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Who is Famulous?
Well first of all,
Famulous doesn't mean "fabulous." Do a search
on Google or Dogpile for "famulous" and you'll
find this web site, then some kind of "sisterhood"
using the term, and then about 900 listings like this:
"Henry's 'famulous' vacation pictures."
Shit. People are using the word "Famulous"
but meaning "Fabulous." Idiots. And to think
I misspelled the word in the first place so I could
have it all to myself... †.
The question should really be WHO,
not what. I obtained a nameless finger puppet, some years
ago, in a record shop in Placerville, CA (see graphic).
When I ran across "famulus" in Peter Bowler's
"The Superior Person's Book of Words" I fell
in love with the word and decided to name the fingerpuppet
"Famulous." The puppet became this web site's
mascot. |
The original definition from Peter
Bowler's great little book, The
Superior Person's Book of Words:
†
FAMULUS n. A medieval sorcerer's assistant. A pleasing
appellation for your husband when he is helping you in
the kitchen by peeling the potatoes, drying the dishes,
etc. -- or when you are entertaining. "Come into
the living room and make yourself comfortable while I
have my famulus mix some drinks."
[The site changed earlier this year
- and the puppet no longer lives on every page - but I
like the old chap. So he's still lurking...] |
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