15 September 2011

On letters that are also words

When you go through the alphabet, a surprising number of letters are words in their own right. Well at least the sounds that make the letters names are. In fact only D, E, H, K, W and Z have no meaning beyond the letters they describe. They are at most a noun describing this letter.
Here are the rest, along with a quick definition:
A – A determiner, used before a singular countable noun to refer to one person or thing not previously known or specified, in contrast with ‘the’, referring to somebody or something known to the listener.
Bee -  A buzzing thing (thank Baldrick for this definition).
Sea - Big blue wobbly thing that mermaids live in (again, courtesy of the diminutive servant from Blackadder)
Eff – An offensive term used to express strong feelings by similarity in sound to other offensive terms.
Gee – Expressing enthusiasm.
Eye – Organ of vision
Jay – Noisey bird/Somebody thoughtlessly talkative
Ell – Old unit of length used for measuring cloth
Em – Variable measure of type, equal to the point size of the typeface ebing used.
En – Half an Em (See above)
Owe – Be indebted for something.
Pee – Urination
Queue - Line of waiting people.
Are - Present indicative plural and 2nd person singular of be.
Ess – Something S-shaped (i know, a bit of a cop out, but it’s in the dictionary....)
Tee – Small object for placing a golf ball on.
You -  Those being referred to.
Vee - Something with the shape of a ‘V’ (It’s a noun, look it up!)
Ex – Previous, former.
Why – An adverb used to ask or talk about the reason, purpose, or cause of something.
Who says I have too much spare time.....

1 comment:

  1. Little annoyed that you don't have the entire set.

    Such a cop out

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dee - a metal loop attached to tack, for fastening gear: to hang wire cutters from a dee on a saddle.
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zee - a z-bar

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