I recently discovered something I didn’t know, which is that there is a word in the English language that breaks my brain. I can’t process it. Something about it just doesn’t fit inside my head.
The word is “froths”.
This came up the other day when I needed to describe something frothy to someone. I attempted to say that it “froths up”, but every time I tried to say it, my head got stuck and the word that came out was “frothies”. I made four attempts to say “froths”, all of which were “frothies”, and then I gave up and started a new sentence that avoided using the word altogether.
I don’t know why this is. I don’t know how long this has afflicted me. I know the word “froths” exists, of course. I can sit here and type it. But each time I’m approaching the point of typing it, my brain first suggests “frothies”, and even now – even knowing that this is a problem, and that the word is coming up, and being conscious that I might get it wrong, I still can’t say it right on the first attempt.
I have decided that, from now on, I’m just going to stay away from any bubbly, foamy or otherwise aereated liquids as a way of avoiding the problem completely. That’s definitely the answer.
10 comments on “Frothies”
When you say or type, “froths” all I can hear is Kevin saying, “ffffffffifth” in that endearing way of his.
Me too now.
Surely you can’t be about to give up on all aeriated liquids? How are you going to get your white wine spritzer fix? What about a nice pint? Or is it OK in London because they serve beer flat anyway?
#zing # kevzing
Yowch. That zinger was a stinger. You’re right, I can’t give up all aereated liquids. I’ll just have to ask for them in oblique ways without ever referring to the frothitude of their constitution.
Do milkshakes count as an aerated liquid?
I’ve checked in the International Journal of Professional Aereation and Foaming, or IJ-PAF, and the ijpaffers say yes it does.
I could never give up milkshakes. I want that down in my personal record.
I’ve carved that into your personal record with a pen knife. The good news is that it has been permanently recorded. The bad news is that your personal record won’t play any more and you need to buy some new needles for your record player.
You know me, I’ve got two copies of my permanent record. The first is for general everyday use and the second is still sealed in its original packaging, untouched. If anyone played it though they would think that I’d done cock all with my life because it’s completely blank.
That was a remarkable self-zing. I’ll have it carved into your B-side by this afternoon.