depanneur epitome of incomprehensibility So here's to lexical_variation - a fancy term for having different words for the same thing. In Quebec, a small store with snacks and cigarettes and such is a "dépanneur" - or, shortly and Englishly, a dep. And when and where I lived in Ontario for a year, it became a "corner store" even if it wasn't on a corner. In Maine, my dad says, it's a "convenience store," however inconvenient that is to say, syllabically. (More about the Quebecky term here - https://dailyhive.com/montreal/quebec-why-called-depanneurs - although I've never used "slush puppy" in my life; I'd call that drink a slushie.) 230915 ... raze soda has always been pop to me, and jungle gyms have always been monkey bars, even if my own simian qualities were never anything to write home about. but then there are words that sound like they *mean* the same thing when they don't at all, like disinterested and uninterested. those are the ones that can trip me up sometimes. it took me longer than i'd like to admit to learn that you can't dis an un. 230915 ... e_o_i This is fascinating. And, in other news, I'm very slow. "Disinterested and uninterested are different?" I thought last night; I couldn't think of any distinction. Today I saw this again and thought, "Well, I thiiink there's a little difference, but I just can't grasp it. Maybe it's that only 'disinterested' can take 'in' afterwards? But that's not a question of meaning..." Finally I realized that "disinterested" has (at least) two meanings: the first *is* a lot like "uninterested," but the other one more like "impartial." Took me a while! I also said "monkey bars" because to me they only meant a series of parallel bars. "Jungle gym" to me (and others?) was the word for a play structure that could, but didn't have to, include them. So basically it was the category above. But I don't think I said "jungle gym" much. It sounded too old-fashioned, too much like what parents would say. (I was good at monkey bars and climbing-related stuff, though not great at sports in general.) But soda_pop! That's a whole other depanneur! 230916 ... past jungle gym seems more something us old folks (that is, millenials) say. the littles say "play structure" exclusively. 230917 what's it to you? who go blather from