Catmanron,
Turns out, I think,we were both right in a sense on the aside subject of "amalgam". I suspected my dentist's usage came from a common root origin of the old generic company name used in old movies alot - "Amalgamated". I looked it up the Microsoft analogue LOL dictionary, because I have found their definitions of technical terms more reliable than say "wikipedia" on-line.
in brief,amalgam N 1.a combination of elements or characteristics N 2.a substance used for filling tooth cavities. And, amalgamate: Vti, combine into a unified whole. (like the old companies that merged. Amalgam noun definition 1 looks to be most relevant short of a report by my friend the metallurgist, but I've no doubt the info given you at the tour was of course correct.
So, looks like our suspicion was right in general terms on amalgam. It all makes sense with the tech definition in Microsofts encarta dictionary, supporting what you said completely, and the guess we both had that its also a general term of mixture (of metals in this case, or epoxy and silver if i recall my dentist correctly). I am still curious to ask my friend if he ever came across stemming in his historical studies; but the pipe-stem definition sure makes sense to me.
Maybe most important of all to me is the historically-rich usage Gord had buried in his music, for all the terms we run to the dictionaries for.
Like all the old threads on "navvie" in CRT, which interestingly , despite the well-verified and Gord-confirmed answers by common report from his own research; I still found another istorical definition from rail alignment.
The one I found did not make as much sense as the old old thread everywhere on this turned up and there's no need for here again. I guess a contraction and colloqiualism (historical) is likely to have multiple definitions anyway.
GL's music is so rich in these historical usages. Maybe thats why what would otherwise be tedious and mundane to look up is so fun, as are sounds in his music. ohhh noooo OK ok LOL I'll not go there on that old one for ole' telekidd's digestion. Thanks for the interesting info, catmanRon
geo Steve
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