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A.Word.A.Day--dragoman dragoman (DRAG-uh-man) noun, plural dragomans or dragomen An interpreter or guide. [The word took a scenic route to its present form via French, Italian, and medieval Latin/Greek, from Arabic tarjuman, from Aramaic turgemana, from Akkadian targumanu (interpreter).] "Soon, (Art) Buchwald set himself up as the laughing dragoman to American celebrities. The foster home boy became Our Man in Paris. He took Elvis Presley to the Lido." Lance Morrow; Franglais Spoken Here; Time (New York); Sep 30, 1996. "Born in Jerusalem, he (Wadie Said) went from being a dragoman to a salesman in the United States and thence to a hugely successful businessman in Egypt, running a stationery importing firm." Penelope Lively; Books: Out of Place: State of Confusion; The Guardian (London, UK); Oct 9, 1999. This week's theme: words derived from many different languages. X-Bonus I don't need time. What I need is a deadline. -Duke Ellington, jazz pianist, composer, and conductor (1899-1974)

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