“CUBAD” (COMMENT).
“CUBAD” (COMMENT). Henry Nejako commented on my recent post asking “Why do we live in New England?” by eloquently describing some of the wonderful features of New England, and especially Connecticut, mentioning the fall foliage, the summer beaches and the flowering in spring. All are things we love about Connecticut, but in the winter we hunker down and go outside as little as possible. Mary Jane uses the word “cubad” a lot. It’s her mother’s word for being housebound. I can’t find it in any online Italian dictionary.
“Cubad” means, roughly, feeling claustrophobic, squeezed, you feel you can’t draw a clear breath, you have just run out of vitality because you’ve been indoors and out of the sun and space for too long. Could it come from an Italian word for closet? As in, “I feel as if I’ve been stuffed into a closet?” Or cupboard?