June 29

I really am a dork: I went to England and was so proud to bring back a British thesaurus (actually, the Chambers Giant Dictionary and Thesaurus.) It keeps company with Roget's.

But how else would I know that Received Pronunciation (abbreviated RP) is the form of British English spoken by educated people in Southern England. Or - and this is slightly more useful - that naff is slang meaning of poor quality or worthless and - here comes the best part! - that naff off means go away, and is considered offensive.

This treasure cost 9 pounds, at a bookstore in Cambridge.

Lubbock, Texas