What a Palaver!

   I've been living in London for four months, acclimating to the climate, the culture, the rhythms of living in a metropolitan city that is so different from Santa Fe, New Mexico. You would think that speaking English as my native language would be an asset to assimilating into the United Kingdom, however I have learned that all it does is set you up to make some wrong-footed assumptions. Or draw a complete blank when encountering common British vocabulary. All because I speak American English, not British English!  Which brings me to introducing the word of the day: Palaver. It's got two short "a" vowel sounds, plus the rear guard "r" seems to disappear altogether when pronounced by an Englishman. And if you are truly annoyed you can really draw out the second syllable for dramatic effect, "Wot a pah-laaaah-vuh...". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it can be used as a noun: Unnecessarily elaborate or complex procedure; unnecessary work or trouble; or, historically, an improvised conference between two groups, typically those without a shared language or culture. Alternately it can be used as a verb: to talk unproductively or at length.
Anyway, it seems to be the perfect word to describe the state of this blog, which is a complete palaver, complete with my palavering on with no resolution.

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