Jan 24th – Mimi & Eunice: The meaning of civil

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Mimi & Eunice featuring the different meanings of the world civil. 

To read more about Mimi & Eunice, click here.

Comic Breakdown

Mimi runs with a knife in a scary way towards Eunice

“You promised to be civil!” – Eunice to Mimi

“I am being civil!” – Mimi to Eunice

Mimi starts running again at Eunice

“You didn’t specify which civilization!” – Mimi to Eunice

What is going on?

Mimi is being very scary and rough with Eunice.  Eunice had asked Mimi to be nice and polite.  She asked Mimi to do this when she asked Mimi to be “civil”.

Telling someone to be “civil” comes from the idea of telling someone to act like they are civilized.  This means to behave with good manners and to follow social norms. 

Telling or asking someone to be civil is the same as telling them to act polite, calm, and respectful.  Mimi is not doing anything of this.  But she is still being civil.  How?

The word civil is the root word of the word civilization.

What do civil and civilization mean?

The word civil has a few definitions.  One definition defines civil as meaning “social order and organization.”

 The Roman Civilization

The word civil and civilization are related in meaning because the word civilization means a type of organized society and culture. 

Why is this comic funny?

Mimi has taken the word civil and used its meaning to her advantage.

Mimi has chosen to be civil in the civilization of her choosing.  Mimi has chosen to act like someone from a less gentle and more warrior based civilization.  Also, Mimi can do this because Eunice never said which form of civil she wanted Mimi to be.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.