The author of this essay was born in the United States of America.  Accordingly, that makes his native tongue the tongue of English.  Perhaps that should read the American version of the English language.  Nonetheless, the author of this essay has an abiding interest in the twists and turns that the language has taken as it proceeds through history.
There are all kinds of new words coming into the English language.  Some of them are legitimate neologisms.  Others are such atrocities as “disincentivising.”   It is my thought in this small essay to recognize words that have been forgotten as we have moved along.
In 1960, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe composed a musical production on Broadway called “Camelot.”  One of the songs from “Camelot” was called “How to Handle a Woman.”  One of the verses from that song uses a word that has largely been forgotten.  In recalling the history, the song goes on to say, “Before the whole rigamarole began.”  The song is a lovely ballad.  In this case, I am thinking mostly about the fact that “rigamarole” has largely been forgotten in recent years.  Rigamarole has a counterpart point in that there are those who would say, “Whatchamaycallit.”  In any case, Lerner and Loewe aroused my curiosity about other forgotten words.
As a bonus for close readers, here is the first verse of “How to Handle a Woman.”  It goes:
How to handle a woman
“There’s a way,” said the wise old man.
A way known to every woman
Since the whole rigamarole began.”
 
I include this first verse from “How to Handle a Woman” merely to demonstrate that my intentions are pure.
One of the words that has been forgotten in the English language is the word “nifty.”  Among my peers when I was attending grade school the word “nifty” was often used.  But in recent years, “nifty” has gone the way of “rigamarole.”  It is a decent word that has no obscene characteristics to it.
There is a further word called “disconcerting.”  As far as I am concerned, speakers who use that word tend to be high flown and wish to impress the audience with their knowledge.  You may believe that people who use the word “disconcerting” are not among my favorite people.
Then there is the word “pro-active.”  It was used by a colleague of mine in the telephone business as I clenched my teeth whenever he used it.
But on this Sunday afternoon in the midst of January, I wish to call attention to honorable words such as “nifty” and “rigamarole.”  My friend Sven Lernevall said that English is a “rich language.”  In its richness I hope that we still include such words as “rigamarole” and “nifty.”  And so with those thoughts, I will conclude this little essay on our mother tongue.
 
E. E. CARR
January 20, 2013
Essay 733
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Kevin’s commentary: While I think nifty is indeed nifty, I find no fault with disconcerting. But this essay is just further evidence that I need to create a Pop dictionary of approved and disapproved words.