Saturday, December 10, 2011

Gander

Detail of Painted Cart, Old Depot, Lewisburg, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


Today's post is brought to you by the word gander. It is a noun that means a male goose (derived from the Old English which dates before the year 1000). Used informally it means a quick look (of more modern origin). For example, "Take a gander at this painted wagon... it reminds me of the colors on Christmas wrapping paper".

Interestingly, according to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable the word gander-mooning describes the "aimless meanderings of the gander when the goose is sitting".

As you might expect, I have derived a few new words and phrases of my own... 

Get your gander on - to strut your stuff in front of the hens in the goose pen.

You've been ganderized - somebody has been looking at you rather intently.

gandermonium - when the goose pen gate is left open and hundreds of ganders are running amok in the farmyard.

Carpe Ganderum - seize the gander... and maybe have him for dinner.  Bon Gander!

 
at

19 comments:

  1. cieldequimperDecember 10, 2011 at 3:56 AM

    Lol, your imagination has no boundaries! These colours don't remind me of Christmas though. The added yellow makes me think of reggae!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joop ZandDecember 10, 2011 at 3:57 AM

    Good shot and nice colors....well done Doug.

    Greetings, Joop

    ReplyDelete
  3. Traveling HawkDecember 10, 2011 at 6:01 AM

    The easiest association is with summer (I mean the colors). Very informative your post, Doug! Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Frank de JolDecember 10, 2011 at 6:02 AM

    Excellent composition.

    ReplyDelete
  5. brattcatDecember 10, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    salaganger-when ganders act like lizards in an attempt to pick up a goose.

    ReplyDelete
  6. BirdmanDecember 10, 2011 at 6:57 AM

    BC, that's just goofy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. FriedaDecember 10, 2011 at 8:43 AM

    Great composition with the complementary colors :)
    Your "gandering" made me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousDecember 10, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Only you can do this Doug :)
    Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Doug HickokDecember 10, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    My mother-in-law gave me another one, Ganderlust... looking around for a Loosey Goosey... priceless :^)

    ReplyDelete
  10. London CallerDecember 10, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    Gandastic!
    I love portmanteau.
    So are "glander" and "glimder" also derived from "gander"?

    My two colourful ladies are wearing your Christmas wrapping paper!

    >which scientific name do you recommend?

    It's Amorphophallus titanum.
    Amorpho (misshaped) + phallus (phallus) + titanum (giant).
    Isn't Latin fun?!

    ReplyDelete
  11. franzDecember 10, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    he, he ... how about gander-stepping instead of goose-stepping ?!? (just kidding ... ;-))
    love your post today, doug, with its strong and vivid primal colors! it pays to take a gander at the things around us !!
    (glad you like the conflux sculptures! one more to come ...)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kovács MiklósDecember 10, 2011 at 4:53 PM

    Nice high dinamic colours. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. john4jackDecember 10, 2011 at 5:43 PM

    fine juxtaposition of colors and lines. simple beauty is wonderful

    ReplyDelete
  14. ChristopherDecember 11, 2011 at 2:19 AM

    Such great vision to pick up this image Doug--your writing as always makes me smile

    ReplyDelete
  15. yzDecember 11, 2011 at 11:10 AM

    great detail and color

    ReplyDelete
  16. georgeDecember 11, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    Such glorious minimalist colour, I love it.

    ...and there's another meaning for "gander". On noticing a nice young lady perambulating along a Liverpool street the usual response of the young guys was "take a gander at that!

    ReplyDelete
  17. OlaDecember 12, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    I always admire how you find so much colors around you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. DomLOrthaDecember 13, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    Great combination of colours!
    Have a nice day.

    ReplyDelete
  19. rianDecember 27, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    lol! you sure have a way with words.. i like the sound of 'gandermonium'.. :D

    ReplyDelete