Some words from "The Meaning of Liff"
by Graham 
In 1983 Douglas Adams and John Lloyd created "The Meaning of Liff". The idea behind the book was that there are many situations in life which we instincively know and recognize, but for which no words exist. However, there are words everywhere in the country, sitting up above the ground on road signs pointing to places. The book was a comedy attempt to get those words into general usage in English. This has worked to a limited extent. I once overheard a shopper in Tescos in Richmond-Upon-Thames complain to her husband "this trolley has a Motspur" while I was in the check-out line one day.
One of the cool features of the 1983 original was the use of the pocket diary size for the book, which made it more of an overt reference guide instead of a conventional book.
Unfortunately, Adams and Lloyd tried to create follow-ups to the original book ("The Deeper Meaning of Liff" etc. etc.). These suffered from not being as funny as the original, and also from being published in a more conventional book layout.
So, as a gift for 2006, here are some words chosen at random from "The Meaning of Liff":
Affpuddle (n.)
A puddle which is hidden under a paving stone. You only know it's there when you step on the paving stone and the puddle shoots up your leg.
Curry Mallett (n.)
A large wooden or rubber club with which poachers dispatch cats or other game which they can only sell to Indian restaurants. For particularly small cats the price obtainable is not worth the cost of expending ammunition.
Glentaggart (n.)
A particular kind of tartan bag, made exclusively under license for British Airways.
When waiting to collect your baggage from an airport baggage claim, you will notice that on the next claim there is always a single solitary bag going around and around uncollected. This is a Glentaggart, which has been placed there by the baggage handlers to take your mind off the fact that your own luggage will shortly be landing in Vladivostok...
Iping (vb.)
The increasingly anxious shifting from leg to leg you go through when you are desperate to go to the restroom , but the person you are talking to keeps on remembering a few final things he wants to mention.
Kalami (n.)
The ancient Eastern art of being able to fold road-maps properly.
Little Urswick (n.)
The member of a class of children who most inclines a teacher towards the view that capital punishment should be introduced in schools.
Motspur (n.)
The fourth wheel on the supermarket trolley that looks the same as the other three, but which renders the trolley completely uncontrollable.
Nad (n.).
Unit of measure, defined as the distance between a driver's outstretched fingertips and the ticket machine in an automatic car park.
1 Nad = 18.6 cm
Pelutho (n.)
A South American ball game. The balls are whacked against the wall with a stout wooden bat until the prisoner confesses.
Trispen (n.)
A form of intelligent grass. It grows a single, tough stalk and makes its home on lawns. When it sees the lawnmower coming it lies down and pops up again after it has gone by.
12/30/05 07:31:23 pm,