So, the other day at lunch John and I figured out the solution to the age-old problem of how to develop naming conventions for sparrows, doves, grackles and other creatures who don't have obvious color-morph differences to go on. One has to develop names based purely on behaviors, and stock names such as 'Hoppy' and 'Tweety' just don't seem to do the trick.
The solution is the X-ie Mc-Y-ington name schema! Take X to be any uninflected verb representing the creature's behavior (i.e. 'walk', 'stare', 'fly', 'land') and Y to be a different (preferably opposing) verb, and you've got a great name for whatever creature it is that you're visiting with at the time. For example:
Standy McFlyington
Pecky McGulpington
Swoopy McLandington
Now, let's have an exercise. You should use this naming convention to name sparrows A, B & C from the photo. Answers will be given in a subsequent post.
Of course, this naming convention is to some extent derivative of one of our favorite nicknames ever - one given to the main character in one of the latest Mel Gibson flicks by that genius movie reviewer who writes for the Tucson Weekly. That nickname? Drippy McBloodspurt. Our convention has innovated from that, but we know where our roots are, and wish to acknowledge them.
2 comments:
Ack! They all look like they're sitting to me. Um...so wouldn't they all be named "Sitty McStandington"?
Um...I suppose the "A" bird might be singing in which case he might be "Chirpy McMutington" and maybe "C" is asleep, in which case he might be "Sleepy McWakington"...?
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