I am mildly surprised, John,that as one of North Canberra's leading
literateurs (along with Terry Gourlay and Ian Fraser) you were not onto
this. A 'vestrel' is a men's garment associated with fashionable, not to
say affected, gentry in Edwardian London. Although now known by another
name, the old word has been retained for rhyming purposes in eco-creative
circles. In this it has something in common with 'daffodils' which would
surely have faded from the language if not plucked by Wordsworth from the
Cumbrian patois to make a rhyme with 'hills'. A closer parallel might be
the survival of 'ferrigonnee', the name of an oared harbour craft at the
time of the arrival of the Portuguese in India, which survives solely
because of its utility in providing a rhyme with 'gerygone'.
Note also Sue Edgar's borrowing, from the quasi-technical literature, of
'psyllidae' in her evocative 'Reflections on finding a wind-blown lerp on my
outdoor breakfast tray'.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Layton
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:29 PM
To: ; Geoffrey Dabb
Cc: John Byrne
Subject: Latest addition to Laundry List
And what the deuce is a vestrel?
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