Spam is So Surreal

File this under the ‘tiresome posts about spam’ and ‘statements of the obvious’ categories. I’ve recently noticed how spam emails contain weird lists of obscure words. One could really expand one’s vocabulary just by reviewing spam. I had no idea what the following meant:

tucum Tu”cum, n. [So called by the Indians of Brazil.] A fine, strong fiber obtained from the young leaves of a Brazilian palm (Astrocaryum vulgare), used for cordage, bowstrings, etc.; also, the plant yielding this fiber. Called also tecum, and tecum fiber.

boustrophedon Bou`stro*phe”don, n. [Gr. ? turning like oxen in plowing; ? to turn.] An ancient mode of writing, in alternate directions, one line from left to right, and the next from right to left (as fields are plowed), as in early Greek and Hittite.

commonweal Com”mon*weal”, n. [Common + weal.] The public good or welfare.

And that’s only from a half-dozen emails. Also a handy resource for playing the dictionary game.