16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, May 16, 1911: Started to make a much needed apron. Mother and I had quite a squabble over it. She said I wasn’t making it right. Started to embroider a jabot. Don’t suppose I need it though. Just something to take up room.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
A jabot is a decorative ruffle on the front of a shirt or dress. A hundred years ago they were considered a stylish accessory. Currently female supreme court judges often wear them.
And, today I learned how to pronounce a new word. Jabot is pronounced zhab-oh or jab-oh I was telling my son that I needed to write an entry about jabots–and we ended up discussing how to pronounce it. I had pronounced it “ja-bot.” But according to the dictionary the “t” is silent.
I wonder what Grandma was doing incorrectly when she was making the apron. Old-time apron directions are in a previous post.
I learned that word yesterday!!!
I been surprised how many new words I’ve learned from this diary. I’ve also learned the archaic meanings of several words we still use (for example, that truck can mean worthless stuff).