Month: May 2009

Names mean things: Dr. Peeks

General

I learned about this name years ago, and it came to mind again recently.

Dr. Peeks is an optometrist.

The verb “peek” — spelled P-E-E-K — dates back to the mid-1300s and means to glance or look quickly.

The irony is not lost on me that an optometrist — a licensed professional who practices the profession of examining eyes and helping people with their vision — has a surname that refers to looking.

I do not believe that it is a coincidence that someone with the surname “Peeks” is involved with vision.

Names mean things.

Names mean things: Charlene Lake

General

I noticed this yesterday.

I was searching for stories about AT&T in the news portion of Google when I saw “AT&T Taps Charlene Lake As Chief Sustainability Officer” as the top headline.

Clicking the headline led me to an EnvironmentalLeader.com Web page.

I had never heard of a “Chief Sustainability Officer” until I read that page, but apparently the role relates to the environmental impact of AT&T.

Then I re-read the name of the appointed officer, and I had to smile.

I do not believe that it is a coincidence that someone with the surname “Lake” is involved in environmental issues.

Names mean things.

“… wearing her pool gargles …”

Mispronunciations

I heard about this expression last Saturday at a party.

Problem:
The fourth word is incorrect.

Explanation:
My friend Nickie F. sent me more information about this expression.

She said that a friend was describing her daughter’s solution to a bath-time dilemma when the friend said, “She had gotten so tired of getting shampoo in her eyes that the next night, I walked into the bathroom and found her in the tub wearing her pool gargles to keep the shampoo out.”

As all readers should recognize, the word after “pool” should be “goggles” instead.

The speaker apparently was accustomed to mispronouncing “goggles” as “gargles”.

Sometimes one must “squint one’s ears” at what is being heard to identify what the speaker intended to say.

In this case, though, no ear squinting is required.

Solution:
“… wearing her pool goggles …”