"Kevin" as a given name
Anonymous
> Alfredo <art...@heartofgold.net> wrote:
>> Glenn Rice wrote:
>>> Alfredo <art...@heartofgold.net> wrote:
>>>> I know a lady who used to be a school teacher years ago who told me
>>>> about 2 children whose parent(s) had named them Lemonjello and
>>>> Orangejello (stress on the second syllable in both). She was not
>>>> kidding. How parents can do this to their kids is beyond me, but
>>>> based on this I tend to believe whatever I see on a name tag at Winn
>>>> Dixie.
>>>
>>> This is crap. Another Urban Legend passed along
>>
>> No, it is not crap. The lady in question was not kidding me when she told
>> me this. Since you don't actually know her, I suggest you refrain from
>> attacking her integrity. Nobody who knew her would even think of doing so.
>>
>> And on the chance that you are impugning my veracity; if I suspected that
>> it was an urban legend., I would have said so. On the contrary, I have
>> reported it as fact, which I would not have done if I knew otherwise or had
>> doubts about the source.
>
> This is the kind of Real Fact that they love over in alt.folklore.urban,
> where one of their jobs is to sniff out the truth or untruth of legends
> (not all ULs are false).
>
> If you have a moment, you might drop by and add this to their trove of
> knowledge. Since you don't mention if the teacher knew the two kids
> herself, you might want to put the code "FOAF" in the Subject line, to
> indicate the immediate vector length.
>
> --
> Bear
Thanks for the invitation, Bear. But let me add that just because there is
a funny name story it does not mean the the funny name was not ever used.
Take the hippies for example, they had lots of weird names for their kids.
I might add that there also was a major league pitcher (I believe for the
Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name Lemongello.
My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
John Francis
Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote:
Nothing of consequence.
Note the poster. Note the egregious crossposting.
Think before following up.
Anonymous
>in...@montoya.net (D. P. Roberts) wrote:
>>>Marguerite Slade Hicks who went by "Slade Hicks," and a Susan Rice
>>>Sergeant who went by "Rice Sergeant." I believe that both of these
>>>women were from Virginia.
>>
>> I used to know a guy by the last name of Dale. He was absolutely
>> infatuated and in love with a girl called Dale Myers. The reason he
>> never asked her out was because he was afraid they'd get married and
>> she would be Dale Dale.
>
>Consider the headache on some military bases with the following names
>(these combinations have actually existed):
>
>A seargent with the name Major. Seargent Major is a rank.
>A major with the name of Sargent.
>
>or how about Major Major? or Seargent Sargent?
>Seargent Major Sargent? Seargent Major Major?
>
>Private is a last name as is General.
In high school we had a guy named John Parts. He was drafted
in '68 after his senior year. When he came back on leave
after Basic he told us how anxious he was to make corporal
because he was tired of being called "Private Parts."
In the Fall of that year he was shipped out to Vietnam. We
were surprised but delighted when he came back in one piece
both mentally and physically. Given his reckless nature in
word and deed we were sure he would end up as "Scattered Parts"
which nearly happened on the highway on more than one occasion
before the Army saved him.
Anony "Dr Prick is too in the phone book" mous
Reed1399
Hospital about two years ago. The kids were twins. If you don't believe it
call the Lawrence Journal World (local paper) and ask. They ran a story on it.
John Francis
Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote:
Another puerile attempt at promoting a crosspost war.
This time it tried to start a 'Funny Names' thread.
Ralph Jones
> [snip]
> I might add that there also was a major league pitcher (I believe for the
> Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name Lemongello.
There was a Bob Lemongello who got some media attention in the Seventies. He was a
very good bowler and fancied himself a better singer, so he achieved a pretty good
standing on the TV bowling circuit and used the money to produce his own album. As
far as I can remember, the bowling industry received him better than the music
industry did.
rj
Shereen
Why don't _you_ make the call on behalf of AFU? Or maybe get an archive
copy of the paper scanned? It's your vector - use it.
Shereen
--
"It must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays."
For all your ASP discussion needs: http://www.aspforums.com
The above reflects the views of the author only.
Joseph C Fineman
>Thanks for the invitation, Bear. But let me add that just because
>there is a funny name story it does not mean the the funny name was
>not ever used. Take the hippies for example, they had lots of weird
>names for their kids. I might add that there also was a major league
>pitcher (I believe for the Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name
>Lemongello.
In general, the fact that a story fits the pattern of an urban legend
is not proof that it is false; it is only grounds for skepticism. We
have it from no less an authority than Professor Brunvand himself that
there _have_, at times, been alligators in New York City sewers.
In particular, it is risky to disbelieve in the existence of any given
name, especially if it is attributed to an American woman. According
to Mencken's _American Language_, imagination in that regard has run
particularly wild in Oklahoma & northern Texas. He gives some
examples far more preposterous than Lemonjello.
--- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
||: If I could tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but :||
||: the truth, I'd _be_ God. :||
Anonymous
>Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote:
>Nothing of consequence.
>Note the poster. Note the egregious crossposting.
>Think before following up.
Intoned John Francis ever so self-righteously after
launching his own crossposted snot-rocket into:
alt.graffiti
alt.tasteless
alt.usage.english
alt.folklore.urban
rec.humor
alt.tasteless.jokes
soc.culture.usa
alt.writing
as part of the "Outhouse Poetry" thread :)
Anony "do as John says, not as John does [1]" mous
[1] I think I'll drop a complaint to Silicon Graphics
about John's inflammatory crossposting ...
JoAnne Schmitz
Shereen <she...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:382AD7...@btinternet.com...
> Reed1399 wrote:
>
> > Lemonjello and Orangejello is not crap. It happened at Lawrence
Memorial
> > Hospital about two years ago. The kids were twins. If you don't
believe it
> > call the Lawrence Journal World (local paper) and ask. They ran a story
on it.
>
>
> Why don't _you_ make the call on behalf of AFU? Or maybe get an archive
> copy of the paper scanned? It's your vector - use it.
At the LJWorld web site I used their search engine:
No articles matching "lemonjello or orangejello and date(01/01/1989 to
01/01/1999)" were returned.
No articles matching "lemon and jello and date(01/01/1989 to 01/01/1999)"
were returned.
JoAnne "no articles matching 'lemonjello' either" Schmitz
John Francis
Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote:
A squeal of outrage. A hit! A palpable hit!
>jfra...@dungeon.engr.sgi.com (John Francis) wrote:
>
>>Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote:
>>Nothing of consequence.
>>Note the poster. Note the egregious crossposting.
>>Think before following up.
>
>Intoned John Francis ever so self-righteously after
>launching his own crossposted snot-rocket into:
>
>alt.graffiti
>alt.tasteless
>alt.usage.english
>alt.folklore.urban
>rec.humor
>alt.tasteless.jokes
>soc.culture.usa
>alt.writing
>
>as part of the "Outhouse Poetry" thread :)
Where, for most of the groups,it was at least marginally on-topic.
What's your excuse?
>Anony "do as John says, not as John does [1]" mous
>
>[1] I think I'll drop a complaint to Silicon Graphics
> about John's inflammatory crossposting ...
Please do. But unless you have the courage to actually sign your
own name to it it will imediately get dropped in the bit-bucket.
Anonymous
>Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> writes:
>
>>Thanks for the invitation, Bear. But let me add that just because
>>there is a funny name story it does not mean the the funny name was
>>not ever used. Take the hippies for example, they had lots of weird
>>names for their kids. I might add that there also was a major league
>>pitcher (I believe for the Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name
>>Lemongello.
>
>In general, the fact that a story fits the pattern of an urban legend
>is not proof that it is false; it is only grounds for skepticism. We
>have it from no less an authority than Professor Brunvand himself that
>there _have_, at times, been alligators in New York City sewers.
Caimans were found in Seattle's Green Lake circa June '86. It is
assumed they were former abandoned pets that escaped the sewer system.
>In particular, it is risky to disbelieve in the existence of any given
>name, especially if it is attributed to an American woman. According
>to Mencken's _American Language_, imagination in that regard has run
>particularly wild in Oklahoma & northern Texas. He gives some
>examples far more preposterous than Lemonjello.
Yes, Virginia, there *really* is a manufacturer of electronic
equipment named "Fluke." And I'm surprised anyone would start
a chain of auto parts stores names "Shuck's." [1] But I was
astounded to see a van bearing the name "CRAPO Appliance Service."
I can only assume it was a business started by a refugee from
eastern Europe :)
[1] Is it true they bought Al's Auto Supply recently?
Dana Carpender
Anonymous wrote:
Around here we have an attorney named Stanley Kahn (pronounced, of course,
"con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it all." Boy,
now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
--
Dana W. Carpender
Wondering about low carbohydrate diets?
Do they work? Are they healthy?
How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet -- And Lost Forty Pounds!
http://www.holdthetoast.com
Bob Trosper
"Semi-tough" by Dan Jenkins. Don't you cretins ever read?
-- Bob t.
> Thanks for the invitation, Bear. But let me add that just because there is
> a funny name story it does not mean the the funny name was not ever used.
> Take the hippies for example, they had lots of weird names for their kids.
> I might add that there also was a major league pitcher (I believe for the
> Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name Lemongello.
>
Sula
>"CRAPO Appliance Service."
Seen on the side of a truck north of Boston: "J.T. Damphousse Roofing and
Siding".
Aaron Brandon
Dana Carpender <dcar...@kiva.net> wrote in message
news:382B3990...@kiva.net...
to be an OB/GYN. His name? Hackett. We used to joke, "Dr. Hackett, at
your cervix."
--
--Aaron
"I am no prophet--and here's no great matter"
T. S. Eliot
K. D.
Merv wrote in message <382B8C17...@home.com>...
>
>Anonymous wrote:
>>
>> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
I wonder how that happened. I mean, given that mensa means "table" in
Latin.......
Paul Sweeney
> Merv wrote > >
> >Anonymous wrote:
> >>
> >> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
>
>
> I wonder how that happened. I mean, given that mensa means "table" in
> Latin....
If it any consolation your merely taking part in a cross posted troll initiated
by the Seattle branch of 'gormless crossposting pissants r us' in a forlorn
attempt to start a flame war. I would have thought that after the amount of
time that you have spent infesting AFU that you would at least by now have the
wit to see a David B. Greene postT for what it was. In addition to this, you
still haven't answered my inquiry about the thing that people say about chiggers
(or are you not reading this?).
Paul "although 'mensa' also means 'catering' in Italian" Sweeney
Merv
Anonymous wrote:
>
>
> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
Thank you for pointing that out. I was not aware of the meaning. I
wonder if many of the Mensans are?
True story:
A couple of years ago I was surfing and found myself in a web site
populated by Mensans. One of them was way out in left field in their
current discussion so I jumped in and corrected him.
He came back, disagreeing with me, and said he didn't recognize my name
and was I a Mensan?
I figured he was a snotty bugger so I said "Yes, I'm a new member. I got
in on a sports scholarship."
A dozen or so of them got quite rude with me and I enjoyed it
tremendously. They have no sense of humor.
Cheers
Merv
Hoodah Thunkit
I used to belong to Mensa. I think I have a sense of humor. Now what?
Some of 'em may be snotty, but 2 out of 100 can pass their tests, so
that's 20,000 out of 1,000,000 or 5,200,000 out of 260,000,000. Big
deal.
Dudly
>True story:
>
>A couple of years ago I was surfing and found myself in a web site
>populated by Mensans. One of them was way out in left field in their
>current discussion so I jumped in and corrected him.
>
>He came back, disagreeing with me, and said he didn't recognize my name
>and was I a Mensan?
>
>I figured he was a snotty bugger so I said "Yes, I'm a new member. I got
>in on a sports scholarship."
>
>A dozen or so of them got quite rude with me and I enjoyed it
>tremendously. They have no sense of humor.
>
>Cheers
>
>Merv
Songbyrd11
>> Around here we have an attorney named Stanley Kahn (pronounced, of course,
>> "con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it all." Boy,
>> now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
>>
>> --
>> Dana W. Carpender
>>
>>
>>
>Reminds me of a med student I knew back in my college days. He was studying
>to be an OB/GYN. His name? Hackett. We used to joke, "Dr. Hackett, at
>your cervix."
Had a friend in law school whose last name was Fine. He would say that he was
running for office and point to a sign on the wall. "Fine for littering."
Song "not sure I would want the job" byrd
Younes Leroul
"K. D." wrote:
> Merv wrote in message <382B8C17...@home.com>...
> >
> >Anonymous wrote:
> >>
> >> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
>
> I wonder how that happened. I mean, given that mensa means "table" in
> Latin.......
Maybe the wood used for the table is nut :-)
Younès
Merv
> > A dozen or so of them got quite rude with me and I enjoyed it
> > tremendously. They have no sense of humor.
> >
>
> I used to belong to Mensa. I think I have a sense of humor. Now what?
> Some of 'em may be snotty, but 2 out of 100 can pass their tests, so
> that's 20,000 out of 1,000,000 or 5,200,000 out of 260,000,000. Big
> deal.
OK, so you're trolling me. But on the off chance you'll go and give them
a hard time, try
rec.org.mensa
Go get 'em. Send me copies.
Cheers
Merv
Patricia Holtby
Younes Leroul <y...@logosdesign.dk> wrote in message
news:382BD840...@logosdesign.dk...
>
Gosh, and in Spanish, "mesa" means table. Maybe the person who invented
Spanish just made a little boo-boo? Heh heh.
Patricia "I-learned-Spanish-just-so-my-Mexican-boyfriend-would-love-me-more"
Holtby
David Samuel Barr
>
> Dana Carpender <dcar...@kiva.net> wrote in message
> news:382B3990...@kiva.net...
> >
> > course, "con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it
> > all." Boy, now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
> >
>
> studying to be an OB/GYN. His name? Hackett. We used to joke, "Dr.
> Hackett, at your cervix."
Three of my teachers in prep school were:
Clyde Hatch - biology
Harry Kramp - swimming
Harvey Strum - guitar
I kid thee not.
M.J.Powell
<flowrchi...@prodigy.net> writes
>
>Merv wrote in message <382B8C17...@home.com>...
>>
>>Anonymous wrote:
>>>
>>> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
>
>
>I wonder how that happened. I mean, given that mensa means "table" in
>Latin.......
According to the cowboy films I've seen, 'Loco' is Spanish for crazy.
Mike
--
M.J.Powell
K. D.
Chris Malcolm wrote in message <80gub7$n57$1...@scotsman.ed.ac.uk>
...
>It didn't. It's a gullibility test, i.e., it's a silly urban rumour
>started as a leg pull for Mensans. There is no word "mensa" in
>Spanish.
Well, that's what I thought at first. In my 30-odd years of learning and
speaking Spanish, I had never heard "mensa" in the context of meaning
"crazy" or "stupid". Quite frankly, I had never heard the word "mensa" at
all, in Spanish. So, I did a little investigating.
My Velasquez Spanish - English dictionary does not list the word "mensa" in
the Spanish portion. The closest word is "mensaje" (message).
The same dictionary gives many words and phrases for "crazy" or "stupid",
none of which is "mensa" or anything close to "mensa".
My dictionary is not the most recent edition, and naturally is abridged, so
I decided to do some further investigation. I thought that the Spanish word
"mensa", meaning something other than "table", might have derived from the
Latin word "mens" meaning "mind."
Wander over to dictionary.com and click on "translations". Type "mensa" in
the large box, and then select, below, "translate Spanish to English." As a
definition for "mensa", the word "stupid" will appear in the box.
Still seems fishy to me. If "mensa" means "crazy" or "stupid" somewhere in
the Spanish-speaking world, I think it must not be widely-used. I did a web
search using the words "mensa" and "Spain", and the first site I found was
the Mensa Spain web site. Here for everyone's edification is some text --
http://www.mensa.es/:
"Mensa es una organización internacional única. Básicamente es un club
social, pero un club social distinto a cualquier otro. El único requisito
necesario es obtener, en una prueba de inteligencia acreditada, una
puntuación por encima del 98% de la población general. Una de cada 50
personas está capacitada para ser miembro.
"Si lo que está buscando es conversación inteligente, personas que le
estimulen, actividades interesantes y oportunidad para ensanchar su mundo,
en Mensa los encontrará."
[Basic description of Mensa as a social club, with basic requirements for
admission]
Clicking on the button '¿Qué significa "Mensa"?' (What does Mensa mean?)
results in this. (Woah, even Mensa Spain has an FAQ!)
[begin quote]
¿Qué significa "Mensa"?
Mensa es una palabra latina que significa "mesa". Somos una sociedad de mesa
redonda que no establece distinciones por motivos de raza, credo,
nacionalidad o situación económica, educativa o social. Sólo se tiene en
cuenta la inteligencia.
Mensa no tiene fines políticos, ideológicos o religiosos. Los miembros son
seleccionados por un criterio objetivo, no por pensar u opinar de una forma
determinada. Mensa, un conjunto de personas inteligentes, representa todos
los puntos de vista, por lo que no puede tener opiniones colectivas. Pero,
por supuesto, grupos dentro de Mensa si las tienen. Se suele decir que en
una habitación con doce mensistas podrá encontrar trece opiniones diferentes
sobre el mismo tema. La Constitución está establecida para que ningún
subgrupo pueda dominar la sociedad e imponer sus ideas a los demás.
[end quote]
Note that the first paragraph points out that "mensa" is the Latin word for
"table." No other mention is made of the use of the word in Spanish.
Which doesn't, of course, mean that "mensa" is not used to mean "stupid" or
"crazy" somewhere in the Spanish-speaking word.
I've sent a note to the address on the web site, asking if anyone there
knows about the use of the word "mensa" to mean "stupid" or "crazy". I'll
post my results (in Spanish and English).
Lee Mellon
>Chris Malcolm wrote in message <80gub7$n57$1...@scotsman.ed.ac.uk>
>...
>It didn't. It's a gullibility test, i.e., it's a silly urban rumour
>started as a leg pull for Mensans. There is no word "mensa" in
>Spanish.
In European Spanish perhaps. However, according to Galván and
Teschner's dictionary (of Chicano Spanish), "menso/sa" means in
"ignorant or foolish". It's Mexican-American slang, which explains why
it isn't found in a more conventional Spanish-English dictionary.
As a side note, Linton Robinson's guide to Mexican Slang (on pg 71)
says this about mensa:
"...tonto (fool), menso (female is mensa, much to the chagrin of
members of the IQ group), and jetón are a few more [synonyms for
stupid]."
So, has Robinson unwittingly bought into the UL about mensa [see
above]?
Lee "just don't call me estúpida" Mellon
Dana Carpender
David Samuel Barr wrote:
There was a music teacher at one school I went to whose name was A.
Cappella. That's Anna Cappella.
Andrea Jones
K. D. wrote in message <80h6oa$1i04$1...@newssvr03-int.news.prodigy.com>...
>
>My dictionary is not the most recent edition, and naturally is abridged,
so
>I decided to do some further investigation. I thought that the Spanish
word
>"mensa", meaning something other than "table", might have derived from the
>Latin word "mens" meaning "mind."
understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all, that
it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural nominative
and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa." This seems to me to be a far
more likely derivation for the name of the organization than the Latin word
for table, which is also "mensa."[3]
Andrea "Never pass up an excuse to get out the Latin & English dic" Jones
[1] Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary, compiled by D. P. Simpson, 1983
paperback edition, page 139
[2] ibid, page xxvii
[3] ibid, page 139
K. D.
Andrea Jones wrote in message <#FH$BbSL$GA.152@cpmsnbbsa05>...
>If you actually decline the Latin noun "mens," meaning "mind,
>understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
>opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all, that
>it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural nominative
>and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa." This seems to me to be a far
>more likely derivation for the name of the organization than the Latin word
>for table, which is also "mensa."[3]
Thanks for the Latin refresher course Are you talking about the same third
declension of mens / mentis (f) that I am familiar with:
Case / Singular / Plural
Nom / mens / mentes
Gen / mentis / mentum
Dat / menti / mentibus
Acc / mentem / mentes
Abl / mente / mentibus
*That* mens / mentis? Sorry -- I'm just not familiar with the declension
you offered. Or, perhaps you are speaking of another word -- the Latin word
"mens" that I am familiar with is feminine, not neuter.......
Regardless, it is fairly irrelevant what it seems to you or me that the
derivation might be. Let's see what the folks at Mensa have to say.
If you check the International Mensa web site (mensa.org), as well as the
Spanish Mensa web site (mensa.es), you will see that BOTH state that the
derivation of the name "Mensa" for the name of the group is from the Latin
word "mensa" (mensa, mensa (f) ) for "table". I can't swear to it, but I'll
bet that almost anyone in the group would know that fact. Heading over to
the line to the Australian Mensa web site, whaddya know -- the name "Mensa"
comes from the Latin word for "table". I think I'll stop there, if you
don't mind.
This isn't just my opinion. If you have a disagreement, I suggest you take
it up with the folks at Mensa. Perhaps you can set them straight.
K. D.
K. D. wrote in message <80hhdj$6g38$1...@newssvr03-int.news.prodigy.com>...
>If you check the International Mensa web site (mensa.org), as well as the
>Spanish Mensa web site (mensa.es), you will see that BOTH state that the
>derivation of the name "Mensa" for the name of the group is from the Latin
>word "mensa" (mensa, mensa (f) ) for "table".
Oops -- I wasn't paying close enough attention to spell check -- that should
be "mensa / mensae (f)".
dr...@panix.com
> According to the cowboy films I've seen, 'Loco' is Spanish for crazy.
Yes, but the Spanish have more than 1000 words for "crazy."
Andrew "crazy thread drift" McMichael
K. D.
M.J.Powell wrote in message
...
>According to the cowboy films I've seen, 'Loco' is Spanish for crazy.
>
Of course, "loco" is probably the most common, or at least the most
recognized Spanish word for "crazy".
However, from my handy dandy Spanish synonyms book, here are some other
variations on "crazy" or "loco": (sorry, no accents or tildes)
demente, poseso, alienado, enajenado, desequilibrado, energumeno, maniaco,
perturbado, lunatico, poseido, trastornado, deschavetado, majareta, medio
tocame un vals, ido de la cabeza, chalado, mal de la chaveta, chiflado,
mochales, orate, rayado, tocado del ala, grillado
For "stupid", we have: ignorante, iletrado, inculto, profano, analfabeto,
asno, bestia, burro, candido, majadero, necio, panoli, alelado, bobo,
bobalicon, cabeza dura, cretino, estupido, idiota, imbecil, tarado, tonto,
baboso, lelo, memo, gilipollas, pendejo,
and, last but not least.....
MENSO (A) -- "stupid, dopey"
I defer to the other poster (Mellon? Sorry, I deleted that post already)
who first posted this information. I should have taken the time to do
upstairs and get this book to begin with.....
Phil Edwards
<aegi...@email.msn.com> wrote:
>If you actually decline the Latin noun "mens," meaning "mind,
>understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
>opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all, that
>it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural nominative
>and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa".
But not in the third declension (I'm not even sure there are any
neutral nouns in the third declension). It's 'mens, mentis'
(nominative and genitive), which tells you that the plural (if it's
formed regularly, and I think it is) will be 'mentes'. Hence 'mental'.
I asked my Latin teacher in the first year about MENSA and 'mensa'.
She said maybe it had something to do with IQ tables. I already knew
about the word 'tabula', but I didn't say anything.
Phil "peoplecalledRomanestheygothehouse, there, I got in first"
Edwards
--
Phil Edwards http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/amroth/
"There was no hammer and sickle."
- Andrea Jones shaves the hamster
Helge Moulding
>Where's the site? I wanna go see!!! I wanna go see!!! Please, Please,
Please!.
No you don't. We have the Treaty of Bent Silver Spoons since the
great war with the ROMulans, and part of the treaty says, "AFCAns
agree not to tease the ROMulans." It's been nice for so long, maybe
we're starting to forget the horrors of the ROMulan wars.
--
Helge "Lest we forget!" Moulding
mailto:hmou...@excite.com Just another guy
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1401 with a weird name
Ray Depew
: M.J.Powell wrote in message
: ...
: >According to the cowboy films I've seen, 'Loco' is Spanish for crazy.
: >
: Of course, "loco" is probably the most common, or at least the most
: recognized Spanish word for "crazy".
: However, from my handy dandy Spanish synonyms book, here are some other
: variations on "crazy" or "loco": (sorry, no accents or tildes)
[...]
Interesting. How many Spanish synonyms are there for the English
word "thesaurus"?
R
R
Mike Shefler
any noun can be verbed.
--Mike
HWM
[snip]
> For "stupid", we have: majadero,
Que va! It took me three months before I figured out why the crew
snickered all the time and loved to introduce me to people. After all,
my name tag read *Majander* on it...
Funny names thread allright.
"el majadero"
Cheers, | The conformity of purpose will be achieved |
HWM | through the mutual satisfaction of requirements.|
"Mind the gap"=> hen...@iobox.fi & http://www.kuru.da.ru
JoAnne Schmitz
>As a side note, Linton Robinson's guide to Mexican Slang (on pg 71)
>says this about mensa:
>"...tonto (fool),
Wait'll you find out what "Kimosabe" means.
JoAnne "revenge is sweet" Schmitz
Michael Cargal
>>Regardless, it is fairly irrelevant what it seems to you or me that the
>derivation might be. Let's see what the folks at Mensa have to say.
>
>If you check the International Mensa web site (mensa.org), as well as the
>Spanish Mensa web site (mensa.es), you will see that BOTH state that the
>derivation of the name "Mensa" for the name of the group is from the Latin
>word "mensa" (mensa, mensa (f) ) for "table". I can't swear to it, but I'll
>bet that almost anyone in the group would know that fact.
When I first became aware of American Mensa, in 1965 or 1966, I asked
where the name came from and was told it was from the Latin for
"mind." When I said that to a current mensa member a couple of years
ago, they told me of the table meaning. An inquiry on rec.org.mensa
got the same answer.
The person I heard it from in 1965 may have been misinformed, or
current Mensans may be engaged in revisionist history. I wonder if
anyone has any literature from Mensa from ~1965.
--
Michael Cargal car...@cts.com
K. D.
Michael Cargal wrote in message <7HosONfu+cmN00...@4ax.com>...
I have absolutely no information on what went on in Mensa in 1965. I have
known about the organization, Mensa, since approximately 1976, and I'm
pretty sure that as of then, I knew that the name derived from the Latin
word for "table". Also, consider:
"Mensa" does mean "table" in Latin. No ifs, ands, or buts about that.
There is no form of "mens" ("mind") that *I* am aware of, that yields the
word "mensa". Please, just believe me on this point. "Mens" becomes
"mentis" in the genitive singular (think "mental"), and the rest of the
forms derive from that. However, it is very likely that someone unfamiliar
with Latin would mistakenly derive "mensa" from "mens", but it just ain't
so.
What little I looked at the descriptions given for the derivation of the
name on the various Mensa web sites makes sense -- "table" refers to a
"round table" of sorts -- a place to discuss ideas, etc.
Heck, and all this time, here I thought it was a dinner club......
Paolo Trinchieri
book written by a certain Gary Larson. I forget the title.
-----------== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News ==----------
http://www.newsfeeds.com The Largest Usenet Servers in the World!
------== Over 73,000 Newsgroups - Including Dedicated Binaries Servers ==-----
Paolo Trinchieri
abbreviation for:
Membership
Enables
Numerous
Superior
Achievements
I though that was common knowledge.
-Paolo "Makin' it up as I go" Trinchieri
K. D.
Paolo Trinchieri wrote in message <382C8998...@yahoo.com>...
>Doesn't "Kemosabe" mean "Horse's ass"? I think I learnerd that from a
>book written by a certain Gary Larson. I forget the title.
I read MANY years ago (guessing mid-60's here) that Kemosabe is a
bastardization of "quien me sabe", or "he who knows me."
So, here would be the racism. Tonto ("stupid") is called thus by the Lone
Ranger. Tonto, in return, addresses the Lone Ranger as "he who knows me."
Does this not seem to imply that the Lone Ranger is correct in calling him
"stupid"?
I don't know if it is true, I don't have a cite, I'm going on a 30+ year-old
memory. It sounds believable.......
Helge Moulding
The mensa that means table is singular; its plural is mensae.
Mensa rasa, mens sana.
--
Helge "No thanks, I've eaten." Moulding
K. D.
Kemosabe does sound like a likely bastardization of "quien me sabe."
However, I forgot to add that the problem with this is that the verb "saber"
(to know) is not normally used in talking about "knowing" people -- the verb
"conocer" is more commonly used.
"Quien me conozco"? "Kemosabe"? Doesn't quite have the same ring, does it?
K. D.
Joe Mac wrote in message <8E7CCF78...@167.206.67.104>...
>flowrchi...@prodigy.net wrote:
>Calling someone stupid is racism? Please expand.
I think it would be fair to guess that with today's sensitivities to ethnic
minorities, the naming of a Native American "Tonto" (stupid) would not be
tolerated. Especially with a white man being addressed (perhaps) as "he who
knows me." Back when the Lone Ranger was popular on TV, the old ethnic
stereotypes of Native Americans were rampant in programming.
Wasn't that sort of self-evident?
Donald Fisk
Andrea Jones wrote:
>
> K. D. wrote in message <80h6oa$1i04$1...@newssvr03-int.news.prodigy.com>...
> >
> >My dictionary is not the most recent edition, and naturally is abridged,
> so
> >I decided to do some further investigation. I thought that the Spanish
> word
> >"mensa", meaning something other than "table", might have derived from the
> >Latin word "mens" meaning "mind."
> If you actually decline the Latin noun "mens," meaning "mind,
> understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
> opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all, that
> it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural nominative
> and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa." This seems to me to be a far
> more likely derivation for the name of the organization than the Latin word
> for table, which is also "mensa."[3]
Except that "mens" in Latin isn't neuter. It's feminine [1],
and even if I were wrong and it were masculine, either way the
plural would be "mentes" in nom, voc, and acc cases; "mentum"
in gen case, and "mentibus" in dat and abl.
Perhaps the name for the organization is from the French word
"mensonge".
> Andrea "Never pass up an excuse to get out the Latin & English dic" Jones
Le Hibou (ma propre opinion)
--
" |
Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
"
-- Daniel B. Case.
Reinhold (Rey) Aman
> "K. D." <flowrchi...@prodigy.net> writes:
> >>Anonymous wrote:
>
> >>> My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
> >I wonder how that happened. I mean, given that mensa
> >means "table" in Latin.......
> It didn't. It's a gullibility test, i.e., it's a silly urban rumour
> started as a leg pull for Mensans.
> There is no word "mensa" in Spanish. <---------- !
Oh, really? _Menso_ (fem. _mensa_) means "foolish, stupid." In
Mexican Spanish, it also means "stupid as a burro." And the noun
_mensa_, while uncommon, means "foolish, stupid, goofy woman."
--
Reinhold (Rey) Aman, Editor
Santa Rosa, CA 95402, USA
http://www.sonic.net/maledicta/
K. D.
Reinhold (Rey) Aman wrote in message <382CD9...@sonic.net>...
>Chris Malcolm wrote:
>> It didn't. It's a gullibility test, i.e., it's a silly urban rumour
>> started as a leg pull for Mensans.
>> There is no word "mensa" in Spanish. <---------- !
>
>Oh, really? _Menso_ (fem. _mensa_) means "foolish, stupid." In
>Mexican Spanish, it also means "stupid as a burro." And the noun
>_mensa_, while uncommon, means "foolish, stupid, goofy woman."
Yes, I think a few other posters have verified that mensa, does indeed, mean
foolish or stupid.
Hmmmm, which may explain why the country of Mexico does not have a national
Mensa organization!
Susan Carroll-Clark
Pendant alert!
Helge Moulding wrote in message <80i6cs$71a$1...@mail.pl.unisys.com>...
>Mensa means "minds" - the singular is mens, as in "mens sana."
Actually, mens is a feminine third declension noun, which means the other
forms are built on the stem ment- . Nominative plural is thus mentes.
Mensa is not a form of any type of mens.
Susan "or of womens, for that matter" Carroll-Clark
Chuck Skinner
<19991112021949...@ng-cg1.aol.com>:
>>Aaron Brandon said:
>
>
>
>>> Around here we have an attorney named Stanley Kahn (pronounced, of
>>> course, "con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it
>>> all." Boy, now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dana W. Carpender
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>Reminds me of a med student I knew back in my college days. He was
>>studying to be an OB/GYN. His name? Hackett. We used to joke, "Dr.
>>Hackett, at your cervix."
>
>
>Had a friend in law school whose last name was Fine. He would say that
>he was running for office and point to a sign on the wall. "Fine for
>littering."
>
>Song "not sure I would want the job" byrd
>
A few years ago I had a kidney stone, and ended up going to see a
urologist in Tampa named "Cockburn".
--
Chuck "...but he pronounced it Coburn" Skinner
www.filmandtape.com
-------------------
"Either you think, or others will have to think for you."
David B. Greene
Sure beats the "He Who Masturbates" moniker you were once
given in this newsgroup ;^)
Dave Greene
R H Draney
> "Mensa" does mean "table" in Latin. No ifs, ands, or buts about that.
>
> <some snipping>
>
> What little I looked at the descriptions given for the derivation of the
> name on the various Mensa web sites makes sense -- "table" refers to a
> "round table" of sorts -- a place to discuss ideas, etc.
>
> Heck, and all this time, here I thought it was a dinner club......
Odd...I thought I remembered hearing (back when they were trying to recruit my
father and me) that the "table" referred to the cutoff point in the bell curve
of intelligence...if you were more than x standard deviations above the center,
you were on a "shelf" or "table"....
(Oh, and knowing the animosity between the two groups, I'm not crossposting....)
R H "one name with but many meanings" Draney
RRS
> If you actually decline the Latin noun "mens," meaning "mind,
> understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
> opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all, that
> it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural nominative
> and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa." This seems to me to be a far
> more likely derivation for the name of the organization than the Latin word
> for table, which is also "mensa."[3]
I seem to remember reading mumblety years ago that the name was supposed
to be a play on words--minds meeting around a table.
Robin "once a month" Storesund
R J Valentine
...
] When I first became aware of American Mensa, in 1965 or 1966, I asked
] where the name came from and was told it was from the Latin for
] "mind." When I said that to a current mensa member a couple of years
] ago, they told me of the table meaning. An inquiry on rec.org.mensa
] got the same answer.
]
] The person I heard it from in 1965 may have been misinformed, or
] current Mensans may be engaged in revisionist history. I wonder if
] anyone has any literature from Mensa from ~1965.
It was "table" in 1966, with no indication of revisionism at the time.
--
R. J. Valentine <mailto:r...@clark.net>
K. D.
Paul Sweeney wrote in message <382c...@ferret.highwayone.net>...
> In addition to this, you
>still haven't answered my inquiry about the thing that people say about
chiggers
>(or are you not reading this?).
My most humble apologies for missing your inquiry. Forgive me for not
reading every single post on every single topic in this esteemed news group.
I can't be quite sure what you're asking, since I did not see the original
post. However, I will hazard a guess.
Some things that people say about chiggers that just ain't so are that they
burrow under the skin and you can kill them by smothering them with nail
polish. This probably isn't an urban legend, so probably does not fit in to
the strict academic guidelines of AFU. I have no idea if it has been
covered here before.
There are regular posters to this newsgroup who probably know far more about
chiggers than I, and one of them will probably be glad to clarify the points
I made above, if you should be desirous. In the meantime, if you do a web
search using the key words "chigger" and "larva", you will find some good
web sites which provide basic info about the lifecycle of the group of mites
which are known as chiggers in the larval stage ("chigger" as defined by the
most common usage of that word in the United States). Wait, here is a site
I have bookmarked:
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/7-18-1997/chiggers.html
A few months ago, I corresponded with an entomologist (PhD professor in a
university department of entomology) on this very topic, and he told me that
some people don't even believe HIM when he explains that the animal they
know as the chigger does not burrow under the skin. (By the time the
tormenting itching begins, that little sucker has fed and is probably long
gone.) I have been battling this wrong belief for over 20 years now, and
feel somewhat better knowing that even *he* has problems convincing people.
The myth is very deeply held, even by some physicians and other scientific
types.
It just ain't so..........
John O'Flaherty
>
> Chris Malcolm wrote in message <80gub7$n57$1...@scotsman.ed.ac.uk>
> ...
> >It didn't. It's a gullibility test, i.e., it's a silly urban rumour
> >started as a leg pull for Mensans. There is no word "mensa" in
> >Spanish.
>
learning and
> speaking Spanish, I had never heard "mensa" in the context of meaning
> "crazy" or "stupid". Quite frankly, I had never heard the word
"mensa" at
> all, in Spanish. So, I did a little investigating.
>
> My Velasquez Spanish - English dictionary does not list the word
"mensa" in
> the Spanish portion. The closest word is "mensaje" (message).
>
> The same dictionary gives many words and phrases for "crazy" or
"stupid",
> none of which is "mensa" or anything close to "mensa".
>
> My dictionary is not the most recent edition, and naturally is
abridged, so
> I decided to do some further investigation. I thought that the
Spanish word
> "mensa", meaning something other than "table", might have derived
from the
> Latin word "mens" meaning "mind."
>
"mensa" in
> the large box, and then select, below, "translate Spanish to
English." As a
> definition for "mensa", the word "stupid" will appear in the box.
>
> Still seems fishy to me. If "mensa" means "crazy" or "stupid"
somewhere in
> the Spanish-speaking world, I think it must not be widely-used. I
did a web
> search using the words "mensa" and "Spain", and the first site I
found was
> the Mensa Spain web site. Here for everyone's edification is some
text --
> http://www.mensa.es/:
>
> "Mensa es una organización internacional única. Básicamente es un
club
> social, pero un club social distinto a cualquier otro. El único
requisito
> necesario es obtener, en una prueba de inteligencia acreditada, una
> puntuación por encima del 98% de la población general. Una de cada 50
> personas está capacitada para ser miembro.
>
> "Si lo que está buscando es conversación inteligente, personas que le
> estimulen, actividades interesantes y oportunidad para ensanchar su
mundo,
> en Mensa los encontrará."
>
> [Basic description of Mensa as a social club, with basic
requirements for
> admission]
>
> Clicking on the button '¿Qué significa "Mensa"?' (What does Mensa
mean?)
> results in this. (Woah, even Mensa Spain has an FAQ!)
>
> [begin quote]
>
> ¿Qué significa "Mensa"?
> Mensa es una palabra latina que significa "mesa". Somos una sociedad
de mesa
> redonda que no establece distinciones por motivos de raza, credo,
> nacionalidad o situación económica, educativa o social. Sólo se
tiene en
> cuenta la inteligencia.
>
> Mensa no tiene fines políticos, ideológicos o religiosos. Los
miembros son
> seleccionados por un criterio objetivo, no por pensar u opinar de
una forma
> determinada. Mensa, un conjunto de personas inteligentes, representa
todos
> los puntos de vista, por lo que no puede tener opiniones colectivas.
Pero,
> por supuesto, grupos dentro de Mensa si las tienen. Se suele decir
que en
> una habitación con doce mensistas podrá encontrar trece opiniones
diferentes
> sobre el mismo tema. La Constitución está establecida para que ningún
> subgrupo pueda dominar la sociedad e imponer sus ideas a los demás.
>
> [end quote]
>
> Note that the first paragraph points out that "mensa" is the Latin
word for
> "table." No other mention is made of the use of the word in Spanish.
>
> Which doesn't, of course, mean that "mensa" is not used to mean
"stupid" or
> "crazy" somewhere in the Spanish-speaking word.
>
> I've sent a note to the address on the web site, asking if anyone
there
> knows about the use of the word "mensa" to mean "stupid" or
"crazy". I'll
> post my results (in Spanish and English).
The Oxford Spanish/English English/Spanish dictionary, 1994, shows
menso,a adj.(Aml,fam) stupid
menso,a m,f (Aml,fam) fool
the abbreviations mean Latin American usage, colloquial.
john
yorick
>
>
> Anonymous wrote:
> >
> >
> > My favorite funny name? "Mensa" - Spanish for crazy :)
>
>
> wonder if many of the Mensans are?
That's funny, Spanish is my first language, and I've never heard this.
AFAIK, "mensa" is not even a word in that language.
The word for "crazy" is "loco".
--
JRM
Phil Edwards
<hmou...@excite.com> wrote:
>Mensa means "minds" - the singular is mens, as in "mens sana."
The singular is 'mens', the plural is 'mentes'. The possibility that
the founders of Mensa were under the impression that the plural was
'mensa' can, of course, be immediately discounted.
Phil "they would have had to be *stupid*!" Edwards
--
Phil Edwards http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/amroth/
"There was no hammer and sickle."
- Andrea Jones shaves the hamster
glowworm
On Sat, 13 Nov 1999 16:09:41 +1030, "yorick" <yor...@chariot.net.au>
wrote:
Reinhold (Rey) Aman
> Pendant alert!
Why? Is Helge's scrotum showing?
> Helge Moulding wrote in message <80i6cs$71a$1...@mail.pl.unisys.com>...
> >Mensa means "minds" - the singular is mens, as in "mens sana."
--
Reinhold (Rey) Aman, Editor
MALEDICTA: The International Journal of Verbal Aggression
Reinhold (Rey) Aman
[muy esnipado]
> ¿Qué significa "Mensa"?
> Mensa es una palabra latina que significa "mesa".
> Somos una sociedad de mesa redonda que no establece [...]
> Note that the first paragraph points out that "mensa" is
> the Latin word for "table."
In case someone is wondering why the image of a table is associated with
Mensa ("table"): note the Spanish _mesa redonda_ = "round table" (in the
sense of 'conference' or 'discussion').
--
Reinhold ("Too smart to join Mensa") Aman, Editor
Sharon Bell
On Sat, 13 Nov 1999, Phil Edwards wrote:
> The singular is 'mens', the plural is 'mentes'. The possibility that
> the founders of Mensa were under the impression that the plural was
> 'mensa' can, of course, be immediately discounted.
Apparently there were two reasons for calling the society Mensa - the
first was Mensa=table, and it was supposed to be a "round table" sort of
society, and the second was that it was the first bit of the phrase "Mens
sana in corpore sano".
And I have a cite! "Push the Door Marked Pull", a history of British
Mensa written by Victor Serebriakoff.
Sharon "but I was only a member when I was young and impressionable" Bell
Jerry
>
> > Thank you for pointing that out. I was not aware of the meaning. I
> > wonder if many of the Mensans are?
>
> That's funny, Spanish is my first language, and I've never heard this.
> AFAIK, "mensa" is not even a word in that language.
> The word for "crazy" is "loco".
...As in "in loco parentis?"
--
Jerry
jbr...@richmond.infi.net
When I was partially sage I rose merry.
But that thyme is past.
Jerry
> I decline most nouns. Verbs are less filling and more active. And besides,
> any noun can be verbed.
And then there is the nasty habbit of some people to conjugate verbs.
K. D.
yorick wrote in message <382cf...@news.chariot.net.au>...
>That's funny, Spanish is my first language, and I've never heard this.
>AFAIK, "mensa" is not even a word in that language.
>The word for "crazy" is "loco".
Dear yorick,
I wrote to the e-mail address given on the Mensa - Spain web site, asking
this question. My Spanish dictionary had no listing for the word "mensa",
but there were numerous other sources (found by others and me) that showed
that menso / mensa means "stupid" or "foolish".
Anyway, here is the reply I got from Spain:
'As far as I know, "mensa" or "menso" means "silly" only in Mexico
and only in popular slang. That may be the reason you haven't found it
in a dictionary. It is really curious that the name of an high IQ club
means the opposite in one country.'
I hope this helps.
K. D.
Jerry wrote in message <1e176ou.ysg...@pm1-37.richmond.infi.net>..
.
>...As in "in loco parentis?"
I always thought that "in loco parentis" meant "my crazy mother."
Dana Carpender
"K. D." wrote:
Maybe it was chosen by the same guy who named the Nova.
--
Dana W. Carpender
Wondering about low carbohydrate diets?
Do they work? Are they healthy?
How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet -- And Lost Forty Pounds!
http://www.holdthetoast.com
Einde O'Callaghan
>
> Mensa means "minds" - the singular is mens, as in "mens sana."
> Mensa rasa, mens sana.
IIRC the plural of "mens" is "mentes", it's a 3rd declension feminine
noun. The ending "-a", "-ae" is first declension, nearly all of which
are feminine. Plurals ending in "-a" are normally neuter.
--
eo'c
HWM
> Sure beats the "He Who Masturbates" moniker you were once
> given in this newsgroup ;^)
Well, I was being quite a jackoff at the time... now I am too tired even
for that. I must warn for the onlaught after I start to do my thesis in
January, if the sky does not fall before that. (or a Tupolev on the
house)
--
Gary G. Taylor
Gary G. Taylor 29 Palms, CA
Reply to gary > donavan * org
http://www.donavan.org
Freedom is the best revenge.
Elron Xemoo
Jack Gavin
<382dcfcc...@news5.usenetserver.com>...
>I know of a dentist named Dr. Samuel Filer.
>
--
Jack Gavin
Bonnie Granat
David Samuel Barr wrote in message <382BBE...@mindspring.com>...
>Aaron Brandon wrote:
>>
>> Dana Carpender <dcar...@kiva.net> wrote in message
>> news:382B3990...@kiva.net...
>> >
>> > Around here we have an attorney named Stanley Kahn (pronounced, of
>> > course, "con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it
>> > all." Boy, now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
>> >
I should think rather that his name was actually pronounced "can" and that
you have libeled him.
Bonnie Granat
Lord Romial
Think away. You are wrong tho. His last name is indeed pronounced con. I've
heard his ad so many times that I pretty much know the script.
Robert "The volume of ads he has on TV has convinced me that I want a different
lawyer if I ever need one" Alston
Hoodah Thunkit
Bonnie Granat wrote:
>
> David Samuel Barr wrote in message <382BBE...@mindspring.com>...
> >Aaron Brandon wrote:
> >>
> >> Dana Carpender <dcar...@kiva.net> wrote in message
> >> news:382B3990...@kiva.net...
> >> >
> >> > Around here we have an attorney named Stanley Kahn (pronounced, of
> >> > course, "con") whose advertising slogan is "Sometimes a name says it
> >> > all." Boy, now there's a warning if ever I heard one.
> >> >
>
> I should think rather that his name was actually pronounced "can" and that
> you have libeled him.
>
> Bonnie Granat
You a lawyer too, Bonnie? I would think the ah was pronounced the
same way as when the doctor tells you to stick out your tongue and
say "ah".
bob side
paused, then broadcast:
We had a partnership of Dentists called Aitken and Crane. I kid u not.
Llorta
>I know of a dentist named Dr. Samuel Filer.
I was trying to avoid posting in this thread, but I can't resist posting the
fact that there's a urological surgeon here in Austin named Dr. Richard Chopp.
Philip Lees
Taylor) wrote:
>I know of a dentist named Dr. Samuel Filer.
Not quite the same, I know, but there is a cardiologist in Belgium
named Dr. Popeye. I wonder if it's a common name in Belgium.
Phil
--
Philip Lees
Perform dentistry before replying by e-mail.
Simon Slavin
David Samuel Barr <dsb...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Three of my teachers in prep school were:
This is now a 'funny names' thread. We don't do that on
alt.folklore.urban. Please read the FAQ before posting.
Simon.
--
http://www.hearsay.demon.co.uk | John Peel:
No junk email please. | [My daughter] has modelled herself on you.
| Courtney Love:
| Oh, I'm so sorry.
Bryan N. Adams
Donald Fisk <donal...@inthan.be> wrote in message
news:382C6038...@inthan.be...
>
>
> Andrea Jones wrote:
> >
> > K. D. wrote in message <80h6oa$1i04$1...@newssvr03-int.news.prodigy.com>...
> > >
> > >My dictionary is not the most recent edition, and naturally is
abridged,
> > so
> > >I decided to do some further investigation. I thought that the Spanish
> > word
> > >"mensa", meaning something other than "table", might have derived from
the
> > >Latin word "mens" meaning "mind."
> > If you actually decline the Latin noun "mens," meaning "mind,
> > understanding, intellect, judgment; feelings, disposition; courage;
> > opinion, thoughts; intention, resolve"[1] you will find, first of all,
that
> > it is apparently a third declension noun.[2] The neuter plural
nominative
> > and accusative cases are, indeed, "mensa." This seems to me to be a far
> > more likely derivation for the name of the organization than the Latin
word
> > for table, which is also "mensa."[3]
>
> Except that "mens" in Latin isn't neuter. It's feminine [1],
> and even if I were wrong and it were masculine, either way the
> plural would be "mentes" in nom, voc, and acc cases; "mentum"
> in gen case, and "mentibus" in dat and abl.
>
> Perhaps the name for the organization is from the French word
> "mensonge".
>
> > Andrea "Never pass up an excuse to get out the Latin & English dic"
Jones
>
> Le Hibou (ma propre opinion)
>
> --
> " |
> Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
> "
> -- Daniel B. Case.
dilligaf
Bryan N. Adams <azbron...@home.com> wrote in message
news:wFAX3.9877$HU2....@news.rdc1.az.home.com...
K. D.
Bryan N. Adams wrote in message ...
>"Table" in Spanish is "Mesa" not "Mensa".
That fact was established in the beginning of this thread, and is not an
issue.
Phil Edwards
wrote:
>Bryan N. Adams <azbron...@home.com> wrote in message
>news:wFAX3.9877$HU2....@news.rdc1.az.home.com...
>> "Table" in Spanish is "Mesa" not "Mensa".
>not even if its a male table?
How would they tell?
Phil "under the host" Edwards
Ed Arnold
Fineman) wrote:
> Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> writes:
>
> >Thanks for the invitation, Bear. But let me add that just because
> >there is a funny name story it does not mean the the funny name was
> >not ever used. Take the hippies for example, they had lots of weird
> >names for their kids. I might add that there also was a major league
> >pitcher (I believe for the Dodgers in the 70's) with the last name
> >Lemongello.
>
> In general, the fact that a story fits the pattern of an urban legend
> is not proof that it is false; it is only grounds for skepticism. We
> have it from no less an authority than Professor Brunvand himself that
> there _have_, at times, been alligators in New York City sewers.
>
> In particular, it is risky to disbelieve in the existence of any given
> name, especially if it is attributed to an American woman. According
> to Mencken's _American Language_, imagination in that regard has run
> particularly wild in Oklahoma & northern Texas. He gives some
> examples far more preposterous than Lemonjello.
>
> --- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
>
> ||: If I could tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but :||
> ||: the truth, I'd _be_ God. :||
Yes, in fact the Lemonjello and Orangejello names were actually twins born
in Jacksonville, Florida while I lived there around 1990. Television news
picked up on it and had the twins on TV from the hospital bed. No kidding.
No urban myth here. Saw it with my own two peepers. Lemon and Orange Jello
were the foods this single black mother was given soon upon waking from
her Cesarian-section. The names have slight syllable changes...
phonetically they were: or-ON-zhuh-low and luh-MON-zhuh-low.
K. D.
Judy Johnson wrote in message <382f9779....@news.lightspeed.net>...
>
>I'm not sure why you are asking forgiveness when you have taken great
>pride in declaring your resolution to not read anything from certain
>regular contributors
Eh hem -- as have others. Good for one, good for all, I say........
Still, no one on this newsgroup is obligated to read all posts or all
posters. I can't imagine that many regulars don't let whole threads go by
without reading a single post (I do), other than maybe the first few
submissions, and then deciding that the subject is of no interest.
Besides, when someone is asking for another person to put himself out by
expanding or explaining further, the best approach is usually one using
honey, not vinegar. I was under no obligation to answer. But, since there
seemed to be a genuine interest by the questioner, and since I thought there
would be some interest by other readers here, I think I did a
more-than-adequate job of addressing the basics of the myth about chiggers
(with cite, no less!).
I would bet big money that there are a lot of regulars to AFU who were
completely unaware of the fact that chiggers do NOT burrow. In all my years
of dicussing the non-burrowing nature of chiggers, I rarely find a person
(whom I haven't already convinced) who does not believe the burrowing myth.
Just remember folks, you read it here first!
Regarding the possible effect that nail polish might have, I had always
suspected two possible factors. One, the plain ol' placebo effect. More
likely, tho, I suspect that the nail-polish contains an irritant (especially
on skin already broken and irritated from scratching) that temporarily and
partially blocks the itching.
The aforementioned entomologist said he suspected placebo as the main effect
of the nail polish. He had no scientific evidence for that belief -- just a
supposition.
So, forget about the nail polish. Advice about chiggers is kind of like
that about poison ivy: Avoidance is the best strategy. Long sleeves and
pants, socks, etc. prevent the larvae from attaching to the skin in the
first place. Showering after exposure can lessen the effect of any which do
attach to the skin -- washing away any remaining parasites.
Elron Xemoo
>>"Table" in Spanish is "Mesa" not "Mensa".
Right. "Table" in =Latin= is "mensa". That first erroneous message was no
doubt posted by a spy from Densa.
K. D.
Elron Xemoo wrote in message <80nshk$lnr$1...@news.inficad.com>
...
>Right. "Table" in =Latin= is "mensa". That first erroneous message was no
>doubt posted by a spy from Densa.
I notice that the most recent issue of the Weekly World News has an article
on Densa. I checked the web site and did a word search for "Densa", but the
article must not be archived.
Judy Johnson
>My most humble apologies for missing your inquiry. Forgive me for not
>reading every single post on every single topic in this esteemed news group.
I'm not sure why you are asking forgiveness when you have taken great
pride in declaring your resolution to not read anything from certain
regular contributors to our esteemed froup, but, be that as it may...
[some snipping]
>A few months ago, I corresponded with an entomologist (PhD professor in a
>university department of entomology) on this very topic, and he told me that
>some people don't even believe HIM when he explains that the animal they
>know as the chigger does not burrow under the skin. (By the time the
>tormenting itching begins, that little sucker has fed and is probably long
>gone.) I have been battling this wrong belief for over 20 years now, and
>feel somewhat better knowing that even *he* has problems convincing people.
>The myth is very deeply held, even by some physicians and other scientific
>types.
By way of confirmation, from Herms's Medical Entomology text (I'm
using an old, 1969 edition, sans ISBN)
Chiggers do not burrow into the skin as commonly
believed. Ewing (1921) observed and studied daily
twently-six chiggers on his own skin; twenty-one attached
to the smooth surface of the skin, five at the bases of
hairs, each having the capitulum [mouth parts] thrust into
the mouth of the hair follicle. The chigger does not suck
blood; when firmly attached, it injects a digestive fluid
that causes a disintegration of the contents of cells
with which it comes in contact, the results being a
disorganized cytoplasm and fragmented nuclei
(Jones, 1950)
The itch, swelling and pustules that form in response to chigger
attack occurs after the mite has been feeding for some time. The more
intense itching probably does occur after the mite has finished
feeding and has dropped off. Thus, it is not hard to imagine that
people have assumed that, since the cause of their torment is not
visible, it has burrowed down into the skin. Also, application of
fingernail polish is seen to be helpful because the symptoms do clear
up. Of course, they clear up because the mites have already vamoosed,
and would have done so had polish not be applied.
Shirley not an urban legend, but as an example of wide-spread belief,
definitely (in my 'umble opinion, mind) within the pervue of
contemporary folklore.
Judy "next up, how to convince people that the brown recluse is not a
California resident" Johnson
Lara Hopkins
>I would bet big money that there are a lot of regulars to AFU who were
>completely unaware of the fact that chiggers do NOT burrow.
Never heard of chiggers before AFU. TWIAVBP.
Could the colllective mind who produced the "chiggers-burrow" factoid have
confused them with scabies? Scabies mite burrow under the skin, producing
intense itching, and are frequently undiagnosed.
>Regarding the possible effect that nail polish might have, I had always
>suspected two possible factors. One, the plain ol' placebo effect. More
>likely, tho, I suspect that the nail-polish contains an irritant (especially
>on skin already broken and irritated from scratching) that temporarily and
>partially blocks the itching.
Could the nail polish layer stop oxygen to the chiggers? Judy?
Lara "people treat skin warts with nail polish too" Hopkins
Paul Scott
We've got 'Doolittle and Dalley' as Estate Agents (Realtors?) in the UK.
--
------
Paul Scott <pms...@dera.gov.uk>
GoatBoy
news:1e176d8.103...@pm1-37.richmond.infi.net...
> Mike Shefler <re...@nauticom.net> wrote:
>
> > I decline most nouns. Verbs are less filling and more active. And besides,
> > any noun can be verbed.
>
> And then there is the nasty habbit of some people to conjugate verbs.
>
Of course, I never do that, you never do that, he never does that...
--
GoatBoy
aa#1684
http://www.markrendle.co.uk/eac
The market is not an invention of capitalism. It has existed for centuries. It
is an invention of civilization. - Mikhail Gorbachev
GoatBoy
and one to translate it into English.
--
GoatBoy
aa#1684
http://www.markrendle.co.uk/eac
The market is not an invention of capitalism. It has existed for centuries. It
is an invention of civilization. - Mikhail Gorbachev
Elron Xemoo <Fil...@MailCity.Com> wrote in message
news:80kvh5$rqe$1...@news.inficad.com...
Sojourner
>
> Regarding my post that I just made on this topic, I should point out that
> Kemosabe does sound like a likely bastardization of "quien me sabe."
> However, I forgot to add that the problem with this is that the verb "saber"
> (to know) is not normally used in talking about "knowing" people -- the verb
> "conocer" is more commonly used.
>
> "Quien me conozco"? "Kemosabe"? Doesn't quite have the same ring, does it?
On the other hand, most likely the people who made up the show were
perhaps ignorant of correct spanish grammer.
If "Tonto" was supposed to be the spanish word for "fool" thats
definitely the case, since it wouldn't have been pronounced "Tahn-toe"
but correctly (for spanish) as "tone-toe".
Sounds like Spinglish to me . . .
nancy g.
>> I would bet big money that there are a lot of regulars to AFU
>> who were completely unaware of the fact that chiggers do NOT burrow.
> Never heard of chiggers before AFU. TWIAVBP.
I'd heard of chiggers, vaguely, but had never heard that they burrow
anywhere. I just knew them as a form of bug, which in my mind I associated
with bedbugs (for some reason long forgotten).
I've never heard anything about nail polish being used against them,
either. I've heard of nail polish (or vaseline) as a remedy for ticks
that have attached themselves to the skin. The theory behind this
is that by covering them up completely, you cut off their oxygen supply
and they suffocate and then are easily pulled away from the skin.
> Could the colllective mind who produced the "chiggers-burrow" factoid
> have confused them with scabies? Scabies mite burrow under the skin,
> producing intense itching, and are frequently undiagnosed.
I've just done a quick web search of the various creatures discussed
in this thread, and I wound up lumping chiggers, mites, scabies, ticks,
and various other creepy-crawlies into the same general category;
namely, "icky little things that make people itch", so speaking as a
non-scientific reader, I'd say that type of confusion is very likely.
>> I suspect that the nail-polish contains an irritant (especially
>> on skin already broken and irritated from scratching) that temporarily
>> and partially blocks the itching.
Some alleged "remedies" for chiggers that I discovered while searching
included taking a "steaming hot bath in Lysol cleaner" or using flea and
tick shampoo made for dogs. A reliable-looking medical site reminded
people that they should *not* wear cat or dog flea collars around their
ankles or cattle ear tags on their shoes to ward off chiggers.
Interestingly, I also found *many* sites that said "contrary to popular
opinion, chiggers do not burrow into the skin" -- but hardly any sites
which implied that they did. Admittedly, I did not read every web page
that mentions chiggers, but I probably looked at at least 20 of them.
The winner of the "most confusing information" site *has* to be this one:
http://www.druginfonet.com/faq/faqinsct.htm
They're a division of "infolink", who describe themselves as "the
internet source for healthcare information" and the above URL leads to
their "Doctors' Answers" FAQ on insect bites. About halfway down the
page, it says the following:
Your advice concerning the treatment of chigger bites by applying
nail polish to suffocate the imbedded insect implies that the insect
is indeed still under the skin. According to other articles I have
read, the chigger itself does not burrow inside, but rather injects
a fluid to kill the tissue and then sucks out the liquified tissue.
They can easily, even accidentally, brushed off.
If they'd only stopped there, everything would be fine. However, continuing
on to the bottom of the same page leads to this paragraph:
Question: Recently I have just returned from a canoe trip down
the Gunnison River in Colorado. Apparently, somewhere on the trip,
I received numerous (40-50) chigger bites. At the moment, I am
trying to treat them with Benadryl lotion and by applying nail polish
to the surface of each bite. I was told by a friend that by applying
nail polish, the chiggers, which have infested my skin, will suffocate.
Answer: This is time honored advice in chigger country and seems to
be reasonable. Systemic benadryl will also help.
A much more sensible page that I found said the following:
Some use Vaseline, cold cream, baby oil, or fingernail polish.
If it works for you, go with it.
nancy "kind of like Skin-So-Soft to repel mosquitoes, apparently" g.
Chip Taylor
>
>Yes, in fact the Lemonjello and Orangejello names were actually twins born
>in Jacksonville, Florida while I lived there around 1990. Television news
>picked up on it and had the twins on TV from the hospital bed. No kidding.
>No urban myth here. Saw it with my own two peepers. Lemon and Orange Jello
>were the foods this single black mother was given soon upon waking from
>her Cesarian-section. The names have slight syllable changes...
>phonetically they were: or-ON-zhuh-low and luh-MON-zhuh-low.
All together now...
1......2....3.......CITE?
Chip "I prefer Raspberryjello myself" Taylor
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
You can't strengthen the weak
by weakening the strong.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Helge Moulding
>Helge Moulding schrieb:
>> Mensa means "minds" - the singular is mens, as in "mens sana."
>IIRC the plural of "mens" is "mentes", it's a 3rd declension feminine
>noun.
You guys are no doubt correct. I've always been an embarrassment to
my Latin teacher: I don't even remember the third declensions, anymore.
I suspect that Elron Xemoo's conjecture that the word is Esperanto may
be the correct answer.
--
Helge Moulding
mailto:hmou...@excite.com Just another guy
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1401 with a weird name