Dear Elizabeth, (Blizzard1),
Sorry I�m late and have missed the deadline, but here is my effort anyway.
Syzygy
I know that change is inevitable, (except from a Vending Machine), but we really must keep abreast of modern words.
I do most of my thinking when I go out for a late-night walk. I ponder questions, such as: �If you eat Pasta and then Anti-Pasta, would you still be hungry?� �How does Non-Stick Teflon stick to the pan?� �What should you do if you see an Endangered Animal eating an Endangered Plant?�
You may ask: �How is it that the thieves leave you alone at night?� I reply: �I always carry a Projector and Slides of My Holiday!�
Consequently, I think that it is sad when minds of razor-sharp ability are led astray by the simplest of words in the competition, �Word of the Day�.
On one occasion, I recall a learned contributor who referred to a book, (but unfortunately he misread the title).
An eminent Professor from Greece, (with a Double First Class Degree from Oxford and a Single Third Class Ticket from Athens), submitted an opinion. In it, he wrote a six-page thesis on Lepidoptery, (the study of Moths and Butterflies), advising teenagers that Butterflies have antennae, (�with knobs on�), but that Moths do not: some Moths can fly at 30 miles per hour; Moths can smell for a distance of 7 miles; etc.
The title of the book was: �Advice to Young Mothers!�
Sad! Sad! Sad!
In the present competition, the word Syzygy has been defined with great ingenuity by Members. Alas, (and to be politically correct, alad), these definitions are seriously incorrect. Indeed, grammatically, some of them are the most incorrectest spoke sentences what I have ever saw wrote.
To arrive at a true definition of this fine old English word we must go back to the 15th century, the time of William Caxton, the printer. (He had 2 sisters who were identical twins: Kate and Dupli-Kate).
Caxton introduced printing to England; translated many books into English; chose a standard English dialect; and greatly influenced spelling.
Here we have the answer to our problem. At that time, there were numerous different spellings for the same word --- child; childe; chyld; chylde; etc. and mis-spelling was a serious problem.
Indeed, there was a protest march in London where protesters carried banners.
�Bad spellers of the world: UNTIE!�
On April the First, 1480, (his Birthday), Caxton had been asked to print the menu for the Lord Mayor�s Banquet.
(Incidentally, I have a theory that Birthdays are Good for You � the More you Have, the Longer you Live!)
Unfortunately, Caxton was also busy printing �Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes ... and Eyes and Ears and Mouth and Nose�, for distribution to his wife�s Nursery Group.
Consequently, he had utilised all of the 5 vowels, A; E; I; O; U.
(Normally, she sang the song, but she was such a bad singer that Deaf People refused to watch her lips move.)
The only semi-vowel that Caxton had remaining was �Y�.
The Main Item on the Menu was Sosige and Chippes. (Sausage and Chips, in Modern English).
What was Caxton to do?
Solution --- he very cleverly invented the word �Ampersand�, (& = and); inserted the letter �Y� in all the appropriate spaces; and printed the Menu.
�Syzygy & Chyppys
To this day in England, a chip shop is still referred to as �The Chippy�, in honour of William Caxton.
