Are You Jocoserious?

So here we are steering to the end of another week; and time for a look at some more interesting and unusual words.  As we are methodically working our way through the alphabet, today we start with the letter “j” – let’s see what we can discover.  How about jocoserious?  Have you come across this word before? It means mingling mirth with and seriousness, half serious and half in jest! Yes, it really is a word and can be found in the Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, printed in 1913.  Next I would like to share an interesting adjective, janiform, meaning to resemble the god Janus, having two faces looking in different directions.  Just as a point of interest in ancient Roman religion and myth, the god Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions. He is depicted as having two faces since he looks into the future as well as to the past. The Romans named the month of January in his honour.

History lesson over, let’s move on. I wonder if anyone reading this is a koniologist?  koniology is the science of studying atmospheric dust and the effects it has on animal and plant life. Its origins lay in the Greek word konia, meaning dust.  It thus follows that a koniologist may well use a koniscope, which is a scientific instrument used to detect and measure the content of dust particles in the atmosphere. Alternatively, they may choose to use a konimeter, a device for measuring airborne dust concentration in which samples are obtained by sucking the air through a hole and allowing it to pass over a glass plate coated with grease on which the particles collect. Similarly, you will not be surprised to discover that the fear of dust is called Koniophobia, and like all phobias can have a huge effect on a person’s health and well-being.  

Let’s end today on a pleasant note and think of love and romance. Think of a leman, meaning a lover or a sweetheart. However, be careful when you use this word as it often used to describe a secret love or a mistress, so you could get yourself in trouble! Perhaps, this weekend would be a perfect time to try the lavolta, a lively, bouncy dance for two persons. This is the anglicised name of a renaissance dance, which became more acceptable, though never dignified, after Queen Elizabeth 1 danced it with the Earl of Leicester. Maybe you could try to lavolta with your leman? Sounds like fun!

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