Tonight, as we approach the weekend, a couple links. Both will lead you to delicious compendiums of obscure information, with which you may amaze your friends and win bar bets (not that any of our readers ever go to bars).

First, from Listverse: Twenty Great Archaic Words. Words that we’ve somehow allowed to slip out of common use. Yet a few of them seem (to me) to be very useful. My favorite:

17. Apricity – The feeling of the warmth of the sun in winter. This word sparked this list when I used it in conversation and no one knew what it was. Nothing particularly funny, just a great word and a great sensation.

One of my favorite sensations, and a word I need to work into conversation from now on. I suspect I’ll get the chance before many months have passed.

(Caution: The last archaic word is one you might want to shield small children from.)

Also, from The Scotsman, Vikings and Scotland: Ten Lesser-Known Facts:

Clan names are a visible relic; MacIvors were originally the sons of Ivar, MacSween, the sons of Swein, Macaulay, the sons of Olaf, MacAskill, the sons of Asgeir and so on.

I didn’t know about those names. I did know about MacLeod, the sons of Ljot (some people say Ljot means “Light,” and others say it means “Ugly.” I’m not qualified to judge, but I’d bet on “Light.” Just a hunch.

Have a great weekend.