Cate Blanchett and Her Vocabulary

Australian actor Cate Blanchett (left) is one of the most decorated and accomplished actors of our generation, with a resume that includes more than 70 films and 20-plus theater productions, along with multiple Golden Globe and Academy Awards. 

 

She is known for her title character in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (1998), playing Elf Queen Galadriel in the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy (2001-2003), as well as a host of other memorable movies such as “Notes on a Scandal” (2006), “Blue Jasmine” (2014), “Truth” (2015), “Carol” (2015), and “Tár” (2022). 

 

But what impresses me most is her amazing vocabulary – although most times, she is unable to explain the meaning of the words she uses. 😂

 

The words that emerge from her lips seem to befuddle the Americans in the video. Another way of putting it is that she discombobulates them!

For anyone who doesn't know: 

 

Crèche = Daycare. A childcare centre/babysitting center for children while their parent (or guardian) is at work, at the gym, at the shops etc. 

 

Corpsing = Theatre slang for breaking character and laughing or forgetting one's lines, or otherwise causing another actor in scene to do so. It's called 'corpsing' because you've essentially murdered, or 'made a corpse' out of the scene. 

 

Homogeneity = It describes the quality or state of a group being all the same or all of the same kind. Homogenous. You would use 'homogeneity' in an acting context to say that the cast has chemistry with one another, get along well, and can perform scenes well together. 

 

Quoll = An animal found in Australia. A carnivorous marsupial related to Tasmanian devils; for Americans, think tiny angry squirrels that live in a hole. 

 

Knob = A button or dial, or a small protrusion, lump, or bump at the end of, or on the surface of an object. A doorknob is a knob. A wart is a knob. if you have particularly bony knees, they are 'knobbly,' as in having the characteristic of being covered in 'knobs' or bumps. 

 

Truffle = A truffle is a fungus that grows underground near tree roots (similar to mushrooms, but not a mushroom exactly) that are hard to find, and thus extremely expensive, and used in cooking. A 'truffle' dessert is called so because it looks like a truffle. When she is talking about 'knobs' she's trying to describe the lumpy, as she put it, 'dog-turd' shape of a truffle. 

 

Ablute = A verb, to 'ablute' is to ritually clean oneself. Noun form, 'Ablution' which is the grammatically correct answer for the blank space shown on the screen. "Every day, make time for ablution" basically means, "Every day, make time for your morning bathroom routine". 

 

Illusionary = Of or relating to illusions or deception. Not to be confused with 'Illusory', that is, the quality of being based on illusion; fake. 

 

Lookie Likie = British slang for 'lookalike'. Someone who looks like you, usually used in reference to a celebrity. 

 

For those who got lost because of her supposedly big words, it's time to work on your vocabulary, alright?