Passel

January 7th, 2010

Passel
\’pa-sel\ n: a large number or amount*

I am a firm believer in the phrase, “you learn something new every day.” Whether it is a life-altering piece of news like September 11th, 2001 or a simple factoid one shares with one’s friends such as a little piece of ginger cures (almost instantaneously) our monthly pains, learning something new is an accomplishment even if said piece of information may or may not be considered a monumental catalyst in changing one’s life. I am also a firm believer that when learning new things, not only does it enable us to keep growing mentally but this undemanding feat allows us to place ourselves among people or in circumstances that permit us to continue learning by not being afraid and claiming responsibility for not necessarily knowing everything.
This phrase, “you learn something new every day,” has been strongly implemented within my life through various mediums; friends, teachers, my boss, circumstance, photos and writing. Perhaps the most innocent channel through which I have been obtaining knowledge is via the new 365 word a day calendar that was given as a gift to me by my mother for Christmas. Not only is a new word along with its pronunciation presented to me every day, but as each day comes to a close, I fervently flip over the page to read the “Did You Know” section, authorizing my mind to receive this summary of facts and more importantly be willing to share it with those I know.
Today’s word, passel, means a large number or amount. In the sample sentence, the audience gets the basic meaning of the word, but as one flips over the sheet and reads my favorite section, the penny drops and one realizes simultaneously, “Wow, I didn’t know that and that makes sense, that’s where those words come from”. According to Page-A-Day Calendar by Workman Publishing, the word passel originally comes from the word parcel, the letter “r” being left out and the spelling morphing into a pronunciation that is possibly easier for the average reader. Passel is not the only word that has been altered by time and culture; several other examples including “cuss from curse, and bust from burst”. It’s likely that the modification of these words were a result of a steady change throughout time and a culture’s yearning to perhaps invoke a supplement to our language. So, in conclusion, gaining new passels of information is quite handy but it is also effective to contribute to the ever-evolving life of language and knowledge.

*letter “e” is upside down in pronunciation eliciting sound “uh”