[Fictionary] The zemi-john didn't cross the Atlantic to travel on the sacbe

[Pierre Abbat]

but neither did the gnammas cross the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to 
meet the tafoni.

While you were sending me defs, a lad traveled by zemi-john looking for a 
nonexistent package. https://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=260752

"Zemi-john" is from a Gbe language; you wouldn't hear it in Bamako, where they 
speak a Mande language.

Hutch wins with the keg. Take it away, Hutch!

Pierre
-----
sacbe [pl. sacbim] - n. - keg; an obscure liquid measure equaling 50-60
zemi-john [or demi-john], or approximately 15-20 gallons; loosely, the
limit of weight in a barrel, crate, or other package to be lifted and moved
by a single man
by Hutch. 9
Jim: 2
Nicolas: 2 points for obscure units of measure.
Eric: One point, for using the Hebrew plural "im", but I'm glad I'm not a 
stevedore in this person's world, am I really supposed to shift that 
weight by myself?
J-J: Hmm, two definitions regarding vessels for liquid.  Nice irregular 
plural, and I can't really think of any good wisecracks, so I'll have to 
give it two points.
Josh B: Two points for "sacbe = 50-60 zemi-john".

sacbe - n. (fr. Friulian) - poisoned marzipan
zemi-john - n. (fr. Neapolitan) - a corrupt apothecary, specializing in sacbe.
zemi-zany.
by David Randall. 4
Ranjit: 1
Eric: Two points. For once, my big points go to the deliberately entertaining.
J-J: So obviously and preposterously fabricated.  And good for one point.

sacbe (n) also sackby, saccaby; pl. sacbe (pron. sacbah), sackbia,
saccabia: a legendary stew or soup whose ingredients are controversial. In
the 17th and 18th centuries it was often made with woodwort or zemi-john,
while in modern recreations peucedanum is usually substituted.
by Ranjit. 4
2 points for crossing the Atlantic
David: 1
Jim: 1
J-J: Boy, is this ever reminiscent of "salacacaby", if anybody remembers that 
from 1997.  If there really is a connection, I'll refrain from 
exploiting my prior knowledge.

sacbe - n. - A pilgrim who has not brought any candles. (pl. saksbe)
zemi-john - n. - A kiosk near a pilgrimage site selling candles and 
other devotional items.
by Jean-Joseph. 3
David: 2
Nicolas: Tempting on sac[red] grounds.
J-J: Mine.  This is just a deranged riff on "Saxby Chambliss", which I didn't 
even know how to spell until I looked it up just now.
Josh B: One point for the pilgrim w/o candles (vote of appreciation; I'm not 
all
that convinced by the definition.)

zemi-john (British spelling hemi-john) n. A style of long underwear worn 
by French
royalty, with a distinctive fastening (sacbe) connecting to the 
corresponding
upper undergarment.
by Josh Burdick. 2
Linda: 2
Nicolas: This sounds like the start of a fairy tale.
J-J: Longue-johns?  You'd think, being French, that it would be "jeans", but 
that's outerwear.

zemi-john, n. A West African motorcycle taxi. Also zemidjan, zémidjan.
sacbe, n, pl. sacbeob. A Mesoamerican highway.
the truth. 2
Ranjit: 2
Nicolas: I don't remember hearing this one in Bamako.
J-J: So... so... what's the connection?  How did the motorcycle cross the 
Atlantic?  (But I really like the plural form.)

sacbe, n. fm. French The SACBEEs were an elite unit of WWII-era combat 
engineers centered around forward deployment of portable folding bridges or 
zemi-johns.
by Nicolas Ward. 1
Linda: 1
J-J: Sounds Linda-ish.

1) zemi-john, n, a large  container for liquids  
2) sacbe, n. past sackwas. any regional home-brewed alcoholic beverage. He 
stored the sacbe in zemi-johns.  
by Linda. 0
J-J: Aside from the detail that, in English, we don't often decline nouns 
into a "past" case...

Linda:
Pierre, What a great combo, despite the linguistic confusion.  Two points for 
the underwear, and one for the Seabees, errrrr Sacbees.  Hon. Men. for the 
candle sellers.

-- 
The Black Garden on the Mountain is not on the Black Mountain.