Same-sex marriage — a huge topic of controversy in the US today. Fundamental human right? Perversion of a sacred ceremony? Tempers rise, rhetoric flies.

Maybe there's a simple solution: grant full social, legal recognition to an identical institution — but give it a different name. Modest suggestion: "mawidge". Anyone who has seen William Goldman's The Princess Bride will remember Peter Cook's performance as a clergyman with a distinctive speech impediment who officiates at a royal wedding. He begins his benediction:

"Mawidge ... mawidge is what bwings us togethah today ..."

"Mawidge, that bwessed awangement, that dweam within a dweam ..."

TopicHumor - TopicLanguage - TopicSociety - 2003-12-13

(correlates: MandatoryInversion, ImpossibleUsage, LastUnicorn, ...)