My family has lived aboard s/v Texas Two Step (We let her keep the name she had before we got her; we're from Oregon.) for the past four years; sailing from Texas, through the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and down the island chain of the Caribbean.
We are currently planning on a new boat, and looking to more distant horizons to take her. On our last passage I tinkered around in an attempt to create a new name for our future vessel and came up with Eulotica (or Eulotic).
We would like to vet it before adopting it. We would be grateful if this word savvy forum could help us with that process! What does it evoke at first (and second!) read? Particularly, we'd like to know if there are any negative, pegorative, or otherwise untoward associations that may be present that we have not noticed.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give us!
LeslieLouise and the Texas Two Step crew
Hi LeslieLouise, and welcome to the forum.
When I first read your question, I liked the sound of Eulotica ... kinda rolls off the tongue. Didn't immediately suggest any meaning to me. I was aware that the prefix "EU" usually means "pleasant, well, good" (as in euphemism or eulogy). But the "LOTICA" didn't scan. On the other hand, "OTICA" is a common suffix meaning "all things" (as in "erotica" which derives from Eros, the goddess of love).
So then I did a search and found that "Eulotica" is apparently the genus of a type of parasite. See this citation. I'm not a biologist, so perhaps I read that abstract incorrectly. "Eulotica" could also be the genus of a type of worm. Probably not what you wanted to hear.
Now if the name was "Euotica" I suppose it could be interpreted as "all things pleasant," but that might be stretching it a bit.
Then again, as Alice said in Through The Looking Glass ... "A word means exactly what I want it to mean."
Heimhenge,
Thank you for the kind welcome! I have long been a fan of the show via podcast for both the content, as well as the people friendly approach the show maintains. I am glad to find the same spirit in the forum!
Thank you for your feedback and research!
I should not be surprised "Eulotica" can be found in biology; the root I started with was "lotic" which my limited research turned up usage primarily in science based writing. The definition for "lotic" in my dictionary app reads, "Of, relating to, or living in actively moving water." The question now is if we are comfortable with the word's possible association with a parasite! I'll have to think about it for a bit, but our decision will likely depend on what percentage of people can make that link automatically. Right?
Let us know if you come up with any other ideas about it!
Thank you!
LL & T2S crew
Well for what it's worth, unless you're a biologist, maybe 1 out of 100 thousand people would make that association with the parasite/worm genus. And I was unaware of "lotic" meaning "associated with moving water." But since that is the case, Eulotica could be construed to mean "pleasant associations with all things involving moving water." That would seem to be a very appropriate name for your new boat, given your sojourning lifestyle.
Go ask Alice ... but not when she's ten feet tall. 🙂
For me first thing that comes to mine is erotic. 2nd thing eulogy. But misunderstandings can be great excuse for lively conversations, no?