Sunday, August 12, 2012

Not a goatee

It is no secret that I browse through the intertubes for the collection of beards that I herein present. And if there is one thing that curls the hairs on the back of my neck, it is the misuse of the term goatee.

"I do not think that word means what you think it means."

In point of fact, I know by definition that that word does not mean what you think it means. A goatee is a beard on the chin. That's it. Only on the chin. If you have hair above your lip, it is no longer a goatee. And while the website My Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck By Lightning provides many pictures unique and not available anywhere else, the owner makes the mistake of calling John Schwinghammer's beard a goatee. It is most assuredly not. It is a Van Dyke. Named after 17th century Flemish Baroque painter Anthony van Dyck, it specifically consists of any growth of both a mustache and goatee with all hair on the cheeks shaven.

Ahhhhhh!

OK, I am much better now that I've gotten that out of my system. But really, that is a very nice beard, isn't it?

2 comments:

Tulisa said...

That is a great interesting fact, I thought it originated from the term billy goat. I shall share that fact with other misguided youth

Unknown said...

Finally! I have been meaning to bring up that popular misconception myself. Ironically enough, The Van Dyke is also mislabeled all the time too. geesh...
Thanks for getting the word out!
cheers,
Douglas
http://howtogrowamoustache.com