On the longest day of this year, in our backyard, I had the most fun I’ve ever had; I jumped over a fire with Bill Norris, and now we’re married!
The official portmanteau of the wedding was “matyardmony.” Whee! So I cannot believe it took me until this morning to wonder what on earth the historical sense relationship was between “matrimony” (which I know as “marriage”) and “patrimony,” (which I know as “heritage,” connected to land and food and somehow France), but here we are. Obviously “mother” something and “father” something, but what and why?!
So: okay! Those same things I knew, plus Pope Joan. It’s bonkers to me that these don’t reference each other and explain what the deal is, but 1934 was a crazy time.
I poked around elsewhere (outside Webster’s Int’l–can you imagine?) and found this:
That’s better. I don’t think we’ll adopt Roman patriarchal family roles, but other things further down on this page sound fun, like “a special [Latin] verb that means to spend immoderately on eating: helluor.” Click here to read more. Another teaser: Seneca calling out “the kitchen” as a “disgraceful destroyer of patrimonia.”
So, that’s that! Best day ever.
…
Oh, you! Did you think I’d leave you hanging on the “Pope Joan” business?
Here’s what 1934 Webster’s Int’l shows for Pope Joan:
Also this:
The New York Times ran an odd article a while back about what long-term unmarried partners call each other, including this quote from one such person on the very state of being unmarried:
Ms. Linder said, “It’s the last stage of connection to rebellion, punk rock, countercultural — all those pieces of my youth.”
I liked that as a reason not to marry: staying punk rock! But I am so bananas delighted to be married to Bill Norris, AND…if “matrimony” refers to “Pope Joan” and “Pope Joan” refers to Joan Jett (which, duh), then I think lexicographically speaking I get to be matrimonied and eat all the punk rock cake, too.
interlexionality 