according to Wikipedia:

The Mugwumps were a 1960s rock band that featured later members of the The Mamas & the Papas and The Lovin' Spoonful. They released one self-titled album in 1967 and two singles.[1]

I thought it would be the reverse order. Something toxin would lead to a tocsin, no?

Perry, thanks for that. I never learned any Greek and didn't know of the use of such indicators.
I don't know about anyone else who uses "an historical..." but I would never think to say "an history...".
Funny. Never thought about that before.

another important contribution from my native state. Do wish my sister was still compos mentis. She was an archaeologist/anthropologist specializing in pre-ceramic New England. I would love to be able to forward this to her for comments.


Sigh

Slava, sounds like a very necessary and useful new word... at least, I THINK it's new??

I've re-read the information with this word a couple of times. I've googled it and looked at a couple of other sources. No one tells me how the originator of this word created it. Is it truly cut out of whole cloth and it has no heritage of other words cobbled together to make it?

and one more question to add to Luke's choice ones, how do you pronounce Viking? is the first "i" short or long?
I was told that in Scandinavia it is short... in other words, both "i"s have the same value.

Wurdpurrson, Where do you live on the Olympic Peninsula? am surrounded by books, even though I've tried very hard to use the library. At my age, the chance of re-reading, given the number of books on the list to read, is vanishingly small. There is a group of us who pass books about, ending up with ...

I live at the End of the Earth, and the place is filled with pogonophiles. The men are largely indistinguishable until they speak. Unfortunately, even that is not necessarily a way to differentiate.

Sigh.

Much confusion. I daren't call any man by name unless his female keeper is with him.

Yes, but I think you've misspelled it. It is Pherrier, no? with a silent "h"?

I do so enjoy your responses.

Thanks for a badly needed giggle.

Perry, you refer to "ferrier". Is that an alternate to "farrier", one who shoes horses (as did the first sons in my birth-family until my father)?

Any idea how, if at all, this relates to modern German "funk" -- radio, to broadcast-- as in the Funktoren in Berlin?

I thought 'ludic' was the 'merely' and 'ludicrous' the 'biggy', no?

stargazer, RIGHT!