Runcible facts for kids
The word Runcible is a nonsense word. It was made up by a famous writer named Edward Lear. He used it many times in his poems and stories.
The most famous use of "runcible" is in his poem The Owl and the Pussy-Cat. In this poem, the Owl and the Pussycat eat their dinner with a "runcible spoon".
Edward Lear seemed to really like this word. He used it for many different things. For example, he wrote about a "runcible hat" in a poem about himself. He also mentioned a "runcible cat", a "runcible goose" (meaning a silly person), and even a "runcible wall".
Where Did "Runcible" Come From?
Edward Lear first used the word "runcible" in his well-known poem, The Owl and the Pussy-Cat. This poem was published in 1870. It includes these lines:
They dined on mince and slices of quince,
which they ate with a runcible spoon.
Lear also used the word in his book of drawings and rhymes called Twenty-Six Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures. In the part for the letter 'D', he wrote about:
The Dolomphious Duck,
who caught Spotted Frogs for her dinner
with a Runcible Spoon
Edward Lear often drew pictures for his own poems. He drew the "dolomphious duck" holding a round spoon with a frog in it. This drawing helps us imagine what he thought a runcible spoon looked like.
What Does a Runcible Spoon Look Like?
Edward Lear probably didn't have a clear idea of what "runcible" meant. He loved words for how they sounded, especially in his funny nonsense verse. You don't need a specific definition to enjoy his work.
However, many years after Lear died, dictionaries started to define a "runcible spoon." They usually describe it as a fork with three wide, curved prongs and a sharp edge. It's often used for pickles or small snacks called hors d'oeuvres. Some people even use it as another word for a "spork" (a mix of a spoon and a fork).
But this definition doesn't quite match Lear's own drawing. In his picture, the runcible spoon looks more like a ladle. Also, this definition doesn't explain the other "runcible" things in his poems, like a "runcible cat" or "runcible hat."
Other ideas for a runcible spoon include:
- A fork shaped like a spoon.
- A spoon shaped like a fork.
- A grapefruit spoon, which has jagged edges around its bowl.
- A serving spoon with a slotted bowl.
Some people have even suggested funny ideas for the word's origin. One idea was that it came from a friend of Lear's named George Runcy. Another thought it was from a butler named Robert Runcie. But these ideas don't explain why Lear used "runcible" for cats or hats, not just spoons.
Most people agree that "runcible" is simply a nonsense word. It doesn't have a real meaning, and that's part of its charm!
Runcible in Popular Culture
The fun sound of the word "runcible" has made it appear in many different places.
- Computer Programs: RUNCIBLE was the name of an early computer program compiler in the late 1950s. Donald Knuth, a famous computer scientist, published his first paper about it in 1959.
- Music:
* The band Pretty Things used the lyrics "You've lost the runcible spoon" in their 1968 song "Baron Saturday." * A music duo in the late 1960s was called Frabjoy & Runcible Spoon. The members later became part of the band 10cc. * Paul McCartney's 2001 song "Heather" includes the line: "And I will dance to a runcible tune / With the queen of my heart."
- Books and Novels:
* In Thomas Pynchon's 1973 book Gravity's Rainbow, there's a pretend fight using runcible spoons. * Arthur C. Clarke's short story Playback mentions a "runcible cap." * In Neal Stephenson's 1995 book The Diamond Age, "Runcible" is a secret name for a special educational computer. * In Neal Asher's Polity series of books, "runcible" is the name for a device that creates wormholes for space travel. * In Lemony Snicket's 2006 book The End, an island group only eats with runcible spoons. * In Christopher Paolini's book To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, the spaceship Wallfish has a ship's pig named Runcible. * Agatha Runcible is a character in Evelyn Waugh's 1930 novel Vile Bodies.
- TV Shows:
* In the 1975 TV show The Good Life, a restaurant is named The Runcible Spoon. * In the 1976 Doctor Who episode The Deadly Assassin, a reporter character is named Runcible.
- Games:
* In the 1996 board game Kill Doctor Lucky, a runcible spoon is one of the weapons you can use. * In the 2018 PlayStation 4 video game Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, a companion character is named "Runcible the Righteous." * Runcible is the name of a stuffed bear in Wil Wheaton's RPG Titansgrave.
- Webcomics:
* In the webcomic Questionable Content, a character named J. Edward Runcible is a 19th-century conspiracy theorist. * In the webcomic Girl Genius, a character uses a "hand-cranked runcible gun" that shoots sporks. * In the webcomic Dominic Deegan, Runcible Spoon is a professor at a magic school.
- Restaurants and Magazines:
* There is a restaurant called The Runcible Spoon in Bloomington, Indiana, which opened in 1976. * The Runcible Spoon is a food magazine started in 2010.
