Don't you say 'rustle'!

Readers, it's time for linguistics! Ok, couture-related linguistics, no worries, I am staying on track!

Here is the proof - a beautiful couture taffeta gown:

Source

Here - "England's Italian football manager Fabio Capello claims he can manage his players with just 100 words," BBC's Peter Jackson writes. This is extreme, right? But, honestly, sometimes, when I hear some people talk on the street, or while commuting, I am surprised how they can manage to communicate complex situations with about 15 (?) words!!!!


We don't want to be so far down the food chain, readers, right? So, let's believe that we all actively use more than 1,500 words suggested for an intermediate level, shall we? And today I am plugging in a new word I discovered while at Camp Couture! Guess who enlightened us? - S.K. 


Ta-da... the word of the day is SCROOP! No, not the alien spider/crab-like creature from Disney's Treasure Planet! - What? You know the word?  - Well, I didn't - I am not a native speaker, you know. And I feel pretty smart, readers, for I could not find 'scroop' in my Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary! And, if you are smarter than me, read on anyway, I got some good tips on how to get rid of the scroop, or how to restore the scroop! 


So, what's a 'scroop'? Encyclopedia Britannica defined it as an 'occurrence in taffetta' (with misspelled 'taffetta'). Now, guess what an 'occurence' is!  If you ever held silk taffeta, or similar silks, you will remember its characteristic rustle. Well, this rustle is called 'scroop' and don't you ever say 'rustle'! It's scroop! 


The scroop is an indication of the quality for taffeta: scrunch the fabric in your hand and listen! Go to your favorite fabric store and scrunch taffetas and silks there, and don't get distracted by baffled shop assistants. I am serious - this is how I choose tomatoes at a farmers' market! I don't scrunch them, of course - I smell them! The smell of a ripe tomato is engraved in my brain - it's so wonderful. No wonder Austrians call it a 'Paradeiser', which literally means a 'paradise thing'.


But let's rewind back to the scroop. If your silk is too 'scroopy' (not sure about the use as an adjective, I admit), you can give it a warm soapy bath. And, a solution of 5% white vinegar and water will restore the 'scroopiness'. (The tip is, by the way, from my favorite fabric book 'All About Silk')


By the way, Mr. Frabjous told me the other day that my blog is becoming 'obscure' - bias-stay-tapes alikes, and, now, 'the scroop'...  I will give it a thought some day...


And if you thought it was over with the scroop - nope! There is another word for it - 'froufrou', which is en français, chères lectrices et chers lecteurs. Which one do you like more? I will vote for 'froufrou' - Your turn now! And do share some rare or obscure words!