TLOML's maiden name is Italian. In the Sicilian dialect from the area her dad comes from, it translates as box, or casket. But over most of the Italian peninsula it means protective head covering. This includes hoods, welding masks and helmets, particularly bicycle helmets.
She gets annoyed when I mention this. And if the three stooges want to have a little fun at her expense, they'll use her maiden name when talking about helmets or any kind of safety headgear.
Now, my family name is Scottish and Irish, and translates as someone engaged to establish or maintain a garden.
So when Curly informed us this morning that he needed a new bicycle helmet, TLOML thought for a moment and decided they'd better go get one tonight after school.
So I told Curly, "You couldn't be in better hands, y'know. If anyone's going to know how to get you a great bike helmet, it's the former TLOML Bike Helmet herself."
This got three big laughs. And a fourth, if you also count me laughing at my own wit.
"Yes, and it's lucky I actually live up to my name, as opposed to dad, who is useless in the garden despite having the near-perfect name for it."
This got even louder laughs. I didn't feel disposed towards helping the cackfest along any.
"You nailed me", was the best I could come up with as I slunk out the front door.
She gets annoyed when I mention this. And if the three stooges want to have a little fun at her expense, they'll use her maiden name when talking about helmets or any kind of safety headgear.
Now, my family name is Scottish and Irish, and translates as someone engaged to establish or maintain a garden.
So when Curly informed us this morning that he needed a new bicycle helmet, TLOML thought for a moment and decided they'd better go get one tonight after school.
So I told Curly, "You couldn't be in better hands, y'know. If anyone's going to know how to get you a great bike helmet, it's the former TLOML Bike Helmet herself."
This got three big laughs. And a fourth, if you also count me laughing at my own wit.
"Yes, and it's lucky I actually live up to my name, as opposed to dad, who is useless in the garden despite having the near-perfect name for it."
This got even louder laughs. I didn't feel disposed towards helping the cackfest along any.
"You nailed me", was the best I could come up with as I slunk out the front door.
12 comments:
Hah! Touche for the TLOYL!
I have a friend who ended up with a French guy and for the past twenty years has lived in France with the rather exotic surname of Chaussepied. They were over visiting a few months back and I mentioned how lucky she was to have not have a surname that reminds people of murderers (my maiden name was Read, so 'Chopper' featured quite a bit) or ex-footy players (as a Lockett, 'Plugger' still gets an airing).
She laughed and then admitted that, when translated, Chausspied means shoe horn!
Funnee.
My name is French. Frances means 'free' and my surname means 'of the roses' - free roses!
Kath:
My glass house was smashed to smithereens. Eceryone named Read will get CHopper as a nickname from now on. Like Nobby Clarke or as in your case Plugger.
Frankie:
Frances Des Roses. That's what Google translate has you pegged as. Very Gallic.
well it's close...a variation on that!
Whoa, way harsh school you live in there.
brown-glass checking in here ... don't give me names, I'll give ya names.
Sorry you missed the blog dinner tonight.
It was an excellent evening (no arrests, is all I ask), and much fun was had by Miss Boynton, After Grog Blog, Health, Philosophy, Politics And Other Rants, The Blogger On The Cast Iron Balcony, and Ann O'Dyne.
Mark Bahnisch and Nabakov were the floorshow.
The weather was perfect for it too.
Tony and Nabs are planning the next one as a cricketing grogblog so get ready.
Frankie:
I thought it sounded a bit, well, wrong.
Phil:
I don't get the last word too often, that's for sure.
BWCA:
Sorry I missed it. Any gossip? Hmmm? Next time for sure.
I'm just curious as to why the Sicilians actually have a surname that corresponds to something that means protective head gear?
One of the best name combos I've come across was a guy called Chris Coe... christmas hampers, anyone? or cooking oil, perhaps?
Blakkat:
Good to hear from you. Sorry, probably a bit unclear - in Sicilian dialects it means a box or casket - in other parts of Italy, probably much further north, it means protective head gear, probably expanded from helmet and hood. My rudimentary knowledge of Italian suggests that the language is not over-endowed with synonyms and terms tend to be a catch-all.
Hi LL - have you noticed that the cricket pavilion at Strath Creek is for sale? At our recent blog dinner Nabs and TonyT thought we needed a summer cricket grogblog and I think that's the place.
Strath Creek, eh? Is that the ground where the bloke put it all together himself and they've played Sheffield Shield matches there? I hear it's magnificent.
we've got till the 17th to get a bid in then.
http://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/Rural/VIC/Strath-Creek/?adid=2008690458
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