Re: USAGE: plunk/plank

On Thu, 17 Jan 2002, jogloran wrote:

> Tristan Alexander McLeay <anstouh@Y...> wrote:
> <<
>
> Sorry to waste a message with a non-conlang- (but still linguistic-)
> related message, but I was wondering if anyone could help me find a
> word
> and a derivation.
>
> The word in question is 'plunk' or 'plank', we pronounce it /plAnk/
> (or
> /plVnk/). It's a thing put on a table that you put hot things onto so
> that
> you don't damage the table or similar. As far as I can tell, it's just
> used by my family---what is the normal word for it?
>
> >>
>
> As you probably know, a plank is a piece of wooden board; I
> immediately thought of plank in that meaning. Is this plank for
> protecting tables made of wood or suchlike?
Yes, I realise a /pl{nk/ is a piece of wood, but I never knew until today
(when my brother brought the subject up) that it was spelt 'plank'. Yes,
planks are for protecting tables from hot pots and the like, as I
explained. (A plank, however, is not necessarily a plank of wood---we have
a ceramic one.)

Tristan