In an 1899 contest sponsored by a literary magazine, a reader proposed the word whifflement to mean “an object of small importance.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Whifflement”
Earlier I mentioned that contest where a London journal asked readers to send in their own words that they’d made up.
and Another one that I really liked was whifflement. Whifflement is, let me guess, does this have to do with missing the point?
Like you whiffed it?
Or being surprised?
No.
A whifflement, according to this reader of that magazine back in 1899, is an object of small importance.
Okay, whifflement.
Yeah, don’t bother me with those whifflements.
At the end of every trip, the bottom of your day bag has got a lot of whifflements in it.
How did this get here?
Exactly.
It’s pens and coins and receipts and pen caps.
A lozenge or two.
Right.
Granola crumbs.
You’re like, raisins.
I don’t know.
Yeah, little wifflements.
I love it.
