WORDS
#61

The ff (never Ff) is apparently an obsolete hangover from 15th century legal English handwriting, where a perfectly normal F developed extra vertical "ticks" at the end of the upper horizontal, to the point that it eventually looked like a ligature of two lowercase f's. Few surnames keep the style, but some surnames like ffoulkes, ffrench, ffarington, ffinch, ffloyd and others keep the bastardization alive. And then there are some pretentious abominations who keep the double consonant but capitalize the first: that's just plain wrong, IMO.
#62

Ah. That one I know, since I once knew a guy called ffoulkes who was at pains to point out the impossibility of entering a last name without a capital letter on many online forms.
The ff (never Ff) is apparently an obsolete hangover from 15th century legal English handwriting, where a perfectly normal F developed extra vertical "ticks" at the end of the upper horizontal, to the point that it eventually looked like a ligature of two lowercase f's. Few surnames keep the style, but some surnames like ffoulkes, ffrench, ffarington, ffinch, ffloyd and others keep the bastardization alive. And then there are some pretentious abominations who keep the double consonant but capitalize the first: that's just plain wrong, IMO.
The ff (never Ff) is apparently an obsolete hangover from 15th century legal English handwriting, where a perfectly normal F developed extra vertical "ticks" at the end of the upper horizontal, to the point that it eventually looked like a ligature of two lowercase f's. Few surnames keep the style, but some surnames like ffoulkes, ffrench, ffarington, ffinch, ffloyd and others keep the bastardization alive. And then there are some pretentious abominations who keep the double consonant but capitalize the first: that's just plain wrong, IMO.
He was Mexican, so no idea how that rule applies in Spanish. He was quite nice, except that he would kiss my hand in greeting which was a bit - odd.
#63
#68
#69

When I recall tasting the water in Bath, all I think of was warm and unpleasant.... but I should have realised it was in fact Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriol ic.
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really.
(and I don't know why this editor insists on putting a space in front of the final "ic", but it does......)
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really.

(and I don't know why this editor insists on putting a space in front of the final "ic", but it does......)
#70

When I recall tasting the water in Bath, all I think of was warm and unpleasant.... but I should have realised it was in fact Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriol ic.
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really.
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really.

#72

When I recall tasting the water in Bath, all I think of was warm and unpleasant.... but I should have realised it was in fact Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic.
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really ......
A word for us all to remember, describing as it does the equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-oxidy taste of the water..... obvious really ......

#73


Vitriol as an expression is shorthand for oil of vitriol, i.e. that liquid that causes vitriol to be produced, i.e. sulphuric acid.
Bath water was great for swimming - it once had cheap public swimming poools heated by the natural spring water..... the Cross bath, the Royal bath and the Beau street baths, but then the council decided to buils a soulless "heath centre" like everywhere else and abandoned the central pools. There was a story that someone might have contracted diptheria from the untreated water and it gave the council all the excuse they needed to sell off the sites to a private concern.

Last edited by macliam; May 7th 2020 at 4:46 pm.
#74

My error, I should have described the taste as equally salty, chalky, waxy, aluminous, copper-sulphatey...... a vitriol is a sulphate, caused by the action of "oil of vitriol" on a metal. Chemistry never was my subject 
Vitriol as an expression is shorthand for oil of vitriol, i.e. that liquid that causes vitriol to be produced, i.e. sulphuric acid.

Vitriol as an expression is shorthand for oil of vitriol, i.e. that liquid that causes vitriol to be produced, i.e. sulphuric acid.
#75

