What’s a runcible spoon?
In subsequent years Lear applied the principles of runcibility in other fields: “He has gone to fish, for Aunt Jobiska’s Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!” (1877). “His body is perfectly spherical, / He weareth a runcible hat” (1888). “What a runcible goose you are!” (1895). “We shall presently all be dead, / On this ancient runcible wall” (1895).
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Satisfaction with the early results of runcilation led Lear and his admirers to overlook the fact that there were many un-answered questions about the runciatory process, e.g., what it was. Lear’s contemporaries recognized that runcility was one of those conditions partaking of the ineffable, meaning it had the same connection to reality as scroobius pips and Gromboolian plains and about a thousand other Learisms–namely none.
Modern students of runciosity believe that while it may have been inspired by the word “rouncival” (apparently meaning gigantic), runcibilization as we know it today was the invention of Edward Lear. But the runcible-spoon-as-pickle-fork idea has taken firm root. One sighs, but what can you do? I expect the discovery of the Bong-tree any day.
The reason you couldn’t find “tit-men” in any old dictionaries is that you can’t use just any old dictionary. For industrial-strength knowledge you want the Oxford English Dictionary, which tells us that a “titman” is “the smallest pig, etc. of a litter; hence, a man who is stunted physically or mentally; a dwarf, a ‘croot.’”
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): Slug Signorino.
