O frabjous day!

[bnewman]

From The Annotated Alice, by Lewis Carroll with notes by Martin Gardner:

"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"³⁴

---

³⁴A species of arctic duck that winters in northern Scotland is called the calloo after its evening call, "Calloo! Calloo!"

More likely, as readers Albert L. Blackwell and Mrs. Carlton S. Hyman each pointed out, Carroll had in mind two forms of a Greek word, kalos [καλος], meaning beautiful, good or fair. They would be pronounced as Carroll spells them, and would fit well the meaning of the line.

That's what I thought. And, yes, it was a frabjous day.

Comments

[batyatoon]

*chortles*

Hi you!

[foxfour.livejournal.com]

i love that book.

[orawnzva.livejournal.com]

Hi, you!

I miss y'all and we're overdue for several big conversations about the meaning of life. See you at Conterpoint?

[batyatoon]

Yes please!

Also I forget -- did I ask you yet if you are likely to be at Confluence?

[orawnzva.livejournal.com]

You did not. It's on the maybe list right now, due to beloved's limited supply of vacation days, but if you're going to be there, that would be a major factor in its favor.

[batyatoon]

Not only am I going to be there, but ... *shifty eyes* I am going to have a Sunday concert set and am recruiting backup singers/musicians.

*looks cute*

[orawnzva.livejournal.com]

I am *so* there. Probably.