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ESL forum >
Games, activities and teaching ideas > Easter Word of the Day , March 31st - THE WINNER
Easter Word of the Day , March 31st - THE WINNER
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elderberrywine
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Easter Word of the Day , March 31st - THE WINNER
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Hello everybody, I �m sorry I never noticed I had won the last word of the day almost two weeks ago.
http://www.eslprintables.com/forum/topic.asp?id=40578
I had got so used to NOT winning ..
Anyway, here we go with a new WOD.
Remember the rules: this is NOT about finding the correct meaning of the word (everyone can look that up in three seconds flat), but to find an interesting, funny, creative re-definition of what the word MIGHT mean. I will choose the winner on April 2nd, so get your brains into motion!
And LES . we haven´t heard from you for a long time! Where are you??
Here �s the word: ..............legerdemain................
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31 Mar 2013
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dmharg
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I use legerdemain to entertain my friends and my students sometimes:) It is all these tricks a magician uses!!! |
31 Mar 2013
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elderberrywine
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Desmina, this game is NOT about giving the correct definition of a word, but about making one up for everybody to enjoy!
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31 Mar 2013
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dmharg
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Well in that case , you could say that legerd comes from legend + main is the main legend of a country |
31 Mar 2013
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cunliffe
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Legerdemain is the rather archaic term for the top judge �s top drawer. This is where all the legislation is kept, all the important laws of the land are stored in the legerdemain. I say it �s a bit archaic, cos now everything �s on computer. The legerdemain has become a museum piece. |
31 Mar 2013
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anitarobi
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LEGERDEMAIN is actually the wrong spelling for a luxurious tomorrow (leger-luxury, demain-tomorrow, French). It was first used by poor, illiterate people who figured out everyone would be better off knowing how to write and read, so they became TEACHERS. Their hope was that they would help others and provide themselves with a better tomorrow. As they progressed toward better spellers and became teachers, they realised their hope was only half-way right - they did help others live a better life. Disappointed with only 50% of success, they gave up on trying to fix the misspelling of this word and kept it as a reminder to always be careful what you wish for. |
31 Mar 2013
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Pelletrine
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I guess we �ll have to make a journey back to the Norman Conquest to find the real daffination ;o) - Well, William was warsome. Instantly, I bet,he introduced, in every in-occupied inland instant installment ... of French.
leger = light, demain= tomorrow ... very soon became the hopes and dreams of every French nobleman used to �carpe diem � ...
- �tomorrow� had to be as light as �today �
Anita: I think you �re very close, but we must look at the roots of the expression, mustn�t we ? ;o))) : - in 1066, the noble people didn�t really care about poor people�s well-being... but it might have become so afterwards ;o))
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31 Mar 2013
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anitarobi
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@Pelletrine: agreed, but TEACHERS always care(d) about people, being a special, almost mutant, breed of people, right? (sorry, couldn �t help it - just watched X-men First Class with my teenage son)...
Anyway, for William it was all light, I bet... |
31 Mar 2013
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ldthemagicman
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Dear �Elderberrywine�,
Did you see on the News that a group of thieves who were robbing the Bank of England fell into a tub of quick-drying cement?
The Police are seeking a gang of hardened criminals.
Elderberrywine, how delightful to receive an invitation to �play with you�, (if you will pardon the expression). I�m flattened! (Sorry! I have NOT had an accident with a falling piano --- I should have written: �I�m flattered.�)
At first sight, the word �legerdemain� appears to be French in origin = �Le Gerde Main�. But those of you who possess a 1763 copy of �Mangled Franglais� by M. Font le Pont, will know that �Main� is feminine, not masculine. (Hence the French expression: �The Hand that rocks the Cradle rules the World.�)
Moreover, I am overwhelmed that someone should suggest that �prestidigitation� is a synonym of �legerdemain�. Vice-versa, yes, but not, verse-visa. I am completely underwhelmed when I hear people preach such claptrap.
The word is TOTALLY English in origin.
�Leg ER de main�.
This refers to the MAIN/principal/most important LEG of our beloved sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, ER, (Elizabeth Regina).
I have signed the Official Secrets Act. Consequently, I have no intention of telling you, or anybody else, which LEG of Her Majesty, the right or the left, is more important than the other. To do so would earn me 30 years in the Tower of London, or cancellation of my Free Bus Pass, (whichever occurs first.)
I�m sorry, but for reasons of National Security, my lips are sealed. (In addition, I�ve just been sucking a tube of Superglue!)
Les Douglas
P.S. Both of us know, don�t we Elderberrywine, that �Legerdemain� is an anagram of �German --- leide!� |
31 Mar 2013
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MarionG
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As you may be aware, in Belgium both Dutch and French are official languages. Most of the Belgians prefer one of the two but at least in school they have to study both.
The word �legerdemain � is a result of this biliguality (is that a word?)..
It is not very common nowadays since there is no draft in Belgium anymore (for the army that is, beer there is plenty - thank god!)
Legerdemain is made up from two distinct words - and languages. �leger � means �army � in Dutch, and �demain � -as some have pointed out already- means �tomorrow � in French.
A "legerdemain" n(army tomorrow) is the party held for a new conscript, the night before he has to go into the army. The idea at these parties is to get sooo drunk you don �t know the difference between French and Dutch anymore. A variation on the stag parties held nowadays for those about to get married...
ps. exactly one month form now my son has to report for the draft...hence the inspiration |
1 Apr 2013
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