After our conversation about what to call that moment when you draw the perfect card or tile for the turn you just played, listeners chime in with possibilities: tardy tile, squander, and dalidosh. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Tardy Tiles and Dalidosh”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
Grant, you’ll remember our conversation with Dana in Reno, Nevada, who wanted a word for that moment when you’re playing cards or a board game and you draw what would have been the perfect card or tile for the previous turn.
Oh, yeah, too little too late, but she wanted something she could shout in anger.
Yeah, yeah.
And so, of course, our listeners stepped up.
We heard from Linda Gamble Hoyer from Nelliford, Virginia, who said, my idea for that term is tardy tile. In a card game, you’d call it a tardy card. And she says it should be delivered explosively to vent your frustration.
Tardy card.
Tardy card.
I like that one.
I like that one.
Chris Moore in Cary, Illinois, says he calls it a squander. His whole family calls it a squander.
Oh, it’s a squander.
That was a total squander.
Yeah, I like that word, squander.
And we also heard from Dan Jail in San Diego who said, I was thinking a day late and a dollar short really describes that feeling perfectly. So why not shorten it to a single word that captures it all and sounds great through clenched teeth?
Day late, dollar short becomes dollar dosh.
Dollar dosh.
I like that.
It’s sort of like dastardly.
That’s very good.
I may have to adopt that one.
Add that to the menagerie of words.
Well, if you’ve got the word, just the perfect thing to say or the perfect description of that moment when you realize you just got the thing you needed a minute ago, but now it’s useless, let us know.
Email words@waywordradio.org.
