From Japan to Texas: The Secret Second Lives of Proper Nouns

Hello! I’m Nick from the Two Words team and I’m going to japan on Saturday. 

Did you spot the omission? That’s right, I didn’t say what I am intending to japan. Japan isn’t just the name of a country, a proper noun, but it’s also a common noun, ‘a varnish of exceptional hardness’ and a verb: ‘to lacquer with japan; to varnish with any material that gives a hard black gloss’. That’s why ‘japan’ is a valid word in Two Words, but ‘Tokyo’ isn’t. Oh, by the way, a door, I’m going to japan a door; or I might go to the zoo, it depends on the weather. 

There are plenty of other examples. You won’t be surprised that march and may are allowed, but august, ‘majestic or venerable’, is perhaps less obvious. 

Nick won’t raise an eyebrow, but james, an old term for a ‘burglar's crowbar’ and sam ‘to bring together’ might have you scratching your head. 

Here are a few more words that might not be what they seem: 

texas:  The uppermost structure of a river-steamer, containing the officers' quarters. 

brazil: The mineral pyrite, as occurring in coal deposits. 

napoleon: A type of pastry. 

jordan: A pot or vessel, often applied to a chamber pot. 

Can you come up with any other examples?