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Apr 18, 2003

This week's theme
Words derived from many different languages

This week's words
sangfroid
dragoman
hinterland
apparat
blighty

Next week's theme
Toponyms

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blighty

Blighty (BLY-tee) noun, also blighty

1. England as one's home.
2. Military leave.
3. Wounds that secure a soldier return to home.

[From Hindi vilayati (foreign, European), from vilayet (foreign country), from Arabic wilaya (province).]

"The irony of his (Mick Jagger's) knighthood is that it suggests the strutting, posturing rock rebel is, after all, just another product of the post-war bourgeoisie who secretly craves the respect of the Establishment -- respect that a title, in status-conscious Blighty, guarantees. Membership of one of London's famously stuffy old gentleman's clubs can be expected to follow."
The Satisfaction of a Title; The Evening Post (Wellington, New Zealand); Jun, 17, 2002.

"Parents in Blighty have complained a TV ad showing electric eels slithering out of taps and toilets is making their kids afraid to go to the bathroom."
First Light; The Edmonton Sun (Canada); Jun 13, 2002.

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