn uwch louder trumpet
eog eofn fearless salmon
afalans afiach unhealthy avalanche
cyfweliad cyfyng narrow interview
chwiorydd chwim fast sisters
chwyn chwyldroadol revolutionary weeds
byrfodd byrwyll rash abbreviation
I've not bothered putting on lots of others I came across... they were too obvious, too boring etc .... stuff like plwyf plwyfol .. parochial parish, uchelwr uchelgeisiol... ambitious nobleman, eglurhad eglur ... clear explanation etc, plus a few that would be the butt of dodgy jokes like gwyryf °wyrthiol .... I'll leave you to translate that one. That little circle ° means there's been an SM ... it's what Mr King uses. It's one of those rash abbreviations I expect.
I think you'll agree that nothing in that list matches what I got from the French dictionary ... but, it was a much bigger dictionary and I suspect that when I try this with a larger dictionary I will get more ridiculous and silly pairings. .... more news on that ....