Doug wrote: 
Ronn Blankenship wrote:

>> Ray wrote:
>> 
>>> Well said Doug. Like many others, I too have had a gutful of obfuscatory
>>> arguments and macaronic pedantry.
>>> 
>> "Macaronic"?
>> 
> 
> Characterized by a mixture of two languages (m-w.com)  Cool word.  I thought
> it was some derivation of macaroni before I looked it up and, in fact:
> "Etymology: New Latin macaronicus, from Italian dialect maccarone macaroni"
> Hmmmm

Having recently re-read Uplift War which contained some very obscure words*,
I thought I'd get my own back by throwing in a good word :-)
Macaronic can also mean "pertaining to a Macaroni". Also more relevantly, "a
jumble; or conceited". I used it because of the kerfuffle over a particular
German word, but to be honest, the main attraction was its similarity to
"moronic" ;-)

* I remember an ancient discussion onlist about the word allochroos(sp?)
which I don't think was resolved. Two others I recall from TUW were atrichic
and bromopnean whose meanings I can't find, any ideas? Any idea on the
meaning of morcheeba?

Regards, Ray. 

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