Daddy Long Blog
The Daddy Long Legs. An insect pretending to be a spider, with wings. Its legs are so long and out of proportion, that it flies haphazardly and off balance. I was halfway through this rant to some other Writer folk, when I realised another ludicrous aspect of the Daddy Long Legs – its name.
We’re always talking about how important names are. They influence what you think of something before you even know what it is – through the images the name evokes (if it’s made up from words we already know) and in how it sounds as it comes out of our mouths.
Take Twitter. Forget what it is and just think about the name. I think about chatting. I think about birds having fast-paced, high-pitched conversations. Short and snappy. And when you say it out loud, with all those Ts, they’re quick. And skittish. You can’t say it slowly. It feels like your mouth is falling over itself to get the word out fast. I think Twitter is a good name, and rather onomatopoeic. It sounds like what it does.
Voyage Privé. Logistic Implementation Strategy. Retardex. They’re all real names for companies or products (Retardex is a mouthwash, Voyage Privé is a travel company, and the other one... well, your guess is as good as mine). But do they evoke the right images? Do they make the right noises? Let’s just say you won’t catch me gargling Retardex.
As much as I dislike Daddy Long Legs, they do have one of the more creative names in the animal kingdom. And it certainly reflects the insect’s ridiculousness. Anyhow, just a thought.
