Off the subject but . . . When I was in college (English Lit/Latin), and we were reading Moby Dick, one day after class I asked the prof, "What does 'moby dick' actually mean?"
I'll never forget the look on his face. He'd probably been teaching the course for 20 years, and he said no one had ever asked him that before! So he thought about it for a moment, then answered, "In 19rh century slang, 'dick' was a whale, and 'moby' meant 'big'."
"So the title simply means, 'big whale'?
"Yep. It's the story of the hunt for 'The Big White Whale' ."
Gagh is always best when served live.
"I will chase you round perdition's flames..." from Mody Dick. Pedes, are you ready? 21st-Century civil war--brace for impact.
Off the subject but . . . When I was in college (English Lit/Latin), and we were reading Moby Dick, one day after class I asked the prof, "What does 'moby dick' actually mean?"
I'll never forget the look on his face. He'd probably been teaching the course for 20 years, and he said no one had ever asked him that before! So he thought about it for a moment, then answered, "In 19rh century slang, 'dick' was a whale, and 'moby' meant 'big'."
"So the title simply means, 'big whale'?
"Yep. It's the story of the hunt for 'The Big White Whale' ."
"Yeah. 'Moby Dick' sounds a lot better!"