BS: Favorite Names

Subject: Favorite Names
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:35 PM

I'm writing a story and need ideas for names. Any suggestions????

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mooh
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:49 PM

Your own?

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:51 PM

Odysseus did well with "Noman". seems to be working well for you too.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 07:24 PM

Atli. That's my favourite name. If I have a son, I'll want to name him Atli.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 07:28 PM

I always like Biblical names, but especially those used by H. Allen Smith (i.e., They-Sewed-Themselves-Fig-Leaves-Together Smith)

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 03:04 AM

Bingo Crazy, Vendetta Threats, Rufus Tuchus, Martin Farquhar, Zootan.... Ringo Alibi, Skimpy Glimmers. But you can't have them. They's all copyrighted.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Amergin
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 03:07 AM

I was always kind of partial to Nathan Tompkins.....

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 03:13 AM

You want fantasy names, generic names, ethnic names? Exactly what do you want?

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 03:22 AM

"Beau Guest."

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 10:18 AM

Stan Upp; Sandy Shore; Mar Tinn; Mary Goround; Lee Ward; Rob Inn; Chip Tooth....how 'bout these?

Ellen

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Troll
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 10:36 AM

Larsen E. Whipsnade and Carl LaFong. credits to W.C.Fields

troll

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: kendall
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 11:14 AM

Denton Fender, Warren Peace, Manual Transmission...Seriously when I was writing my book, my friend, Marshall Dodge (Bert & I) suggested looking through a phone book, then taking a first name here and a second name there,combining the two, such as Grover Furlong and Uriah Boardman.This works well unless you want fantasy names such as Bilbo Baggins. Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:05 PM

Snidely Whiplash.

Monty Carlo, Pola Negri, Flicka.

Yeah, Flicka.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: kimmers
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:18 PM

Pay attention to the ages of your characters and what period it is set in. Have you ever noticed that you can hazard a good guess about the age of the deceased (if you read obituaries, which I confess that I do) by the name? Names come in waves and fads. Cemeteries are good places to find names that are supposed to be from 50-100 years ago. If your characters are supposed to be about your age, and contemporary with our world, try first names that you remember from elementary school. Last names change less, but try for a good mix of ethnic types when appropriate.

I've been known to use various combinations of patients' names (true confession time), or other real people that I know.

Fantasy names are tougher. I recommend using real Earth languages rather than made-up language. I'd rather see transplanted Celtic names in a castles-and-dragons fantasy than something that feels artificial.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: paddymac
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:34 PM

Had you ever heard of anyone named "Ayla" before "Clan of the Cave Bear" came out. Now, the name is even used in crossword puzzles.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:35 PM

Holy Keericed Praise.....You're the only other person I've heard use Malcolm Farquhar, but I add Gaylord as a middle name. Where did that one come from anyway? Too many years and I've forgotten. Kinda' like Ezekiel Lipschitz.

Names? Oh yeah, I gotta' few...........And I have friends (some now ex-friends) who get mail under them and are on mailing lists etc. I admit it, I'm really an asshole!......But some of the mail has been hilarious and they all know who started them on the lists. I enter their addresses with some of the names below to "WIN A FLORIDA VACATION" and the like. Since the advent of computers, most of them go through because the computer doesn't see the joke.

Ray D. Ader, Clark Barr, "Red" Ruffinsor, Jack Mahogoff, Peter Guzzinnia. Oh yeah, here's a goodie that takes a bit, but I have a black friend on several mailing lists after signing him up under Dwight Mannsburden. And they can get even worse of course......Connie Lingus and her sister Anna Lingus, Phil Addio, Roger Kochov, and my personal pick, Hugh G. Reckshun.

There was a listing for years in the Columbus phone book for Peter Pounder.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: okthen
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:49 PM

My younger daughter once asked me to make up a name for her to use for a homework essay about an alien visiting Earth. I came up with NIVEK, as my elder daughter had just split up with her boyfriend KEVIN (he was a bit backward).

Apologies to all Kevin's on the 'cat.

Apart from that, I haven't seen Patty O'Doors mentioned yet.

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 01:03 PM

Do you all realize that Peter O'Tool has a double phallic name?

Thanks Groucho.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Matt_R
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 01:10 PM

I like Evangeline.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Pete M'Gurk
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 02:12 PM

Nobody's said "Janet Upisass" or "Anita Handjob" yet, so I'll throw them in. If you're going to list names military fashion, try "Ale, E. S." But all seriousness aside (thanks Steve Allen), when I'm writing a story or a play I use names of people I've known in the past, or mix first and last names of people from the phone book (as mentioned above) - or I try to use a name that describes the personality of the character - I have a detective named "John Dark" for example (please don't use that).

Try the last names of distant cousins that are different from your own, or look thru your parents' high school yearbooks for really unique names (my dad's had a boy named "LaVerne", f'rinstance).

A tip of the lid to Catspaw, who used my personal fave, "Hugh G. Reckshun".

Pete

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 02:16 PM

Troll, is that Carl La Fong, capital "L," small "a," Capital "F," small "o" small "n" small "g"? Carl La Fong?

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mickey191
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 02:23 PM

Praise, of all the names mentioned, I love Skimpy Glimmers. Where can I read about him? Johnny Carsons lawyers, "Dowe,Hurtem, & Howe." His Physician was Doctor Al Bendova, his favorite stripper,Miss Nifty Tittees. I had a neighbor named Anastasia Looney.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 05:14 PM

Spaw, mine is MARTIN Farquhar. Hey, are he and Malcolm Brothers, or more of your unkeericely cousins? Shudder... I suspect we may be related in an alternate universe. BTW I officially approve [Keericed] as a term. Beats Geeziss all to hell, IMNSHO.

Skimpy Glimmers I cannot take credit for, except for having the sense to notice it when a good Catpal of mine used it as a phrase, and I kept it in my mindfile as a possible name. Another one he has come up with (too busy to post?) is Sassy Wise. But then he also was responsible for Sugar Dog and Dearheart.

We can thank Matt R for Sooz the Flooz. (She later became Soozapaloozawottadooza, a minor present-day prophet.) And lest we forget, all these characters tend to have GREAT TEXT. Text maniacs, text appeal, textual explosion....

Nicknames-- Episcopalians are sometimes called the Frozen Chosen. Friend of mine said it sounded ike a yummy dessert.

I always thought it would be fun to have a thread of Mudcat Names That Must Never Be. I didn't start one because, well, I was sure someone would start USING all the ideas. I'm not sure what boithered me more-- that the bad ideas would become flesh or that the good ones would be appropriated. For instance, a Mudcat name of Fuck You. Imagine the thread chat. "Well, Fuck, I think that....." Good or bad?

Hey, Mickey, Skimpy Glimmers is off limits, but feel free to have your way with this one: Silky Flutters. Let me know what she gets up to, though, OK? *G*

Bitchy Dogsbody, Ralph Daly (hahahahahhhhh!), Jack Offin, oh dear.....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 06:06 PM

Sorry, forgot Les Stooges... the law firm... so funny on the poster, they're all dressed up:

Dewey, Cheathem, and Howe.

Yes, definitely must put that up in the spare room, along with the gigantic, gold-framed classic, The Last Yupper.

Dew Drop Inn, now.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: bassen
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 06:12 PM

I guy I know here in Norway is called Odd Christian Bull. Common names in Norwegian, but he hates attending conventions and seminars in the US and having to wear a name tag on his lapel...

bassen

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Melani
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 05:33 PM

Preston Thigpin (warning: this is a real person)

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Rizla the Green
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 06:11 PM

I have always liked Nicholas Girls

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Firecat
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 07:14 PM

If it's a crime novel, howsabout Laura Norder? I've also heard of someone with Velda as a middle name, and MY middle name comes from a book (Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings, to be exact). If you're not sure what my middle name is, it's Arwen.

Firecat

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 09:33 PM

Seems to me there was an ODD BULL that had something to do with the splitting of east and west Pakistan. He was also Norwiegen.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Amergin
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:12 PM

Be glad, firecat, that it wasn't Saruman....

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Matt_R
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:22 PM

My middle name is Edward, and now my Paltalk buds all refer to me now as "Word".

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mooh
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:25 PM

For a girl, Poly Esther. For a boy, Maurice Ronald, Moron for short.

Coming from someone who spells "Mike" as "Mooh", what do you expect?

Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: MarkS
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:28 PM

Well, if you want to be crude there is always Kenny Dicker and Jack Mehoff. Or with apologies to Tolstoy, you could write a book about Russian STDs centered around those loveable characters, Ivan Awfulich and his mentor, Rotchakokoff. Both were saved from complete personality distruction by following the path by their new Indian guru, Avid Lee Chantamantra.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Amergin
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:31 PM

Oh, Firecat, I forgot to mention that I always thought of you as more of a Shelob....*bg*

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 12:26 AM

clap clap clap!!!! Not enough clapping here!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Seth
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:21 AM

These are real people. I have known all of them, at least slightly. Casimir Piglowski, Hardy Funk, Beverley Gooch (male), Ivory Charlie, Oscar Royster, Joe Baggdagliaca, Roland Head, Ellsworth Hickey, Wong Wei, Gao Rang, Hubert Obtsgarten, Anita Fok, Kandi Sweet, Candy Chitlik, Chase Keightly-- This is all I can think of in five minutes -there could be more Seth from China

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:32 AM

An Aside: Seth, I know a Gao Rang here, a neat young woman- now that's she's a US citizen, she calls herself Annie. But I like Gao Rang. Great name.

Eb

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST,Thom M. at work
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 03:30 AM

Don't forget Claude Balls, Wan Hung Lo, Mr.Completely, I.P. Freely, Crabby Appleton, Tung Chow, and Flat Foot Floogey with the floy floy.
Thom

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 04:42 AM

Matthew

Orla

Meadhbh

Geraint

Euan

Hamish

Ella

Megan

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Audi
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 07:40 AM

ROFLOL! I love this thread!

My own real name is one of these kind--it's not as bad as Ima Hogg, but close, and it's a comic book character. I can never tell it to anyone without getting a reaction. I don't know WHY my parents did that to me. They plead ignorance--they just thought it was a lovely name. I told them I will carve my name on their headstones after they die--so they can always remember how lovely it has been for me...LOL!

Consequently, I have an obsession about collecting these kinds of names. I personally knew a Candy Treat (her name was Candice--"Hey guys, want a piece of Candy?"--she's heard all her life.) Also, I knew a very unclean girl named Constance Gross. An extremely obese guy named Don Madewell. A friend named Frank Allen Geist (his initials were the problem) another friend named Tesa Season, and another named Reefer Roller (Reefer being his mother's maiden name) and Kenny Rohrbach.

My favorites to collect are the names that also have significance with the occupation of the individual. My first such name was my grandfather who was a 'Miner'--both name and occupation. Attorney's names are hilarious to me especially, and these are all real attorneys: Marvin Shaft, a Charles Fuqua (also a politician), Willy Crook, William Justiss, George Filcher, Charlotte Murphy (her office is called Murphy's Law), J. E. Hagler, Christine Horwart (!), H. Slinkard...soooo many. My family doctor's name was Dr. Butt. His brother was a Judge ("All rise for Judge Butt"). I went to a dentist named Thomas Hardy Pull. A good friend who also loves music is named Rick Tooney.

I like the ficticious names as well, Patty Cakes, the Judge (Your Honor) Offer, Handel Cox, Willa Cumnow, Rip Thunder......

I also love names like these in fiction. One of my all time favorites is Walt Kelly's Sarcophagus MacAbre. And, nearly all the characters' names in the Harry Potter series are double entendres--they are all great.

Audi

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Crazy Eddie
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 08:21 AM

Hu Flung Dung is a well known Oriental Name.
Lawyers, you can't beat the firm of "Sue, Grabbet, & Runn"
Builders, "Norfolk & Good"
I've actually met both Christopher Cross & Richard Head. Neither one like their first names to be abbreviated.
If you need to name a horse, then "Hoof-Hearted" is a good bet, as is "Dusty Carpet" (he's never been beaten).
Angus Mc Oatup is a pleasant Caledonian gentleman.
Terry Pratchett has a couple of very evangelical characters, whose sect was originally quite violent, but who now try to convert people peacefully. "Smite the Ungodly with cunning arguments" & "Visit the Unbeliever With Godly Pamphlets" or something similar. Personally I like totally umpronouncable names like "WRTXE" or "NJBYRT"

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: CamiSu
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 09:54 AM

Names also point to where one is from... Alden is a fine old New England name. Never thought I'd have a nephew with it. In the Colorado town my husband is from, LaVerne Johnson married LaVerne McConnell, so now when you talk about one of them the listener will ask he or she? And my friend Carroll W. **** dated a girl, Carol Wendy *same last name! Of course I get the same thing with a name like Cameron. I met another woman with the name and she also had a Quaker background, and got her name from her grandfather. And there is always the name my other grandfather passed on to a girl-child, Cola Godden ****

I also like my friend's name, Raven.

On the subject of names going in cycles, I chose my kids names when I was in high school and NO one was named Jessica or Joshua... Oh well.

And for job appropriate names, who could beat Cardinal Sin?

Cami Su

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 10:12 AM

UK comedian, Dudley's own Lenny Henry, used to have wonderful names for his characters. Of course I can only remember one (damn CRS). His Al Green/Barry White style soul singer was Theophilus T. Wildebeeste.
RtS (aka Mal Canto, Donnie Lonegan, Croakin' Bullfrog - a moving target is harder to hit)

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 10:53 AM

Why thank you, Ella!

I've always been partial to Duncan A. River.

Audi, your name isn't Lois Lane is it??

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 11:48 AM

always thought the Folk Legacy recording artist Harry Tufts was an interesting one....(remenided me of my freshman year in college when the young English teacher passed around a 'sigh-up' sheet, and some wag (no, NOT me)added 'Harry Peters' to the list...and when she went to call the roll, there was inordinate giggling when she read the name several times and no one answered.....ah, youth...

also..one I invented when I was about 13..."Jootminsky Swigminor Warfle"

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 12:49 PM

Well, there was Ole Bull, 19th century Norwegian violinist.

How about Imagene Poole? heeheehee

A friend of mine said she once worked with a man whose real name was Texas Youngblood. Sounds like something out of a Louis L'Amour novel. And Louis was pretty good with character names.

And from a recent Prairie Home Companion: Destiny Krepsbach.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: DougR
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:58 PM

Check out the telephone book. It's full of names.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: mousethief
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:03 PM

Doug, you stole my suggestion.

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:55 PM

Oh! We have two doctors Dy here, brothers I think. It's pronounced DEE but you can't fool me!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: GUEST,artful dodger
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 12:47 AM

Thanks everyone!! The names are great though I don't think I'll use some of them being a little on the indecent side!!! But they were great.I think a bad guy named Ivory Charlie will do nicely!

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Robo
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 12:58 AM

Audi . . . can't believe I've found another person whose grandfather was named Miner! Amazing. I still believe ours is the only family with a Miner Cole, however!

Rob-o

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 01:42 AM

Is that a second cousin to a Miner Chord? (sorry, couldn't resist)

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 08:03 AM

I collect appropriate names - ones that the New Scientist refer to as "nominative determinism" Like Sir Henry Plum president of the Farmers Union and Juan Trippe founder, President & CEO of Pan Am.

You get the Idea "in jokes", appropriate names, subtle humour.

Don't forget the title punchy and clever and no more that 5 words or it will get smaller print billing.

Best of Luck

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 08:26 AM

When I worked in Market Research I once interviewed a Dr De'Ath and the one that really makes me laugh every time I drive past the "shop" is Jolly's the Funeral Director !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: LR Mole
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 08:39 AM

Down the hall in the Nomenclatural Professional Building from Dewy, Cheatham and Howe are those two other law firms, Push, Down, and Turne and Lather, Rinse, and Repeatte. Have Rufus Leaking and James Nasium been mentioned yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 08:41 AM

Or then there are those 2 well known authors of learned scientific articles on Urinary Tract Infections - Mssrs Smellie and Leakey (I swear this is true)

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Bert
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 11:45 AM

I used to know an electrician named Ted Flicker.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 01:58 PM

Sarah the Flute - Jolly's?

Is that Bath by any chance? Incedentally the Rising Sun session, Sun - which Rising Sun or both in Bath?

The estate Agents in Bridgnorth "Doolittle and Dally" though my Aunt reckoned it started as a firm of solicitors. No matter it amounts to the same.

I like the James Nasium, obviously a pun in there but not in yer face. Needs a smidgin more application of brain and worth the effort. I'm sure we can add to the fun here - but not while I'm typing.

I have about 300 Pub names with appropriate streets/towns though only a couple actually exist, all of em should.

eg "Eve Ninn Hall", Lesby Avenue (next the Police Station). "the Long & Winding Road", Utrecht. Well you get the idea. let me know if you can stand any more Inn jokes!

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 01:32 AM

50 Yards to the Outhouse ... written by Willie Makeit...edited by Betty Dont!
Hole in the Mattress written by Mr. Completely
Rusty Bedsprings ... written by I.P. Nightly
Ahhh .. you've all heard those before!
How about Hortense fungusface!
Cheers! ...LL

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 08:23 AM

Mr Red

Jolly's might have been Bath, or Bristol or even Manchester I got around a lot in those days before I got a boring sensible job!

When I was little we had a Peter the Postman and an Ernie the Milkman - maybe they are a bit too UK orientated

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Allan C.
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 08:31 AM

Years ago during a beach vacation I came to fancy the name, Sandy Capo.

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 10:33 AM

Hunter Smoon & brother Harvey. Then there could be Horst Hughes, and his cousin Hutch. And in the meterology corner - Lois Temps, Cy Clone, Rainer Shine, Cloudio Verhere and his son hiding being him.

UK radio programme that goes by the name of "I'm sorry I haven't a Clue" (spoof panel game) ends the show with just such names being announced as late arrivals to the "Firemans" or "Stud Farmers'" etc etc Ball.

Tolkien did this sort of thing in Lord of the Rings, though more often he played games with place names, even managing triple puns for the cognicenti (not me I assure you).

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 11:16 AM

late (slow) entries

Penelope Forum and Valerie Halla. Patricia O'Dores (probably a UK speciality), Nathan Wide.

BUT really folks.......

I met a Wayne K King in NZ (still have his visiting card) though when I told the next customer he was unfazed showing me the employee list included a Wayne Carr (cf UK electronics company Wayne Kerr). Also in the collection of business cards is Jacques Ardon (I can prove it!) and Robin Banks who never said "sorry I was held up" when arriving late - but I was hoping!

Job ad in UK (still have the cutting) it reads "write to Walsall Screw Specialists - attn Mr Makepeace"

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 11:40 AM

For hamsters: archaic and pretentious sounding names are great. such as...

Winston, Throckmorton, Prendergast, Oglethorpe, and Dudley. That's for male hamsters.

Female hamsters? Well...

How about Lobelia or Lucretia.

Then there are the names you put on order forms to get revenge on junk mail advertisers.

Yes!!! Send me 5 years of Time Magazine (and a FREE mouse pad! Oh, wow! Golly gee!) forthwith to:

Yurko Slobodovich, Gus Fyfield, or the weird name of your choice...at the fictional address of your invention...preferably in some really remote little community at a post office box or even General Delivery...or just pick a street name and number somewhere in Chicago for variety.

If enough people did this on a regular basis junk mail would soon cease to exist.

"Hugh G. Rekshun" has gotta meet Seymour Flesch (the male stripper) one of these days...

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Mar 01 - 07:17 AM

Don't forget the trend set by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in "the Rivals"

eg Mrs Malaprop - always saying things that were not (mal) apropriate. hence malapropisms, or as a psychyatrist might say Fruedian Slips (don't have to be sex related to qualify).

Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Names
From: Amos
Date: 11 Mar 01 - 10:47 AM

Freudian slips and malapropisms are different things, Red. The former are instances of mis-speaking which actually reveal some deeper frame of mind or suppressed desire. Example:"Honey, where are my Argyle sex?". A malapropism is a pretentious misuse of a word revealing ignorance, usually humorous, as '"Caparisons are odorous," she proclaims."' Or one by an eigth grader:

"We just learned about something new in health class, actually. I never heard of it before."

"Oh really? What was it?" I asked.

"We learned about girls who are anorexic and ballistic."

In this case you could argue that the use of ballistic for bulimic was possibly a malapropism AND a Freudian slip! :>)

A