gu words

While electronically stomping through my Webster’s collection of words, I happened upon several in the same section – gu – that caught my interest. At first glance there didn’t seem to be a way that these words could relate to each other but after further reflection and second thoughts maybe they do.

The word gulosity means greediness. The word I see as related – cousin by marriage – is guile, which is defined as insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; or duplicity. While these words are possibly not from the same root word, gulosity will more than likely be wrapped up in guile in order to attain its desires.

Guff, which is empty or foolish talk and/or nonsense – as well as insolent talk, can happen before, during or after the gulosity and/or guile. In fact, guff is sometimes the way these two words get their own way.

I feel the word gumption is sometimes misdefined as having a direct correlation with these first three words. This because it means initiative and resourcefulness along with courage and spunk and is further defined as having common sense and shrewdness. But rather than being an ally of gulosity, guile and guff, gumption is what someone needs to deal with the actions and results of these greedy, deceptive and insolent words.

A guerdon is a reward, recompense, or requital. The reward part of this definition can be good or bad, mostly dependent on the morals or lack thereof used to get this guerdon. It does seem sometimes that greedy, sneaky people get way more good rewards than they deserve but what goes around comes around. Recompense adds to this – to make payment for work done or even injury sustained. The requital part of the meaning is an action in return for service but also can be retaliation for a wrong or an injury. A guerdon can be the come-uppance of gulosity, guile and guff.

To guffaw is to laugh loudly and boisterously, which is sometimes done when the good guys or guyettes finally come out ahead and get their guerdon. The opposite of this type of laughter is the titter, which means to giggle, laugh softly or snicker. Somewhere between these two is the chortle, which is to chuckle gleefully.

Gumbo is a soup of chicken or seafood, greens, and seasonings, usually thickened with okra. The definition also applies to okra itself. If this delectable dish is properly made and seasoned, it will possibly cause at least a chortle and maybe even a guffaw. I have personally grown okra in my veggie garden for over 30 years and while I don’t remember a lot of laughter, big smiles did result when I was picking this veggie – but I don’t recall ever calling it gumbo.

A gull is any of various long-winged aquatic birds of the family Laridae, of worldwide distribution, typically white with gray or black upper wings and back. And let me add here that gulls will eat almost anything, even gumbo, if it is offered.

While driving into the Bi-Lo parking lot, I noticed two misplaced sea gulls on the pavement. As I drove by they hardly took notice except to take a few quick steps to make sure they were out of the path of my truck. As I watched, one of them took flight and started slowly to circle the other. It could have been saying by this action that it was sorry it misled the other and missed the ocean. The other seemed to be rather obstinate and pouting about the whole fiasco of their flight.

The really amazing thing to me is the way God made these and other birds to find their way over the thousands of miles they fly. Plus all these words got tied together and the tying was enjoyed. ec