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 A handful of
readers received the first issue of Bikwil with From the Back
Verandah erroneously signed “TR” instead of “Fizzgig”. My
apologies. Our editor’s only excuse: “our style sheet versions
temporarily got into a real mess”. A likely story indeed.
And now for
something completely similar. One of our eagle-eyed pedants claims that
it should be spelt Fizgig. Is he right? In the interests of
enthusiastic scholarship I set our friend Harlish Goop to track down the
facts. Here they are, in H.G.’s own shorthand.
OED:
fizgig the preferred spelling, although seven alternative forms
given, including fizzgig.
Earliest
citation: 1529. Derivation: unclear.
Main
meanings: (a) frivolous woman, (b) hissing firework, (c) whirling toy
that makes whizzing noise, (d) harpoon. Meanings (b) and (c) “suggested
by the grotesque sound of the word, or by association with fizz”.
Meaning (d) a “perversion” when spelled fishgig.
Macquarie
and Webster: each allow one “z'” with no alternatives
for meanings (a), (b) and (c), although latter allows fishgig for
meaning (d).
But
where does all that erudition leave this Bikwilian frivolous, hissing,
whirling, whizzing harpoon?
Oh, gosh. No more
space, so I’ve no choice but to echo Magnus Magnussen’s declaration:
“I've started,
so I'll go on."
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