Turkey talk: Archaic words to introduce at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the holiday most centered around simple joys: food, loved ones and the universal virtue of gratitude.

Yet every year, arrant momes, malt-horses, capons and coxcombs seek to divide families by cranking out talking points we are enjoined to bring to the dinner table and truculently throw in the faces of relatives, mid-gulp during thirds on the pumpkin pie.

Is it any surprise that many of these poltroons are politicos pedaling preferred positioning?

We at Ragan herewith appeal to writers, communicators and wordsmiths of all stripes to push back by establishing a better tradition: introducing archaic words to the Turkey Day dinner table.

Then again, should you choose to combine the two elements—political bickering and arcane utterances—archaisms have the advantage of being more likely to go over the head of whichever loved one you are insulting, be it Great-Uncle Fagin or your second cousin once removed, Lysistrata.