The Case of the Case Quarter

June 26, 2009 at 11:29 pm (English)
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Word Fun: Issue No. 1

While in a public space an individual asks that you give them a ‘case quarter’.

You are:

A: Opposing attorneys arguing for the plaintiff and the defense, respectively.  He or she is requesting that you pre-divulge a specified percentage of the evidence assembled by your office before ‘discovery’.

B: Both regulars at the laundromat and the guy or lady wants 25¢, only it’s gotta be a quarter with George Washington on it, not two dimes and a nickel.

C: Midshipmen on a merchant vessel.  Your coastwise course will cross the Equator very soon and the second mate needs an accounting of the ship’s store before entering foreign waters.

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“A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey”

June 26, 2009 at 8:36 pm (World Languages)
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“A land flowing with milk and honey” (The Holy Bible, Exodus 3.8)

Madhuparka is a sweet honey and curd drink used in Hindu Vivaham marriage ceremonies.  Madhu, it seems, means honey or nectar in Sanskrit and the word has an intriguing past that language experts believe is a clue to the origins of so many of the world’s languages.

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“Wedo!!”

June 26, 2009 at 6:25 pm (English, Spanish)
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Gringos, Gaijins, and Haoles: Installment No. 1

I walk into the bodega at 8 am to the cheerful chorus of “WEDO!!!”  I’m feeling all warm inside, like ‘Norm’ from Cheers must have felt.  In addition to “¿Que pasa carnal?”, three or four of my co-workers greet my entrance enthusiastically with this seemingly friendly ‘wedo’ jab.  And because they call the light-skinned guy from Guatemala by the same name, I don’t feel so bad being the only white guy in a workplace that’s 90% Latino.  I stroll as casually (looking) as possible up to Ulises, my closest work buddy, as he speeds around on one of many near-graveyard-quality forqlifs.

“Chango!” says he, with a bright smile.

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