MovieChat Forums > Kotch (1971) Discussion > Walter Matthau - womb of time

Walter Matthau - womb of time

posted 15 years ago by Reality-Bites
2 replies | jump to latest

That was such a funny scene when Kotch was with the pregnant mothers at the birth lecture and he made some comments about the use of the term "womb," 9as opposed to the more correct term "uterus,") followed by mentioning that he had no idea what "womb of time" meant.

Something that's in the "womb of time" could be considered to be something that will reveal itself in good time, or maybe, reveal itself much later in the future - much like a child in its mother's womb, waiting to be born.

I'm glad that the movie made me at least ponder the term.

[–] kingarthurup 15 years ago

Hey Reality Bites, your pondering tends to complicate and romanticize movies. Here is the true story:

Actually, "Womb of a Time" was a phrase created by physicist Dr. Michio Kaku in 1970 in reference to black holes which were later fleshed out more elaborately by Dr. Stephen Hawking. Picture a big black whirlpool sucking all things around it (including time)into the darkness like a huge vagina. Then you will understand why it later led to the concept of "wormholes!" Kotch neither understood (nor would have wanted to)the implications of a "Womb of time."

[–] Eric-1226 15 years ago

I believe the OP is correct. Teddy Roosevelt used the term "womb of time" at least as early as 1916. Google it if you don't believe me. Also, I've got a couple of older dictionaries that were published before 1970. Both of them have the term "womb of time" in it. I think your story about that physicist inventing the term is bogus.

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