Xangô is an orisha, a kind of god from the African Yoruba. It is also the title of a beautiful song that the sender knows. And a music store in Utretcht (the Netherlands), named after Xango "the fighter lover, drum player and dancer who loves music" (as it is written on the back).
So this was another free postcard, sent by Heleen (the Netherlands) especially for the challenge (as the Q-postcards were). You can see that clearly written on the cover (that, by the way, confused a bit the postal workers):
This was a completely new word for me. Also it was eatery, suggested by a fellow a-to-zer. I guess that, especially for non-English native speakers, a collateral effect of the A to Z Challenge is the learning of vocabulary. Have you discovered any word this month?
I have discovered words, and places, and books and people/authors I had no idea about. The A-Z always does that for me.
ReplyDeleteBlown away by your systematic, planned approach towards the execution of your theme. X-post aced! Double thumbs up!!
This was my first A-to-Z challenge (not sure if I will have the time to do this again!), and it is also full of discoveries and fun. Thanks for your words, I'm so glad you like the post!
DeleteSo many X's! Nice post.
ReplyDeletehttp://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/x-is-for-x-in-summer-sky.html
Thanks, Sage!
DeleteThis is a completely new word to me (as is orisha). So that's two words.
ReplyDeleteIn what way did the post office get confused?
Phillip | X is for Xanthophytes | And they’re on XL mail
The postmark, because of the position of the stamp. But it arrived really quickly, so this is just my opinion :)
DeleteX for Xango. I'm not sure if I can even pronounce that. Maybe you can help me out. I love exploring music stores, that cadence of flipping through Cd's is so soothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm interviewing with an author today whose characters in the books she writes-speak to her.
http://theglobaldig.blogspot.com/2017/04/x-is-for-x-ordinary-words-on-books.html
But music stores are disappearing... :/
DeleteThat's a new word...Thanks for telling me what it is!
ReplyDeleteShubhangi @ The Little Princess
You're welcome :)
DeleteYes...I learned the word Xango:) It's interesting to know about this word and what it represents and that you found a postcard for it!
ReplyDeleteLet's say that a friend found it for me...
DeleteNot only you and me, but also the native English speakers learn new words thanks to this amazing challenge!
ReplyDeleteI liked to learn about these African / Brazilian words thanks to Brazilian songs we sing yearly - there is a beautiful song about an other, female, orisha, 'Canto de Naná'. And of course there is Jemanya (Salina must know her :-) ).
Thanks to Brazilian music I learned also an other word, a Portuguese one, which is my favourite foreign word: saudade. When pronounced in Brazilian-Portuguese it sounds like music in itself! And of course famous composers have used it in their lyrics. Also in Cape Verdian, late singer Cesária Evora sang a beautiful song 'Sodade'.
But I am loosing the theme - to stay in music, if I had found a xylophone card in time I would have sent it to you! (reminds me of the marimba, the Central /Latin-American instrument :-) )
Sodade by Cesária is one of my favourite songs ever :D
DeleteAnd thanks again, Heleen. I'll let you know if I need that xylophone!
You're so lucky to have kind friends who help you out with X and Y. Will Y be Yoruba?
ReplyDeleteI've a growing list of new English words that I've collected this month. Most of them have come from http://deborah-weber.com/blog/ who's picked archaic words for this challenge and some are colloquial ones I've picked from other bloggers.
X is for X shaped stitches on a Xmas stocking
I'm very lucky with my post friends in general :D
DeleteThere is a nice blog that is doing the challenge about words that don't exist in English: a few drops of ink. Maybe you like it as well.
I am learning so much from this challenge. New word sis just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you for teaching me another one.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100& with you!
DeleteI love your blog. I learn something every day. Now I know about Xango. Great find for the letter X
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words :)
DeletePostcards for education! I didn't know Xango, either. Thanks for sharing that. Eva.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
DeleteXango sounds like the answer to a crossword puzzle clue. https:// Maui Jungalow
ReplyDelete:D
DeleteI haven't heard of Xango but it's fun to say! There have been a few blogs doing unusual/old words that have been interesting to learn about, and one which has been making up a word each day for something we don't have a word for hehe which was fun. (This month has gone by so fast!)
ReplyDeleteHere's my "X" post :) http://nataliewestgate.com/2017/04/xanthium-secret-diary-of-a-serial-killer
You are right... April was too short! (So we're still enjoying it during May)
DeleteWell, now that you make me think about it, I have indeed come a cross a few words I didn't know... though I'm hard pressed to remember them now (blushes, not a great learner, I suppose...)
ReplyDeleteBut I was was also able to teach a couple of words (though one isn't English) that a few reader didn't know ^_^
One of the nice things about this challenge, in my opinion, is how we learn from each other...
Delete