Two words from very different reaches of the English wordhoard that I’ve recently encountered: 1) In Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet, which my wife and I will be reading at night well into 2027, I hit the word barathea, which meant nothing to me (although I had seen it before, since I’ve read Lucky Jim at least twice). The OED (entry from 1933) says: A cloth of a fine texture composed of a silk warp and woollen weft, also of cotton and wool and entirely of wool. 1862 Cobourg, paramatta, barathea, reps, cords, cloths. International Exhibition: Illustrated Catalogue of Industrial Department vol. II. xxi. §3958 1897 Venetian crape..has taken the place of the old baratheas, Balmorals, bombazines, &c. Daily News 30 October 6/5 1954 His lavender barathea trousers swayed gracefully with his walk. K. Amis, Lucky Jim: A Novel ix. 98 1963 All ranks will receive a second suit of the No. 2 khaki service dress, of 22 oz. barathea. Guardian 15 March 1/4 The stress is on the penultimate (/barəˈθiːa/), and…
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