L's favorite character on the tv show The Simpsons is Ralph Wiggum. His catchphrase is, "I'm Special!", which he delivers with a high-pitched voice filled with wonder. He frequently mispronounces words and in one episode he announced, "I'm LEARNDING!".
When we found ourselves in the Emergency Room with the doctors telling us we'd have to be admitted to Children's Hospital for a few days to receive education on dealing with Type 1 Diabetes, in order to get L to laugh I said, in my best Ralph Wiggum voice, "We're LEARNDING! About DIABETSKI!" It worked. :) So that's what we call it now. However, we cannot agree on the pronunciation.
In the beginning, I pronounced it as if it rhymes with Wayne Gretzky. DiaBETski. But when I texted the new term to my friend Courtney, she replied with, "DiaBEETski! Hilarious!" I immediately agreed with her that Beetski was funnier than Betski. So did L, initially. But after a short period of reflection (read: 1 minute), she decided that Betski was far more comedically pleasing.
My argument: Beetski is inherently funnier, because of the double EE sound. DiabEEtskEE. Comedy gold!
L's argument: Betski makes more sense in the world of Ralph Wiggum. Because he is mispronouncing the word not only once, but twice. Which, in her estimation, makes Betski twice as funny as Beetski.
So I've been saying Beetski and she's been saying Betski and each of us is sure we are going to wear the other one down. Watch this space to see if this struggle for the ages is ever resolved.
Beetski - fantasticke! (Spent time living in the Czech Republic in a town that sounds suspiciously close to Beetski.) Our son Luke was diagnosed just a month later in 2009, but you're way ahead of us. :) Great to find your blog - sounds like we're on the far side of the country (Seattle), but ping me if you're ever over this way!
ReplyDeletethanks for dropping by! i reckon it only seems we're farther ahead because my kid is older.
ReplyDeletei hear cz is beautiful and it tickles me that there's a place called something similar to our silly name for the big D.
thanks for the offer, you do the same if you're ever in ohio! :)
I grew up outside of Columbus, and anyone who can crack a joke in ER has my eternal respect!
ReplyDeleteaw, thanks.
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