SHUNPIKE

[Dr. Goodword]

• shunpike •

Pronunciation: shên-paik • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A road that avoids (shuns) turnpikes or other toll roads; a slower, local route that costs nothing to drive. Today it refers to slower back roads as opposed to high-speed motorways and the like.

Notes: Today's Good Word may be used as a regular verb, shunpikes, shunpiked, shunpiking. If you prefer driving local roads rather than expressways, you are probably a shunpiker—a much better lot than that of a plain piker (stingy person). Generally, the heads of English compounds come last: a houseboat is a kind of boat and a boathouse is a kind of house. The head, which determines what the compound refers to, is at the end. A shunpike, though, is not a kind of pike but a kind of 'shunner': its head is the first word. Pickpocket and scofflaw are similar compounds.

In Play: If you find it nerve-wracking to drive on high-speed expressways and motorways, shunpikes may be just the thing for you: "We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation, driving leisurely along the shunpikes and exploring the villages they ramble through." As opposed to back road, today's Good Word clearly implies that you are avoiding high-speed highways: "No, life in the fast lane doesn't appeal to me; I'm an old shunpiker on the road of life."

Word History: Today's word is not only 'reverse engineered' (see Notes), it comprises a regular word (shun) + a clipping of (turn)pike. Turnpike itself has an interesting history. Turnpikes were originally long poles with spikes placed across roads for the defense of towns. Later the word was used to refer to a turnable pole across the road that would be lifted only if the traveler paid a toll. The final stop in this word's semantic journey is where it rests today, referring to a highway requiring a toll for its use. Pike "long pointed pole" is an old Germanic word that has reduplicated itself in many forms: pick, peck, and peak are just a few.

[sluggo]

Excellent choice, Doc.
I try to go everywhere this way.

I mean, when I'm driving...

[Bailey]

Pike "long pointed pole" is an old Germanic word that has reduplicated itself in many forms: pick, peck, and peak are just a few.

soooooo, Pike's Peak is just tautology?

"No, life in the fast lane doesn't appeal to me; I'm an old shunpiker on the road of life."

I've heard a much different definition for Piker.....
the name Bubba Bailey comes to mind
mark tongue-stuck-in-cheek Bailey[/quote]

[Bailey]

I got to thinking about this last night and wondered if Pike ever had a fit of peak, or if Tom Piquing made him a Piker?

Mb

[skinem]

Ah, the shunpike less taken...my preference.

[gailr]

Well, a literary-esque nod can be given to Stan Shunpike...

[skinem]

Well, a literary-esque nod can be given to Stan Shunpike...

Not being a Harry Potter reader (the only one in the house who isn't), I didn't realize that was a perfect name for a bus conducter!