Quirky English Language

This news item caught my fancy:

Deipnosophists, stridewallops and shot-clogs - wondering what these words mean? Well, these are some of the lost words in English language assembled by Adam Jacot de Boinod.

Shot clog is an Elizabethan word for a drinking companion who is only tolerated because he pays, while stridewallop is a Yorkshire term for a tall and awkward woman.

Deipnosophist is a Jacobean word for a skillful dinner conversationalist.

All these quirky words had been lost over a period of time, the Telegraph reports.

However, Boinod has included them in his new book 'The Wonder of Whiffling'.

He writes in the introduction of the book: "As a self-confessed bowerbird (one who collects an astonishing array of sometimes useless objects), I've greatly enjoyed putting together this collection.

"I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading it, and that it saves you both from mulligrubs, depression of spirits, and onomatomania, vexation in having difficulty finding the right word."

Some other extraordinary words include crambazzled, which is used to refer to someone who is prematurely aged through drink and a dissolute life.

Word from overseas like 'twack' have also been incorporated.