Hello,
This week’s word comes with thanks to my friend Linda in my knit and natter group. Knowing that I love unusual words, she noticed this one and brought it to my attention.
Indeed, what’s not to love about a word which begins with the word fun? Although, fundamentalist does too, and isn’t nearly so entertaining in meaning. A funambulist (pronounced fu-nam-bul-ist) is a tight-rope walker, or a slack-rope walker (which confuses me somewhat). So, how are your high-wire skills? Can you walk a tiny line, while juggling perhaps?
The fun in funambulist doesn’t even relate to fun, in a merriment sense of the word. It means rope and another example of that would be funicular railways – where the carriages are hauled uphill thanks to ropes and pulleys. I’ve enjoyed rides on those in Paris and also in Tuscany, despite always wondering about the strength of the ropes (or steel cables) and how regularly they are maintained! Ambulist relates to one who walks – ambulatory, for example, means to be capable of moving around. Now that I think of it, one who cannot move around by themselves may well be transported in an ambulance.
But there is a chance that you’re still a funambulist, even if your sense of balance is tenuous. World Wide Words adds a definition of the word as meaning “one who is mentally agile”. Now that I could aspire to and it wouldn’t require a safety net or expensive life insurance. I’ve yet to meet a modern parent who isn’t a funambulist of great skill. We juggle adult concerns and conversations while nurturing and supervising our children, despite ongoing tiredness and lack of “me time”.
Have fun with your funambulism this week,
Grace
Wordfoolery 