Laugh and the World Laughs with You
Dour, unsmiling, mirthless: this describes an agelast, one who never laughs. It’s a great word, and it comes to us from the Greek verb gelaein, to laugh, plus the negative particle a-, not. Some other English words denoting laughter come from the Latin verb ridere, to laugh, which gave us the roots rid- and ris-.
• gelasin: a dimple in the cheek, produced by smiling.
• gelastic: serving the function of laughter; risible
• gelophobia: fear of laughter
• hypergelast: excessive laugher
• rident: radiantly cheerful
• ridibundal: inclined to laughter
• risible: given to laughter
• risorial: risible
• risus: an involuntary grin resulting from a morbid condition
• subrident: smiling
Shakespearean joke:
Macbeth is standing watch on a castle parapet at Dunsinane when a messenger rushes in, breathless and with a look of abject fear on his face.
Macbeth demands, “What is it, man? Tell thy story quickly.”
The messenger points a shaky finger at the field below and says,” Cheese it--the copse!”
SIDEBAR: The Stress Management and Health Benefits of Laughter
SIDEBAR: How Laughter Works
Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. There is no archive.
NOTE: Mike is on vacation. His program will resume on April 15.
NOTE: Mike is on vacation. His program will resume on April 15.
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