interlexionality

I’ve realized that I use the word “boor” uncertainly–sort of like “bore,” sort of like “boob,” sort of like “rube,” all of which stick to it at least as much because of phonology as anything else. Definitely not someone you want at a party, but…why?

So: yeah! Kind of “boob,” kind of “rube.” And related to Boer, which only makes me think of the Boer War, and re-imagine that as the Boor War, with a bunch of ridiculous, self-important men in huge shoes yelling at each other. There is no answer here as to whether “bore” is related at all–let’s go see, shall we?

Definition 6: “PERHAPS A DIFFERENT WORD.” Ha! I love this. “I mean, who knows? Why are you asking us, we’re just the dictionary.” And it’s true! Still, no one really knows. The Online Etymology Dictionary hazards this: “Sense of “be tiresome or dull” first attested 1768, a vogue word c.1780-81 according to Grose (1785); possibly a figurative extension of “to move forward slowly and persistently,” as a boring tool does. YAWN.

So boor and bore, nothing do with each other. But you know what there is?  A little list of “boring” things. The definitions obviously don’t matter–see doodle (click to enlarge enough to read boring speech bubbles)