Millions of words and a few thousand books later, my attention is arrested by one word in Josephine Fey’s charming novel, A Shilling for Candles: “refutal.” What an interesting word.
My Google internet search is met with the question, “Did you mean ‘rebuttal?” So I’m not the only one to wonder if “refutal” is an English word or a typo. But, further down the screen, I also find, “Refutal” the act of refuting,” and I have to believe the word is simply a quaint but charming usage by one of our English sisters.
By the way, do you think it’s re-futal with a “you” sound, or a re-futal with a “cut” sound?
And now on to the next million words.
Rod
I agree — that is a charming book. And I love the idea that writers (and others) can create words and language that we come to accept as common vernacular.
Take the word “copacetic”. A very interesting story there regarding the origin. Lots of material up for refutal, maybe.
Thanks! Agree. Parsimonious is another favorite of mine.