Primeval and Tongues
Watched Primeval last night. I love it, personally. But I have to admit, the acting is very uneven, the script is often bad, and the CGI is absolutely terrible. However, it's saved by having a reasonable plot, by the fact that Douglas Henshall is a wonderful actor, by Connor being sweet and geeky, by Claudia/Jenny being hot... and by Robin Hood and Dr Who not being on at the moment to give an alternative for 7pm Saturday viewing ;)
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Read something in the Telegraph about Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811). It's here. I didn't know an academy was a brothel or that an active citizen was a louse. You might get past 'a'.
ETA: Some highlights...
AEGROTAT, (CAMBRIDGE), A certificate from the apothecary
that you are INDISPOSED, (i. e.) to go to chapel. He
sports an Aegrotat, he is sick, and unable to attend Chapel.
or Hall. It does not follow, however, but that he can STRUM
A PIECE, or sport a pair of oars.
AMBASSADOR. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or
landsman, frequently played on board ships in the warm
latitudes. It is thus managed: A large tub is filled with
water, and two stools placed on each side of it. Over
the whole is thrown a tarpaulin, or old sail: this is
kept tight by two persons, who are to represent the king
and queen of a foreign country, and are seated on the
stools. The person intended to be ducked plays the Ambassador,
and after repeating a ridiculous speech dictated
to him, is led in great form up to the throne, and seated
between the king and queen, who rising suddenly as soon
as he is seated, he falls backwards into the tub of water.
ARBOR VITAE. A man's penis.
ARTHUR, KING ARTHUR, A game used at sea, when near
the line, or in a hot latitude. It is performed thus: A man
who is to represent king Arthur, ridiculously dressed,
having a large wig made out of oakum, or some old swabs, is
seated on the side, or over a large vessel of water. Every
person in his turn is to be ceremoniously introduced to
him, and to pour a bucket of water over him, crying,
hail, king Arthur! if during this ceremony the person
introduced laughs or smiles (to which his majesty endeavours
to excite him, by all sorts of ridiculous gesticulations), he
changes place with, and then becomes, king Arthur, till
relieved by some brother tar, who has as little command
over his muscles as himself.
STRUM. A perriwig. Rum strum: a fine large wig.
(CAMBRIDGE) To do a piece. Foeminam subagitare. CANT.
To STRUM. To have carnal knowledge of a woman; also to
play badly on the harpsichord; or any other stringed
instrument. A strummer of wire, a player on any instrument
strung with wire.
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ETA: just when I'd got used to the tags box putting spaces in automatically, it stops. Wha?
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Read something in the Telegraph about Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811). It's here. I didn't know an academy was a brothel or that an active citizen was a louse. You might get past 'a'.
ETA: Some highlights...
AEGROTAT, (CAMBRIDGE), A certificate from the apothecary
that you are INDISPOSED, (i. e.) to go to chapel. He
sports an Aegrotat, he is sick, and unable to attend Chapel.
or Hall. It does not follow, however, but that he can STRUM
A PIECE, or sport a pair of oars.
AMBASSADOR. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or
landsman, frequently played on board ships in the warm
latitudes. It is thus managed: A large tub is filled with
water, and two stools placed on each side of it. Over
the whole is thrown a tarpaulin, or old sail: this is
kept tight by two persons, who are to represent the king
and queen of a foreign country, and are seated on the
stools. The person intended to be ducked plays the Ambassador,
and after repeating a ridiculous speech dictated
to him, is led in great form up to the throne, and seated
between the king and queen, who rising suddenly as soon
as he is seated, he falls backwards into the tub of water.
ARBOR VITAE. A man's penis.
ARTHUR, KING ARTHUR, A game used at sea, when near
the line, or in a hot latitude. It is performed thus: A man
who is to represent king Arthur, ridiculously dressed,
having a large wig made out of oakum, or some old swabs, is
seated on the side, or over a large vessel of water. Every
person in his turn is to be ceremoniously introduced to
him, and to pour a bucket of water over him, crying,
hail, king Arthur! if during this ceremony the person
introduced laughs or smiles (to which his majesty endeavours
to excite him, by all sorts of ridiculous gesticulations), he
changes place with, and then becomes, king Arthur, till
relieved by some brother tar, who has as little command
over his muscles as himself.
STRUM. A perriwig. Rum strum: a fine large wig.
(CAMBRIDGE) To do a piece. Foeminam subagitare. CANT.
To STRUM. To have carnal knowledge of a woman; also to
play badly on the harpsichord; or any other stringed
instrument. A strummer of wire, a player on any instrument
strung with wire.
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ETA: just when I'd got used to the tags box putting spaces in automatically, it stops. Wha?