One of the pleasures of being a parent is listening to your child as he develops language. Inevitably, there are mispronunciations that come to mark a moment in your child's life and when you hear those words you remember that time. As JT has grown older, I've been amused at certain words he uses, not because of mispronunciations but because they are his own words.
One of those words is goodly.
Don't bother to look for it in your dictionary, because what you find there isn't quite what he means.
When JT declares something goodly, he means something happy, excellent, good. Goodly makes your heart sing. I suppose that a responsible parent might explain that goodly isn't really a word, but don't look for me to do that. I'm a big fan of goodly.
Since Barack Obama was declared the winner of the election on Tuesday night, I've been feeling goodly. I am incredibly proud of my nation. For the first time in several years, I am hopeful that my government will be a force for good in my nation and the world.
That's a goodly thing.
4 comments:
But it *is* a word! And your beautiful boy is using it exactly as it was intended...
Goodly (Good"ly) adv.
Excellently. [Obs.] Spenser.
Goodly (Good"ly), a.
[Compar. Goodlier (?); superl. Goodliest.]
[OE. godlich, AS. g¿dlic. See Good, and Like.]
1. Pleasant; agreeable; desirable. "We have many goodly days to see." Shak.
2. Of pleasing appearance or character; comely; graceful; as, a goodly person; goodly raiment, houses. "The goodliest man of men since born." Milton.
3. Large; considerable; portly; as, a goodly number. "Goodly and great he sails behind his link." Dryden.
Many happy returns, and you've now set me to wondering... did we get "goodly" from you, or did you get "goodly" from us? In any case, it's all goodly.
In other news, I'm enjoying your new tagline, but wondering how it's possible for an infant to be sarcastic. You found a way, I guess.
I am feeling goodly, too, but what's up with this Prop 8 stuff in California?? This is the kind of thing that my fellow Nebraskans do not Californians. Even Gov Arnold thinks it sucks.
We should try to fight Proposition 8 which takes away rights already granted.
Please consider a boycott of Sundance, Utah and Mormons
http://www.americablog.com/2008/11/why-is-sundance-film-festival-taking.html
or donating money to the Northern California ACLU
http://www.aclunc.org/ .
I am not affiliated with either. I am just trying to make a difference. Thanks.
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