... to Sarah B on winning the dodo roadsign. And a happy ploik to Mildred. :-)



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Seconded by all, even the runner up (cough) .... and more topically, Sarah, are you feeling better now?

That's this Sarah I mean. Not Sarah B. *befuddled by BEER*



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Improving, thank you - I still feel as weak as if I'd just run a marathon, but at least I don't feel quite so ghastly in myself.

Wilfred says he'll come and be befuddled with you any time. :-)



..........................................................................................

That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Thanks Sarah! Mildred says 'ploik', and asked how Wilfred is. I hope she's not getting ideas...

Thank you also Jon. I thought yours was very funny, though I have never read any molesworth. I really should, I just never seem to have gotten around to it.



--------------

There's a hole in my creativity bucket and it's all leaked out.

Anyone who has read either (or preferably both) molesworth or Harry Potter should go to

[www.alice.dryden.co.uk]

and larff themselves silly. (And I'm not just saying that cos Alice is a friend of mine).

Anyone who hasn't read molesworth ... stick him on the reading list.



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

I've got Wodehouse to do first, I fear.



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

- Jeeves, there's a chap here says he's never read Wodehouse!
- Indeed, sir. I believe many people have not read Mr. Wodehouse's works.
- Well, they dashed well ought to.
- I agree sir, but fear it would take an exceedingly great length of time to encompass them all. Perhaps the best course would be make some judicious selection of the oeuvre, while continung to peruse other works between the main course, so to speak.
- Well, you know best Jeeves. Others abide our question; thou art free.
- If you are referring to Mr. Wodehouse, sir, I believe you are correct.



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

I know, it's an awful thing to admit to. I *feel* like I've read some of his stuff, and I dare say I've heard some on Radio Four. Actually, on second thoughts, I may well have read a short story or two.

I've also heard a lot - especially due to Stephen Fry.



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

I keep starting "Galahad at Blandings" but keep getting distracted. It seems like it should be pretty witty, but there's always something on the boob tube that catches my fancy instead. Go figure!

Erm, is this something American that I've missed? Or is she really talking about fluff on a tight top?



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

It's American slang, apparently.

Boob = A stupid or foolish person; a dolt.
Tube = Electronics: An electron tube or a vacuum tube.
Tube = Informal: Television, as in 'What's on the tube?' A television set.

So the 'Boob Tube' is the television (with a connotation that it is either watched by idiots, or watching too much makes you one).

Ah, the amazing Alice! I'm surprised Fiona hasn't told me about the latest addition to her site.

For those who haven't twigged the complex chain of relationships:

Alice, as well as being Jon's friend, is also a friend of Fiona, who is a friend of mine, but I probably wouldn't have met her (ie Fiona, not Alice) if she hadn't happened to be going out with my friend Alan (the one I keep mentioning in the context of little-known but incredibly wonderful science fiction CD dramas). I met Alice once at one of Alan's signings in Barking. She probably forgot me straight away. ;-)

Small world. But, as they say, I shouldn't like to paint it.



..........................................................................................

That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Actually, Sarah, Alice did remember you, so you must have made some sort of impression. Alice is well worth getting to know, and may just possibly be about to be more so, since she has been interviewed for the job of looking after the BBCs Cult TV website.

Imagine getting paid for that!



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

For the further fertilisation of cross-Atlantic slang, over here a boob (n) is what the Aussies would call a nork. Women traditionally have a couple about their person at all times. Unless, of course, you've boobed (v) - in which case you've mucked up.

A booby is still a type of bird, unless you're a Benny Hill fan, in which case there is no hope for you. Thank heavens he never discovered the frigate bird, is all I'm saying. Further information (which I'm sure you're all aware of but I'll take any excuse to use this joke) suspenders are braces, a fag is something you smoke, homely is comfortable and panty girdle is a small town in Wales.

A boob tube was (is?) one of those tight tops that exposes the shoulders, cleavage and midriff, and was popular in the early nineties. They just looked like a lycra skirt had ridden up way too high... They're probably called something else now.



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

well, female human breasts are more commonly called "boobs" here in the US, but there is also the somewhat common phrase of "boob tube" for the television.

fags are most definitely NOT cigarettes!

and that little top you mentioned is called a "tube top" here.

All this and it's amazing we understand each other! My hubby and I were discussing it tonite. British English, American English and Aussie pseudo-English are 3 entirely different birds, that's for sure!

Brits in the US are also advised not to:

Ask to be knocked up in the morning.
Ask for a rubber when you want to erase something.

And here 'fanny' just means bottom. A British acquaintance of mine mentioned having been rather intrigued when he first heard an American mention a 'fanny pack', and was rather disappointed to discover it was simply a bum bag.



--------------
"I've often said that the difference between British and American SF TV series is that the British ones have three-dimensional characters and cardboard spaceships, while the Americans do it the other way around."
--Ross Smith

Curious. Over here 'Fanny' means the aunt of a group of toffs out of their heads on ginger beer. Which caused much sniggering in primary school.



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

I was always puzzled when Steven King's characters patted women on the fanny. It seemed to suggest that the woman was standing in a rather awkward position and surely wasn't the sort of thing that most couples did as a casual sign of affection.

Favourite example of cross-Atlantic confusion. In the early Han Solo novels, published late 70's/early 80's, he has a companion robot called Bollox. Cue much hilarity amongst British readers. In the British reprints, the robot is called Pollux.

'bum' means to borrow as well as arse.
however many people find it hilarious to ask those people from over the pond if they can 'borrow' a 'cigarette' off them. Due to natural discrepencies in local slang.

apparently there is an english expat in LA who owns a vehicle with a licence plate WANKR1 which the Americans seem not to understand. Also would explain amount of English swearing going on in Buffy - quite unsuitable for the time it's shown on over here. Joss Whedon you naughty man you.

warning, possible repeat of old post]

Apparently when James Marsters asked Anthony Head how the british would say 'arse' in a bid to increase the authenticity of Spike's english accent, Giles replied ' oh, we say ass like you lot'.

Erm. No. We don't. We say arse. With an R in it.