WORDS OF WONDER SERIES

Before I had a ticket, I was already infected with that delightful ditty. Since I had my shots and my booster, I wanted to weave my way back into my community, and this small theater was a good excuse. After two years of hibernation, I felt like a COVID hermit. Last fall when my young friend, Mason Berchman, was signed to star as Jane in Mary Poppins, at the local Hale Theater, I signed on to go with friends. Voila! Millions of people have been crooning “ Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” since Julie Andrews first appeared on the screen singing it in 1964. Although no one can prove this, one of the brothers probably stumbled upon Helen Herman’s fantastical version of the word penned in 1931 and tweaked it to fit their catchy song. The songwriters for the film, Richard and Robert Sherman, who wrote the song lyrics probably created or recreated this fun-filled word. It was no wonder that Walt Disney fought for years to bring this story of Aunt Sass to the screen and when he finally did, he gave us an iconic story of a magical nanny who could create words or rhymes, pull hat racks from her bag, carry you on magical adventures, or create words like “ Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious.”Īlthough the real-life Mary Poppins, Aunt Sass, created many nonsense words, she did not invent this one. You will find her occasionally in the pages of Mary Poppins.”

“I suddenly realised that there is a book through which Aunt Sass, stern and tender, secret and proud, anonymous and loving, stalks with her silent feet. We do not guess at the roots that made our fruit,” she writes. “We write more than we know we are writing.

WORDS OF WONDER SERIES

Years later when she had the idea to write her series of books, Travers found herself inspired by her aunt who became her nanny. She could create words, songs, and adventures that would captivate any child. In the semi-autobiographical book, Aunt Sass, Travers described her aunt as a one-of-a-kind character who was rigid and firm but oh so fun. When she was quite young Traver’s actual mother attempted suicide, and her father died after a seizure, but in a New Yorker article (2005) Travers stated she “always believed the underlying cause was sustained, heavy drinking.”Īfter her father’s death, Travers grew close to her great-aunt Helene Morehead or Aunt Sass. While Travers real life family inspired the story of the Banks family in Mary Poppins, in truth, the story is a reframing of her difficult childhood. Mary Poppins was a series of children’s books published in 1934 by an Australian author, P.L. This silly word comes to us from a story we have come to love.

She created a word of “all words in the category of something wonderful.” In an editorial for The Syracuse Daily Orange, Helen shared her word – supercaliflawjalisticeexpialidoshus.” In 1931 Helen Herman created a silly word that has brought cheer to thousands in audiences throughout the world.

Here is the journey of one such word that millions of people love. Indeed, this is how words and the languages that come of words have been created for thousands of years.Īccording to the latest report of the Ethnologue, a resource that counts languages, there are currently 7,139 human languages on our planet. If your put those feelings into one word, I think it bursts with happiness. Let’s embrace the joy to be found in a new year.ĭo you have a word that just makes you silly-happy? How about enjubiphoric? It is not a well-known because I just created it, and I guess you can guess what words I used to invent it. The creative joy of dancing, singing, and even creating a few crazy words or songs lifts us up. After the last two pandemic-centered years, I am creating a picture of a better year. I am trying to throw pixie dust on a New Year. I am dancing all over the kitchen and singing in the shower.

Words of wonder