ever wanted to learn what "Coraline" means? well, now you can! (roughly)
PS: please review!
Children.
"What does Coraline mean?" Mel asked Charlie the next day, as she sat down at their small, circular dining table, perfect for two. Soon to be three.
Charlie, who was frying sunny-side-up eggs for them both, turned briefly to her, waving his spatula about. "Mel, it's unique. We give it a meaning."
"Hmph," Mel said, folding her arms over her large, round stomach. "I won't take that for an answer." Charlie shrugged, and removing himself from egg duty, he poured both his wife and himself a cup of coffee.
"Besides," she added, "isn't 'cor' a Greek or Latin root word?"
"Yes." Charlie told her, who had taken a college course involving such roots. "It means the heart. The heart of..." Charlie began, but stopped. "The heart of what?" Leaning over, he grabbed Mel's laptop,which was situated on top of their table in their somewhat cramped apartment. Pulling it towards himself, he began to type.
"What are you doing?"
"Finding out what our girl's name means..." Briefly he glanced sideways at her. "Assuming it is a girl."
"You know I'm right." Mel told him in a sing-song way.
Charlie said nothing but continued typing, clicking the mouse a few times. Mel took a sip of her coffee, her fingers warmed by the steaming mug. Moments later, Charlie looked up across at her and smirked. "Are you sure it's a girl?"
"Yes."
"Because it says here that Caroline is derived from Carolus, derived from Charles, derived from Karl, which is supposed to mean man."
Mel set down her coffee with more force than necessary. "You're kidding me."
"See for yourself." Mel quickly grabbed her laptop from him and skimmed the website he had found. Charlie laughed as her face dropped. "But, but here," Mel told him, pointing feverishly to the screen, "Here is says that it may be derived from the Greek root kari, meaning warrior."
"So... The Heart of a Warrior...our little Coraline." Charlie put his hands back behind his head and smiled blissfully. "Can't beat a name like that..."
Just then, the sound of popping came from the frying pan, accompanied by a tinge of burning food. "Charlie!" Mel called out, too slow to stand up and reach the stove.
It took three long, gangly strides before Charlie could reach turn off the heat and remove the frying pan. He turned around, looking guiltily at his wife. "Eggs, anyone?"
Mel cocked one eyebrow in disbelief, her fingernails drumming her arms, which were folded blatantly across her chest.
Unabashed, Charlie continued: "Well, nothing a little salt and pepper couldn't fix!"
Mel rolled her eyes. "You're too much."
"Thank you!" He replied, smiling as he served her the only slightly-burnt eggs. "What'll we do if we have another kid? Won't all the good names be gone?"
"Charlie, we're busy enough as it is. And I get the feeling that this one is going to be a real handful."
"Then I know she's already living up to her mother's reputation..." Charlie said, smiling. Mel rolled up the newspaper and whacked him on the arm.
website where I found out what "Caroline" meant here: www . behind the name . com (remove the spaces)
