zompist bboard

The Godolphins - connected to many of England's old political families - are best remembered today for their role in the creation of the modern racehorse; as a result, the world's top horseracing company, Godolphin Racing, is named after them.

I don't know what's particularly odd about "Godolphin". Lord Godolphin once replaced "Ford Grey the Earl of Tankerville (and Baron Grey of Warke)", who has a much sillier name and title.

But the name "the ministry of the chits" is indeed satirical.

_________________
Blog:

But the river tripped on her by and by, lapping
as though her heart was brook: Why, why, why! Weh, O weh
I'se so silly to be flowing but I no canna stay!

"go, dolphin!" is still quite silly as a name.

_________________
I generally forget to say, so if it's relevant and I don't mention it--I'm from Southern Michigan and speak Inland North American English. Yes, I have the Northern Cities Vowel Shift; no, I don't have the cot-caught merger; and it is called pop.

_________________
Blog:

But the river tripped on her by and by, lapping
as though her heart was brook: Why, why, why! Weh, O weh
I'se so silly to be flowing but I no canna stay!

_________________
"But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,
What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a Sea?”

I'm still trying to figure out what's so funny about "Clinton."

I've seen a few people spelling it "clitnon" and "Clintoris".

My favorite surname is Bedmore.

_________________
Sunàqʷa the Sea Lamprey says:

_________________
Blog:

But the river tripped on her by and by, lapping
as though her heart was brook: Why, why, why! Weh, O weh
I'se so silly to be flowing but I no canna stay!

_________________
The conlanger formerly known as “the conlanger formerly known as Pole, the”.

If we don't study the mistakes of the future we're doomed to repeat them for the first time.

Swahili: [ʃaɣalabaˈɣa(ː)la] "messy, chaotic; at random"

_________________
Glossing Abbreviations: COMP = comparative, C = , ACS / ICS = , GDV = , SPEC / NSPC = specific / non-specific
________

Oh, how interesting! From what I remember from reading Madhur Jaffrey's A Taste of India, there's a type of sweet snack that is only made in the port city of Surat in Gujarat, and it's called sagla bagla. It comes in the form of a box of white flakes with almonds embedded inside. According to Jaffrey, "Only one man can make it, and he refuses to part with the recipe" (I believe those were her exact words). She also says they fly away when ceiling fans are turned on.

Perhaps it's different in Poland, but in the UK, things like words and names can have connotations and expected places of residence. Different names may be associated with different ages, classes, regions, and so forth. Seeing a name, or other word, outside its usual place of residence, often creates amusement (so, for example, there's a well-known sketch in which two WWII RAF pilots (an identity associated with extreme linguistic poshness and a degree of archaicism) speak to one another in a speech-form associated with lower-class youth, and the audience finds the incongruity "funny"). So seeing The Leader of the Free World called "Ronnie" is funny. "Bill" is less extreme, but still amusing. Indeed, it may well be that a major politician wouldn't be allowed to be called 'Bill' or the like in the UK. We did accept "Tony" Blair, but not without some grousing and mockery at first [it may be that he was let off because the way had already been forged by "Tony" Benn.] But when Dave Cameron became PM, his attempts to go by his normal name were robustly rejected - when he told people his name was "Dave", he just became known as David "Call Me Dave" Cameron, and the name became a vehicle for political attacks - unless you're someone like Big Jim Callaghan, there's enerally a feeling that if a politician oes by too colloquial a name, it's because they're pretending to be somethin they're not.

The class connotations attached to most surnames are much weaker, so they rarely produce emotion. Nonetheless, surnames can be associated with particular classes, races, etc, and the fact that many names that are common amonst the public are not common amon politicians is indicative of something.

I meant to footnote my earlier comment: the fact that Johnson is associated with the black community is presumably why it's vastly more common in the US than in the UK or the Commonwealth. It's a common surname here, but it's two or three times as common in the US, apparently.

_________________
Blog:

But the river tripped on her by and by, lapping
as though her heart was brook: Why, why, why! Weh, O weh
I'se so silly to be flowing but I no canna stay!

I guess that association doesn't really exist here on the same level as in Britain. Heck, the current president has the same first name as a famous cartoon character that's a duck, and no one seems to bat an eyelid at that here at least.

_________________
The conlanger formerly known as “the conlanger formerly known as Pole, the”.

If we don't study the mistakes of the future we're doomed to repeat them for the first time.

I'm surprised Sal didn't mention Dick or Mitt, OK neither was POTUS but still close enough and I'd imagine their names sound quite amusing to Britons.

"Dick" is an inherently amusing name.

_________________
language LNK. cover

_________________
Blog:

But the river tripped on her by and by, lapping
as though her heart was brook: Why, why, why! Weh, O weh
I'se so silly to be flowing but I no canna stay!