Word 01
Thing Noun
/θɪŋ/ · THING
Etymology. Old English þing, from Old Norse þing, assembly, council. The sense travelled from public assembly to matter discussed there, to any matter at all.
"Put the thing by the other thing."
Department No. VIII · Room 8 · Floor 2
Sixteen words of no distinction.
The Remarkable Words department keeps words that repay attention. This department keeps the rest. They are not celebrated. They are retained.
XVIWords kept
0Admired
0Lent
The International Institute keeps two kinds of words. The Remarkable Words department keeps words that repay attention. This department keeps the rest.
Thing, stuff, nice, okay, fine, quite, rather, actually, basically, bit, lot, get, put, seem, very, much — sixteen in total — were found to be entirely serviceable and entirely without interest. They were therefore admitted here, where nothing further is expected of them.
No events are held. No prizes are awarded. The words are dusted quarterly and otherwise left alone.
Within this department
- The Plain Lexicon — all sixteen words, flatly defined.
- Plain Keeping — rules, admissions, and returns.
- Word of the month — changed monthly; see the panel below.
Word of the monthWord 09
Word 02
Stuff Noun, verb
/stʌf/ · STUFF
Etymology. Middle English stuffe, from Old French estoffe, material, from estoffer, to furnish.
"The cupboard is full of stuff."
Word 03
Nice Adjective
/naɪs/ · NYSSE
Etymology. Old French nice, foolish; from Latin nescius, ignorant. Passed through coy, fastidious, and precise before settling upon agreeable.
"The tea was nice."
Word 04
Okay Adjective, adverb
/əʊˈkeɪ/ · oh-KAY
Etymology. American English, 1839, O.K. for oll korrect, facetious misspelling of all correct, first printed in the Boston Morning Post.
"The form was okay."
Bulletin No. 8/41 — admission without ceremonyThe word VERY, declined by the Remarkable Words department, presented itself here on Tuesday. Admitted at 10.15 a.m. Tea was not offered. Staff are asked not to make a fuss. Keeping rules.