Sunday, October 30, 2005

Tahw?

In Washington, DC, there is a street quite near American University called Tunlaw Road. Tunlaw? "Walnut" backward, of course.

In a Parisian backslang called Verlan, popular some years ago, monosyllabic words were often said backward. (Longer words had syllabic order reversed.)

And the British slang word "yob", a term for a rowdy, hooliganish male, is nothing more than "boy" backward.

There are, however, certain things that should never be backward.

retromingent
adjective
Passing urine in a backward direction.
"retromingent." Worthless Words for the Day. Michael F. Fischer, 2005. Answers.com 31 Oct. 2005. http://www.answers.com/topic/retromingent

What. The. Lleh?