PODUNK

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Dr. Goodword
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PODUNK

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed May 18, 2005 11:47 pm

• podunk •

Pronunciation: po-dêngk • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun & Adjective

Meaning: 1. [Noun] A small, backward, insignificant town, lacking normal amenities. 2. [Adjective] Small and small-town, insignificant, as a podunk college or podunk restaurant.

Notes: We can argue over whether Native Americans kidnapped European kids in the past as we often see in the movies but there is no question that English kidnapped thousands of Native American words: muskrat, woodchuck, squash, and today's Good Word are not even the tip of the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Podunk's origin (see History) explains why it is a lexical orphan, without any paronyms.

In Play: Keep in mind that a podunk is not only small but technologically retarded: "I'll tell you why I didn't answer your e-mail: we spent the night in some podunk where they think microchips are found in the bottom of potato chip bags." It is difficult to tell whether this Good Word is also an adjective or just a noun used in attributive position: "Anita Job went to some podunk college where the professors took turns serving in the cafeteria."

Word History: In 1846 the Daily National Pilot of Buffalo, NY asked the question ‘Where in the world is Podunk?’ This may have been the question that set the stage for the assumption that Podunk is a small and insignificant place. The word originates with the Podunk Indians, an Algonquian tribe that once lived on the land where Hartford, Connecticut now stands. Algonquian pautunke means "where you sink in mire", that is, a bog. It may be onomatopoetic, imitating the sound of a frog jumping into water (like kerplunk). In any event, it was given as a name to various boggy areas in Connecticut, New York, and Vermont, which may explain why the towns built in such places tend not to grow. (We are happy that Lyn Laboriel didn't get so bogged down as to have no time to recommend today's Good Word.)
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KatyBr
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Postby KatyBr » Thu May 19, 2005 12:12 pm

Hicksville, the boondocks, boonies, the sticks....
Stuck in a Lodi again....

Just about a year ago
I set out on the road
Seekin my fame and fortune
Lookin for a pot of gold
Thing got bad things got worse
I guess you will know the tune
Oh ! Lord Stuck in Lodi again

Rode in on the Greyhound
Ill be walkin out if I go
I was just passin through
Must be seven seven months or more
Ran out of time and money
Looks like they took my friends
Oh ! Lord Im stuck in Lodi again





The man from the magazine
Said I was on my way
Somewhere I lost connections
Ran out of songs to play
I came into town, a one night stand
Looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! Lord, Stuck in Lodi again

If I only had a dollar
For evry song Ive sung
And evry time I had to play
While people sat there drunk
You know, Id catch the next train
Back to where I live
Oh ! Lord, Im stuck in a Lodi again
Oh ! Lord, Im stuck in a Lodi again


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