2007-01-07 23:49:23 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
doesn't exist
2007-01-07 23:51:34 · answer #1 · answered by murphy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am sure that Lear just thought it was a word with a good sound. It's a nonsense poem which just sounds nice.
People have tried to give meanings to the words, but the fun of a nonsense poem is in the bizarre mixture of concepts - and owl and a *****-cat in a boat? Wrapped in a five-pound note? That was a huge amount of money then.
To me, runcible conjures up an old, worn out silver-plated spoon which is gnarled with age. In fact, the one that I ate my porridge with as a kid!
By the way, I didn't put those asterisks in - the operators of this site must have dirty minds.
2007-01-11 11:41:12 · answer #2 · answered by Up the pole 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Edward Lear actually made this word up, but a runcible spoon is basically a spoon with holes in.
2007-01-08 22:54:04 · answer #3 · answered by ☞H.Potter☜ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A runcible spoon is a large slotted spoon with three thick, modified fork prongs at the bowl's end and a cutting edge on the side
2007-01-08 02:03:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Matthew H has the correct answer. Edward Lear made the word up just as he made up many other funny meaningless words. I particularly like his "nonsence botany" where he creats pretend latin names for plants to go with his sketches. I have the complete works and have always been a fan. Take no notice of those who would try to tell you this is an actual word. It isn't. They are talking through their runcible bums!
2007-01-08 05:09:28 · answer #5 · answered by Cream tea 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The probable definition of this term is that a runcible spoon is a small fork with three prongs, one having a sharp edge, and curved like a spoon. This spoon is used to eat pickles, etc.
2007-01-07 23:58:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't think there is such a thing as a runcible spoon. It's an imaginery type of spoon, surreal, as is the whole rhyme.
2007-01-07 23:51:51 · answer #7 · answered by Phish 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. Basically, Edward Lear made the word up.
In other poems he uses "runcible" to refer to: a hat, a cat, a goose and a wall.
2007-01-07 23:54:10 · answer #8 · answered by Matthew H 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A runcible spoon is a spork! It's a spoon with prongs, so it's half spoon, half fork, therefore, it's now called a spork! :)
2007-01-08 02:59:28 · answer #9 · answered by Little Miss Helellena 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
run·ci·ble spoon (rŭn'sə-bəl)
n.
A three-pronged fork, such as a pickle fork, curved like a spoon and having a cutting edge.
[Coined by Edward Lear, perhaps alteration of rounceval, big woman, large pea, wart, monster, huge, from Roncevaux (Roncesvalles), site where giant bones were found.]
2007-01-08 02:20:44 · answer #10 · answered by Basement Bob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't mean anything. Ed Lear just made it up. Either that or I have a drawer full of them at home and they are starting to go rusty.
2007-01-07 23:53:37 · answer #11 · answered by Misha-non-penguin 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋