Bill Poser expresses surprise over the use of the word "micturate" in an blog comment on Harriet Miers. Given Prof. Poser's previously demonstrated commitment to open source software*, it is surprising in turn to SC that he failed to mention what is without a doubt the single most common reference to a derived form of "micturate" (743 Ghits, many -- but admittedly not all -- of which are quotes of what follows). That would be the Vogon poetry described in loving detail in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Of course, given the context:
Oh freddled gruntbuggly,
Thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits
On a lurgid bee
it's quite likely that most readers dismissed it as another made-up word, and didn't bother to look it up.
*If you think this is a non sequitur, you have never been employed as a programmer, nor have you spent significant time in their company.
Darn, I've been scooped on a connection between linguistics and science fiction. You're the man.
Posted by: The Tensor | October 15, 2005 at 11:17 PM
Yeah, it's amazing how brilliant one can be and yet love mediocre humor.
Posted by: J. Goard | October 21, 2005 at 12:14 AM