Can you gleek?

When I was in 8th grade, for some reason, this became the new “in” skill for the boys in our class. So they decided to have a little competition.

Only they did it during English class. Our teacher was so pissed she made the entire class come over and mop up the desks. Yuck.

Fanny farts? Sorry, wrong plumbing for that one. I can quaff, though. And coiff.

Wow, I haven’t heard that word for years.

I would probably be the world champion gleeker if it were any Olympic sport. I rule in terms of accuracy and distance - about three metres at a 45 degree angle. My best shot ever was to spray the inside of the school bus driver’s windscreen from the front seats on the other side of the bus. He had no idea what was going on.

I don’t use the roof of my mouth - just position the tongue halfway down and back, then move it quickly down. The best way to get volume is to ‘charge’ the gland up by yawning but holding it in, then expel the saliva with the tongue.

Once, when I hadn’t eaten for a day, the smell of some food made me spontaneously gleek. Luckily it landed on the floor.

“I’m sorry, that’s never happened before.”
“That’s OK, honey, it’s no big deal.”

I can’t gleek, but I clearly remember a boy who had an amazing talent there. He went on to become a news out-in-the-field kinda guy, I think.

I can, however, blow bubbles off of my tongue into the air! I learned when I was about 10 and can’t find many others who share this unique talent.

I’ve done it and I’ll second jjimm’s involuntary gleeking…how awkward!

It was called gleeping at my school. I think we were all a little backwards, though.

I can’t do it voluntarily, but it happens all the time when I yawn.

I can’t do it at will (and I’ve been trying to follow the tutorials!)

Incidentally, we called it snake spitting. You know the scene in Grease where Danny is sitting in the diner, surreptitiously glancing over his shoulder at Sandy and Rizzo comes along and says, “Somebody snakin’ ya, Danny?” Is that a reference to gleeking, and if not, what the heck did she mean by that?

It happens to me when I yawn, especially if my hands are full and I can’t cover my mouth. I just thought I was a freak. Now I know I am not alone :slight_smile:

Like a champ! Learned in junior high school.

It’s a skill I don’t use any more, though.

I don’t know which is more disturbing about this: that English has an actual separate word for this, or that you folks are so enthusiastic about it. :slight_smile:

I don’t think you have a proper appreciation for the badge of honor that went along with being able to gleek skillfully in the elementary and junior high years. :slight_smile:

I can’t do it voluntarily, but sometimes on accident, you better watch your plate! Also, we always called it “elephant spitting”.

#24

Damn. He’s living life fuller than I thought. :smiley:

I thought Gleek was the Space Monkey on the old SuperFriends cartoon show.

In Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene I, Titania awakes to find Bottom singing about birds. She flirts, and he demurs. He modestly says he not so hot, and, “Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.”

A source I read long ago said gleek meant sing in Shakespeare’s day. My old 12-pound dictionary gives half a dozen other meanings, none of which is spit or sing.

Yes, voluntarily, and I have good aim.