Library Word of the Week

While this may not be on the SATs, Ms. D has found a fun word for the (new) Library Word of the Week.

Beghilos

(article [in slightly edited form] from Unused Words)

Definition: The practice of spelling words by using numbers on calculator displays.

Pronunciation: Beg-heel-ose

Origin:

It’s a slang term with an unknown origin.  The earliest known usage of the term is from 1994, but it’s likely older than that, as the practice of making words on calculators displays dates to the 1970s.

Why this word?

All the kids I grew up with played the game of making messages on our calculators- it seemed more fun than using them for their intended mathematical function.  Here are some examples, found online:

Please read them upside down-

53177187714- “hillbillies”

378193771- “illegible” 

77345993- “eggshell”

77165- “spill”

5907- “logs”

30175- “slide”

There are many more out there- see if you can figure some out!

How to use the word beghilos?

“The teacher thought we were working intently on our math, but had no idea we were all intently practicing beghilos on our calculators.”

“In order to render our notes unintelligible to the teacher and other students, we first encoded them through the practice of beghilos.”

- See more at: http://unusedwords.com/2013/03/10/beghilos/#sthash.wfrjCtlp.dpuf

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Of course, all of the teachers at Commerce probably did this same thing in high school, so it is nothing new. But it is an interesting word! 

What word do you think would be a good word to feature on the next Library Word of the Week?