Today many local politicians announced they were tossing their hats into the race for governor of Rhode Island. Most said, in fact, "I'm running for Governor." But one, Clay Pell (grandson of the late Senator Claiborne Pell) said he was starting a "gubernatorial" committee to see if voters would be interested in once more hiring the idle rich.

My question is why is it "gubernatorial" and not "governorial" or "governoristic" or something minus the "goober" beginning (although many of Rhode Island's governors have been goobers -- check out Burnside).

Because "gubernatorial" is the adjective form. It's directly from Latin while "government" is thru French.

Btw Latin "gubernāre" (to steer) is borrowed from the same Greek word that gives us "cyber".

why is it "gubernatorial" and not "governorial" or "governoristic" or something minus the "goober" beginning

Long story short English governor comes from Latin gubernator 'pilot; governor' < guberno 'to steer' (which is related to Greek κυβερνῶ kubernao whence English cybernetic). Schwarzenegger (whose name means schwarzen 'black' + egger 'harrow') was referred to jocularly by the media and his subjects as Der Gubernator as a play on Terminator. So, many times people will use a latinate adjectival form for a common "English" noun. Makes fancy.

[Pipped by Goofy.]

TY, Z.
A little-known fact about local politics involves one of the older governors of Massachusetts. Endicott Peabody is the only person to ever have two cities named after him:
Peabody and Marblehead.

There was also a rumor when Kennedy was Senator that he intended to split the state in two, making High and Low Mass.

As a governmental aside, I found this fun site of governmental words.

The one missing from that list is "marriagetocracy", where the woman is in total control.

As usual, we live in an argentocracy. However, there are those whose governor is closer to home, and goes by the acronym, SWMBO. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...History_of_Adventure and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumpole_of_the_Bailey
under "character sketch."

He may not have the title of governor, but the mayor of Toronto seems to be adding to the gaiety of nations.

For us Illinoisans, it's great to hear that we aren't the only ones with less than optimal leaders, given that two former governors are in jail right now, and 4 of the last 7 governors were convicted and imprisoned. So thank you, Rob Ford!

I thought it funny when Ford said he refused to apologize because he's done enough apologising already!