The New Cool Word

I just took this awesome joke and put it onto a nice background. For grammar lovers.

What it means

‘Orgulous’ is an adjective meaning haughty, proud or disdainful. Other synonyms include ostentatious (that’s a good one, too) and showy. That’s a useful one. As an adverb, it’s ‘orgulously’. 

Where it comes from

I was looking up words that Shakespeare had apparently brought into common usage, and I found this beauty on the list. He used it in his tragedy, Troilus and Cressida:

In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Greece
The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed,
Have to the port of Athens sent their ships,
Fraught with the ministers and instruments
Of cruel war:

But after some research I soon found that it wasn’t Shakespeare who first used this gem. According to the Merriam Webster (online) dictionary, the first known usage is from the 13th century. Wikitionary shows the etymology as, From Middle English orgulous, orgeilous, from Old French orgueilleus, orguillus (“proud”), from orgoil, orgueil (“pride”), from Old Low Frankish *urgol (“pride”). Cognate with Old High German urguol (“excellent”), Old English orgel (“pride”). More at orgul.

It’s nice and old, and therefore totally ready for a comeback.

Why it’s the new cool word

It’s the way orgulous rolls off the tongue. The contrast between the hard ‘org’ and the softer ‘lous’ is wonderful. And let’s face it, there are never enough words to describe a proud, ostentatious character, because there sure are a lot of them. 

How we should use it

I don’t know why, but I keep pairing with fellow. ‘He’s an orgulous fellow’, but I feel like that comes across far too sweet. Hearing ‘orgulous’ gives me quite a strong negative nuance, so I propose it’s use that way. The orgulous fellow I’m picturing is that annoying guy that everyone knows, who thinks he’s above everyone else, and likes to show it. 

Basically, he thinks his shit don’t stink. But doesn’t orgulous sound so much better than that?

What it means

‘Shabberoon’ has a few different meanings, but is most commonly known as (old) British slang for a ‘ferub’ (another great word, meaning pitiful) fellow, a ragamuffin (also awesome) or a tramp. A few online dictionaries also had it defined as, ‘a mean-spirited person’.

Where it comes from

There’s not that much information available about the history of shabberoon. I can only assume this is because people just aren’t using it anymore. However, it’s apparently 17th century slang. Another source defined it as ‘a shabby person’. Shabby, shabberoon… doesn’t seem totally off the mark. 

An example of its usage can be found in John B. Sanford’s “The winters of that country: tales of the man made seasons”, which was first published in 1904. At least we know it stuck around for a little while (and can therefore do so again)!

Only Tories found a boon in the shabberoon regiement: it was a cure, they thought, for Adams (Sam) and his Sons of Liberty.

Why it’s the new cool word

Two b’s, two o’s? Now really, how can you go wrong there?

Seriously though, we’re running out of good insults and ways to describe people. The language that was once used for insulting others used to be so colourful and vibrant, but it seems our word choice is dwindling away to where we’re left with ‘dumb’, ‘stupid’, ‘jerk’ and a variety of unintelligent words starting (or ending) with ‘ass’ and ‘fuck’. Let’s raise the bar! 

How we should use it

There’s enough words still floating around that are akin to ‘tramp’, so I vote that we bring it back meaning a ‘ragamuffin’ or a ‘mean-spirited person’. 

Say it condescendingly. Your victim will have no idea what has hit them. Of course if you’re using it to talk about someone instead of throwing it at them, it paints a (negatively) wonderful image of your target.

So instead of, “He’s gross”, use, “He’s such a shabberoon!”. Or change, “Why do you have to be such a bitch?” to “Why do you have to be such a shabberoon?”. 

Perfect.

What it means

‘Ahoy’ is an interjection, usually associated with sailors and pirates, that was used to call another ship or to attract attention. 

Where it comes from

According to what I’ve found on various etymology websites, ‘ahoy’ originally comes from ‘hoy’, an interjection that dates back to medieval times. It started to be used when herding animals, or to get attention. Eventually, sailors started to use it to hail other ships. The ‘a’ gave the ‘hoy’ more force, and thus we have ahoy.

When Alexander Graham Bell first started using the telephone, he answered it with ‘ahoy’. This brilliant idea sadly did not stick.

Why it’s the new cool word

Because ‘ahoy’ is fun to say. It sounds happy and enthusiastic, like you have energy and are full of life.

How we should use it

Since it’s originally an interjection to grab attention, it would make a perfect greeting.

If you’re surrounded by others, greet them with a friendly smile and a warm ‘Ahoy!’. I know they’ll appreciate it. If you’re sitting alone, say it loud and proud, ‘AHOY!’. Don’t you get that fuzzy feeling inside? 

It’s great that we use it on ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’, but let’s make it part of our every day vocabulary; our regular greetings. ‘Hello’ and ‘Hi’ have been overdone. 

And really, aren’t we all just ships sailing through the sea of life? (Yeah, I really do realize how corny that sounds).