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Posted By: Ata Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 01:47 AM
Is there an adjective for "penguin"? Since they belong to the family Spheniscidae, I coined "spheniscid" for an adjective. If there isn't already an adjectival form of penguin, would this be a reasonable term?

Posted By: Ata Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 01:51 AM
Never mind. It turns out I didn't invent a new word, but at least I guessed right.

Posted By: bonzaialsatian Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 08:37 PM
Penguid rolls off the toungue more satisfyingly though - it's like languid, only... livelier and err... well, more penguid.

Posted By: wwh Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 09:10 PM
Interesting that "spheno-" refers to objects shaped like a wedge. I don't quite see penguins as
being shaped like wedges.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 10:17 PM
I see penguins as being wedge-shaped.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 10:26 PM
maybe more of a cone, but definitely bigger at the bottom than at the top!



Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 10:27 PM
would a penguin who takes dictation be a sphenographer?

Posted By: wwh Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 10:39 PM
Here is URL with pictures of penguins. They look like streamlined elongated footballs to me.
http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/Penguins.html
Posted By: Wordwind Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 10:46 PM
Stick they bills underneath a tire--they make great chocks to stop a tractor trailer.

Et: Loved your sphenographer comment!

Posted By: bonzaialsatian Wedge-shaped - 11/30/02 11:15 PM
Maybe it's the way they kinda toboggan down hills.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 11:19 PM
In reply to:

They look like streamlined elongated footballs to me.


X-Thread Ref. to an old Hogwash:

prolate

It pays to play Hogwash!

Posted By: wwh Re: Adjective for penguin - 11/30/02 11:28 PM
As in prolate spheroid.

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/02/02 09:22 AM
I see penguins as being wedge-shaped.


Surely penguins were around before wedges were invented? If that is so, then it is wedges that are penguin shaped (penguoid?).


Posted By: wsieber Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/02/02 12:08 PM
Is there an adjective for "penguin"?
It depends on whom you want to apply it to, and for what reason

Posted By: dxb Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/02/02 12:35 PM
Surely penguins were around before wedges were invented?

So did penguinkind invent the wedge in its own image?

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/02/02 12:43 PM
The penguin is rife with wedges: its beak, its wings, its tail, its feet, its body. Wedges all. Wedgeville. That's what a penguin is. Wedgeville.

And to think orchestral musicians are sometimes called penguins.

Posted By: Faldage Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/02/02 01:38 PM
orchestral musicians are sometimes called penguins

As are nuns.

Wedges weren't invented until much later, when there was underwear. Oh. Wedges, not wedgies. Er, never mind.

In first year physics, one learns about the basic mechanical devices. Wedges are an extension
of the inclined plane. And penguins look as though they were wearing tuxedos.

penguins look as though they were wearing tuxedos

What makes you think they're not?

What makes you think they're not?

No cummerbund.

The penguins' tuxedos got no fly to cummer unbund.

So in addition to protozoans there's apparently no fly zoans. But there's a Bush behind every no fly zoan.

Posted By: sjm Re: Adjective for penguin - 12/09/02 07:33 AM
Thanks for the cool word, Ata. Now that I've installed Linux, I can tell everybody I'm spheniscating.

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