Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cbosgd.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!genrad!grkermit!mit-vax!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxa!houxm!ihnp4!cbosgd!mark From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP Newsgroups: net.lang Subject: Re: valspeak info wanted ("totally tubular") Message-ID: <130@cbosgd.UUCP> Date: Wed, 20-Jul-83 15:42:59 EDT Article-I.D.: cbosgd.130 Posted: Wed Jul 20 15:42:59 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jul-83 02:56:57 EDT References: <406@mit-eddie.UUCP>, <384@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Organization: Bell Labs, Columbus Lines: 18 In order to straighten this controversy out once and for all, at great personal expense, I personally travelled to the valley and interviewed noted ValSpeak expert and San Fernando Valley resident Howard Weinstein. (Well, actually, I had this wedding to go to in Long Beach and Howard was also there.) He explained "totally tubular" in plain English. The phrase "totally tubular" is an expression, and is nearly synonymous with "peachy keen". It would be used to describe an occurrance, not a person or thing. It derives from the shape of a good surfing wave - such a wave will have a ridge which comes up, then forward, then it breaks downward, leaving a tube shaped area of air under the wave but above the main body of water. (Watch the intro to "Wide World of Sports" sometime if you have trouble visualizing this.) The perfect wave would be "totally tubular". Another possibility is "partially tubular". One never just says "tubular" by itself in ValSpeak.