Quodlibet
Every now and then, I come across an interesting word and want to shout it out to the world. Instead, I’ll talk about it here and maybe it’ll get seen by at least 2 other people.
Today’s Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is quodlibet, which means one of two things:
- A philosophical and intellectually stimulating debate
- A whimsical medley of familiar tunes or texts
I find myself intrigued by this word because it seems to stand for two completely unrelated things. As any fan of Weird Al knows, almost every album contains one polka quodlibet that would make even a man of stone crack a smile. So the next time someone asks you if you know anybody who could provide a fascinating theological or philosophical issue for the next powwow around the water cooler, you can exclaim “Weird Al is the king of quodlibets!” Then hightail it outta there, with a perplexed look permanently fixated on your friend’s face.
Ha! Bet you didn’t expect to learn anything from this blog, did ya?!?