New Cat Update Update
Posted on May 29, 2003 Posted by John Scalzi 15 Comments
No pictures of the new cat this time. I’ve already gone wa-a-a-a-y over the limit for cute cat pictures this month. Besides, the only picture I have ready to go is a picture of the kitten using his cat box for the first time, and while it is sort of amusing (he’s got a look of intense concentration on his face, ears all flattened and everything!), I’d rather not be known as the guy who was compelled to show pictures of his cat taking a crap to the world. I am content to be merely the man who wrote about it instead.
Rather, this is an update on the search for a name for the new kitten: We’ve come back around to “Fluffy,” which I’m not especially fond of, since it’s not exactly what you would call original. However, I noted to my wife that I am willing to entertain the notion of calling the kitten “Fluffy” if we agree to an unconventional spelling of the name, not unlike how the parents of little girls who are named “Kristine” replace all the “i”s with “y”s and then add a few more embellishments, so you end up with “Khrystynne” or some such. With that understood, please note now my preferred spelling of “Fluffy”:
Ghlaghghee.
That’s the “gh” from “enough,” the “a” from “assumption” and the “ee” from “flee.” The “l” remains an “l”.
My wife, whose name is not spelled “Khrystynne,” is less than impressed, and points out that anyone who sees the cat’s name in print will assume that the cat’s name is pronounced “glag-gee,” and more relevantly, that every time I mention the cat’s names to others, I will pridefully also note the correct spelling, which will get old fast (for her, at the very least). While I appreciate her concern on both counts, I think it’s a small price to pay for a cat named Ghlaghghee.
I’ve got a whole car ride to day care to sell Athena on the plan. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Ghaghghee? Looks like “gag-gee” to me. And it will to any teacher Athena has in school if she ever writes about New Cat. Besides, I’m not sure that the “gh” from “enough” can be sounded that way at the beginning of a word.
If you don’t like “Fluffy” as the spelling, how about “Phluphee”? At least that’s close enough that more people will pronounce it correctly.
I hate to tell ya, but you are a writing nerd.
Sorry, man.
If you are going to go the ‘G’ route, how about Genghis? Genghis Scalzi has a certain ring, no?
Sue writes:
“If you don’t like ‘Fluffy’ as the spelling, how about ‘Phluphee’? At least that’s close enough that more people will pronounce it correctly.”
You’re working on the assumption that I would mind if people weren’t able to pronounce it correctly.
I fail to find the ‘l’ phoneme in ‘Ghaghghee’ even with your pronunciation guide.
Incidentally, do you think that Ghaghghee likes ghoti?
I’m sure he does. I’ll go back to insert the “l”.
Over the limit for cute cat pictures for the month? Its a good thing the month rolls over in three days.
I’d still vote for Comet as the name (and associated astronomy lesson in the true color [mostly black] of comets). ;)
The real question for Athena is not the spelling, but whether she wants a representational or nonrepresentational name for her cat, such as her earlier suggestion, “Purple.”
Yeah, Purple is my favorite among her candidates (not counting ghlaghghee, of course).
Hey, bring it into the new technology. Call it “Blog.”
How about MOUSEPAD. Beats out–cellphone, java, rat, bourbon, Neo, puma, bean bag, junkie, gecko, boris, cracker, hewitt packard, pastachio…
Here’s something that might make it a bit more recognizable as “fluffy” while maintaining its unusual spelling: Phlaghee. A nice combination I think. And I’m a huge fan of unusual pet names, I have a female snake named Budski.
Shoot the creature. Shoot it now. Put the clefted lip and palate thing in a shoe box and leave IT on the neighbor’s steps.
My personal suggestion for name: Nusty or Selima :)
But, let me suggest my site, where I collected lots of Cat names and kitten names
The URL is:
http://www.cat-dog-names.com/cat-names.html
You can find cat names based on color, gender and other features.
I hope you will find my site useful…
Odett France
If you don’t like “Fluffy” as the spelling, how about “Phluphee”? At least that’s close enough that more people will pronounce it correctly.