National Gibberish Day
How much intelligence does it take to speak unintelligibly? September 20th is the day to discover that answer. It's National Gibberish Day. On this nonsensical holiday, even the most articulate among us may utter gobbledygook, gabble, babble and drivel. Tomorrow, we may all seek clarity of communication, but not on September 20th.
Gibberish and gobbledygook refer to speech or other use of language that is nonsense, or that appears to be nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, or forms such as language games or highly specialized jargon that seems non-sensical to outsiders. Gibberish should not be confused with literary nonsense such as that used in the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.
The word gibberish is more commonly applied to speech, while gobbledygook (sometimes gobbledegook, gobbledigook or gobbledegoo) is more often applied to writing. "Officialese", "legalese", or "bureaucratese" are forms of gobbledygook. The related word jibber-jabber refers to rapid talk that is difficult to understand.
The term gibberish was first seen in English in the early 16th century. Its etymology is not certain, but it is generally thought to be onomatopoeia imitative of speech, similar to the related words jabber (to talk rapidly) and gibber (to speak inarticulately).
Less widely accepted theories assert that it is derived from the Irish word gob or gab (mouth) or from the Irish phrase Geab ar ais (back talk, backward chat). The latter Irish etymology was suggested by Daniel Cassidy, whose work has been criticised by linguists and scholars. The terms geab and geabaire are certainly Irish words, but the phrase geab ar ais does not exist, and the word gibberish exists as a loan-word in Irish as gibiris.
Another theory is that gibberish comes from the name of the famous 8th-century Islamic alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān, whose name was Latinized as "Geber", thus the term "gibberish" arose as a reference to the incomprehensible technical jargon often used by Jabir and other alchemists who followed.
According to Michael Quinion on his World Wide Words website gobbledygook was first coined on 21 May 1944 by Maury Maverick, a congressman from Texas. His comments, recorded in the New York Times Magazine, were made when Maverick was the Democratic chairman of the US Congress Smaller War Plants Committee. He was being critical of the obscure language used by other committee members. The allusion was to a turkey, "always gobbledy gobbling and strutting with ludicrous pomposity." It is sometimes abbreviated slightly to gobbledygoo.
Contemporary reports, as shown by a United Press dispatch published in the Pittsburgh Press, identify the date of Maverick's statement as March 31. Maverick's message includes the following sentence: "Stay off the gobbledygook language. It only fouls people up."
National Neighborhood Day
National Neighborhood Day is celebrated in neighborhoods across the country each year on the third Sunday in September.
National Neighborhood Day inspires, builds, and sustains the neighborhood relationships that provide the foundation for civic action and the building of stronger, more caring and effective communities.
National Neighborhood Day was established as an annual day to recognize and reinforce the relationships that are the fabric of our communities. It is a day of simple gatherings of neighbors to re-kindle friendships; welcome new neighbors; catch up on each others' families, interests and needs; and share food, fellowship and fun.
The ties that unite a neighborhood help us better tackle and enjoy the myriad of challenges and opportunities we face. The simple goal of National Neighborhood Day is to bring neighbors together and to help enhance neighborhood connections. Neighbors knowing neighbors improves neighborhood connections; connected neighborhoods lead to more effective communities; effective communities strengthen our nation as a whole. This ripple effect from our own neighborhoods to the larger world outside is what Neighborhood Day promotes.
National Punch Day
National Punch Day is celebrated on September 20th of each year. We were unable to discover the origin of National Punch Day.
Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from India to England in the early seventeenth century; from there its use spread to other countries. Punch is typically served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.
The word punch is a loanword from Hindi panch (meaning five) and the drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices. The original drink was named paantsch.
The drink was brought to England from India by sailors and employees of the British East India Company in the early seventeenth century. From there it was introduced into other European countries. When served communally, the drink is expected to be of a lower alcohol content than a typical cocktail.
The term punch was first recorded in British documents in 1632. At the time, most punches were of the Wassail type made with a wine or brandy base. But around 1655, Jamaican rum came into use and the ‘modern’ punch was born. By 1671, documents make references to punch houses.
Today, soft drink manufacturers distribute many types of “fruit punch” beverages. These are usually red colored drinks. Despite the name, most brands contain only a small fraction of actual fruit juice, the major constituents being sugar or corn syrup, citric acid, and artificial flavors.
National Wife Appreciation Day
Between a busy career, the kids, a slew of after-school activities and the never ending household chores, if you’re like many Americans, there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything accomplished. Americans are just plain tuckered out! September 16 serves as a reminder to slow down and smell the roses and be grateful for the special people in our lives.
National Wife Appreciation Day
While the origins are unknown, September 16 is National Wife Appreciation Day, an annual “holiday” that reminds husbands and partners to show that significant other just how much she means to you. While we all may take each other for granted from time-to-time, it’s important to remind each other how much we value one another. Life is short. We never know what tomorrow will bring. Remind that special lady in your life how much you appreciate her.
You don’t need to spend an arm-and-a-leg to remind her how much you care. Just a little token of your appreciation will do! Surprise her!
How to Celebrate Wife Appreciation Day:
- Clean the house.
- Give her a gift certificate for a free massage or spa treatment.
- Hire a sitter and give her a day off!
- Flowers are always good.
- Cook (or cater) a romantic dinner for her. Don’t forget the dessert!
- Surprise her with a romantic picnic! And if the weather doesn’t cooperate – no worries. Spread out the blanket, pop open the picnic basket and enjoy an indoor picnic for two.
- Make it movie night! Pick up a few of her favorite flicks, grab a few bottles of bubbly, some sweet treats to eat and cuddle up like the good old days. No electronic devices allowed!
- If you love wine, invite a few friends over for a wonderful wine tasting party. Ask them to bring their favorite bottle of vino.
- Wash and/or detail her car for her.
- Write her a heartfelt poem or letter, like you used to.
- Fill the tub with her favorite bath product, turn on the flameless candles and turn off the lights, pour her a glass of her favorite wine and let her soak her troubles away.
- Put together a collage or album with special photos.
- If you have old video tapes lying around, convert them to DVDs and enjoy a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
- Plan a weekend getaway! No kids allowed!
- Renew your wedding vows.
National Women's Friendship Day
It is the creation of one of the most proactive women's organizations in the country, Kappa Delta Sorority.
Kappa Delta Sorority was founded in 1897 in Farmville, Virginia and is currently headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It has over 186,000 members, 128 active collegiate chapters and 487 chartered alumnae associations nationwide. Kappa Delta is active in a number of philanthropic causes.
It has given over $7 million to the prevention of child abuse, over $2 million to Children’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia and over $1 million to orthopedic research.
In 1998, Kappa Delta Sorority entered into a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA to provide mentoring and funding to young girls across the country.
A year later, the sorority established a collaboration with the Association of Junior Leagues International to study and promote the involvement of women in community leadership.
What does it take to make a day special by proclamation? A tremendous amount of dedication and a masterful talent for organization are the key ingredients.
NWFD has received both local and national publicity. Many newspapers and television stations have covered the day – from Lincoln, Nebraska to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, from San Antonio, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. The day has been mentioned in several magazines, including Teen People, Today’s Christian Woman, and Memphis Woman. The day continues to capture the attention of the media.
In 2004, General Foods International began a campaign to promote National Women’s Friendship Day and its line of premium coffees and teas. For two years, they held an annual GirlFriends Invitation Essay Contest, encouraging women to share their stories of friendship.
This year, Pat Miller, the co-founder of Vera Bradley Designs, a popular line of quilted handbags, luggage and accessories, was named the honorary chairman of National Women’s Friendship Day. Past honorary chairmen include Karen Neuburger, founder of Karen Neuburger, Ltd., and Carmen Renee Berry and Tamara Traeder, authors of Girlfriends for Life.