For those interested in the sky and solar systems and stars and all, it can be pretty exciting to learn of a new planet’s discovery.  Not too long ago, space watchers and scientists announced the existence of a planet-like object beyond Pluto.  Speaking of Pluto, it was only two years ago, August of 2006, that it was stripped of planet status after a tumultuous discussion by leading scientists at a general assembly meeting of the International Astronomical Union.

Pluto didn’t change, and hadn’t become something it wasn’t before – - still orbiting the sun, still way the hell out there.  The definition of the word planet changed, so through no fault of its own, Pluto was downgraded to “dwarf planet.”  It was little consolation to Pluto at the time that another object in our solar system, 2003 UB313, was included in the category.  This was the new discovery, made a few years ago and officially categorized as a “dwarf planet” also,  although it is larger than Pluto.  Talk about sand in the face when you’re down.

Pluto’s existence was known well before it was ever seen, by the way.  Mathematical formulas were used to prove that it had to exist because of the movement of other nearby objects, its existence being the only explanation for those movements.  It wasn’t until nearly 30 years later that Pluto was first observed and later named.  In less than 100 years, though, it went from unknown, to known and named, to accepted into the brotherhood of planets, to downgraded to “dwarf planet.”  A shooting star of an existence, frankly, even though it has been there for billions of years unchanged.  I’m sure if asked, Pluto would simply say it’s just a word.

Speaking of words, new planets and new designations take a back seat to the discovery of new words today.   That’s right – - over 100 new words have been discovered and added to our vocabulary.  The wordsmiths at Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, have announced the addition of them recently after several years of observation and study.  Many of these new words have been dished up from the culinary world as well as from advancements in technology, and according to Merriam-Webster, some have been observed for decades even though they are newly announced.

I noticed, though, that words are not named for the person who discovered them, or coined them, as are planets, and in some cases, dwarf planets.  Hardly worth the discovery, if you ask me.  One of the new words is “pescatarian,” a vegetarian who also eats fish.  I don’t know what the word is for a fish eater who also eats vegetables, though.  Perhaps that will be discovered at a later date, or maybe is already being observed as we speak.

My favorite new word, though, is “mondegreen,” referring to words that are mistaken for other words.  As a child of the 60s, I’m familiar with a couple of mondegreens:  Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “bad moon on the rise” screwed into “bathroom on the right,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “‘Scuse me, while I kiss this guy” in place of “kiss the sky.”  One of my favorites, though, was used by Malachy McCourt in his book, “A Monk Swimming”:  “blessed art thou a monk swimming (amongst women)” from the prayer “Hail Mary.”

So, those of you who messed up those song lines, or prayed incorrectly in church, you now have a word for what you did.  You fellow 60s graduates, it wasn’t the dope or the acid – - it was a mondegreen. You folks who got confused while praying, well, you’re all going to hell.  Sorry.  And as for Pluto, I just feel sorry for it, having been welcomed into the solar system as a  planet only to be told later it just doesn’t measure up anymore.  I hope the newly discovered words last longer than the planet Pluto did.