Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Barbara McAlister
Word of the day: gala
A gala is a festive occasion or celebration. The word is based on a noun stemming from the mid 1600s of the Old French “gale,” meaning pleasure or rejoicing. It originally meant fancy clothing or dress, the assumption being that festive occasions were accompanied by fancy dress. Today the English word “regalia” from this word means apparel or clothing. “Regaler,” the verb form of the French, gives us the English word “regale.” To regale someone with stories is to give them the pleasure of entertainment. A less common (but good Scrabble) word is “gallimaufry,” (pronounced ga luh MAA free), a medley or mixture of things. It’s from the Old French “galer,” to pleasure, and “mafrey,” to gorge. It initially was a delicious French stew made with various meats but now most commonly refers to a jumble of things.
To illustrate what a gallimaufry English is, words that sound like they might be related to gala have entirely different roots. “Galaxy” is from the Greek “gάla,” meaning milk; “regal” comes from the Latin “rex,” for king; “galvanize” is named for scientist Luigi Galvani. Especially disappointing is “gallows,”which experts agree is from an Old Norse word for pole, even though the public once considered hangings gala occasions. During the mid-1700s, England had more than 200 capital crimes punishable by hanging, many for relatively minor offenses like stealing food, pickpocketing or “damaging Westminster Bridge.” Punishments were public spectacles that drew huge crowds, including whole families who traveled distances to be part of the excitement. This led to the colloquial reference to these events as “gala days.” Experts agree this is a popular misconception of historical derivation, but a fine example of historical gallows humor.
