THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: You can feel good about being jocund

By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Jocund

To be “jocund” is to be cheerful, genial, or merry. It is from the Latin jocundus, agreeable or pleasant. The word “joke” comes from the similar root.
Many “J” words have happy or positive connotations, the Biblical Job aside. There’s joyful, jubilant, joie de vivre, jolly, joke, jaunty, jovial, jocular, jubilation and jamboree. A jester japes to get a laugh and who doesn’t want to hit a jackpot? June and July are agreeable months. To many, especially those still in school, they represent summer break and carefree, happy vacation adventures. January, another “J” month, is not without its charms. It’s a month for skiing and winter sports. It also represents fresh starts and the possibilities that new beginnings bring. Traditionally the New Year is ushered in with large jollifications.
A jam could be a tight spot but it is also a delightful spread for toast. In England, the word “jam” is used as slang for a treat or something good. If you found 10 dollars you forgot you had in your pocket, you would declare it “Money for jam!”
In the game of Scrabble, the letter “J”, along with the letter “X” are worth 8 points. Only “Q” and “Z” are worth more individually.
If you look closely at the letter “J”, you’ll see it even has a little smile attached to it!