Man behind the Mythology - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-03-2004, 02:16 PM

Close, Bb, very close - "Quack" is correct, and the real name is "Havard", which is close enough to count, but what was the "U."?

Bêthberry · 12-03-2004, 02:27 PM

Oh, right. "Useless" rather than "utter".

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-03-2004, 02:30 PM

That's it! Now you get to hunt for a new one...

Bêthberry · 12-03-2004, 04:45 PM

How did Tolkien once describe an American accent? And what came of the incident?

**The Saucepan Man** · 12-03-2004, 07:13 PM

Quote:

I found myself in a carriage occupied by an R.A.F. officer ... and a very nice young American Officer, New Englander ... After I told him that his 'accent' sounded to me like English after being wiped over with a dirty sponge, and generally suggested (falsely) to an English observer that, together with American slouch, it indicated a slovenly and ill-disciplined people - well, we got on quite friendly. We had some bad coffee in the refreshment room at Snow Hill, and parted.

Letter #58

Well, I have to admit that he had a point.

Fordim Hedgethistle · 12-03-2004, 07:32 PM

Foul! I cry Foul! (Possibly even Havoc. . .where are my dogs of war?)

This very letter and topic was recently discussed over in the Cellar Door thread.

Harumph, I say - Harumph.

(I woulda got this one, too *sulks*)

**The Saucepan Man** · 12-03-2004, 07:49 PM

Professor Hedgethistle! Are you daring to suggest that I would not have got it without the Cellar Door discussion? Harumph indeed to that!

Actually, it's one of those passages from the Letters that really sticks in my mind. Can't think why ...

Bêthberry · 12-03-2004, 08:24 PM

Oh, SpM, you left out some of the best bits, which I shall quote here before I have to turn the thread over to you.

Quote:

I stood the hot-air they let off as long as I could; but when I head the Yank burbling about 'Feudalism' and its results on English class-distinctions and social behavour, I opened a broadside. The poor boob had not, of course, the very faintest notions about 'Feudalism', or history at all--being a chemical engineer.

I can just imagine the scene.

Bêthberry · 12-16-2004, 08:36 AM

I think SpM has forgotten about this thread too and not only the Musical thread.

A quiz if you please, Mr. SaucepanMan.

12-03-2004, 02:16 PM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Close, Bb, very close - "Quack" is correct, and the real name is "Havard", which is close enough to count, but what was the "U."? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

12-03-2004, 02:27 PM	#2
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Oh, right. "Useless" rather than "utter". __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

12-03-2004, 02:30 PM	#3
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	That's it! Now you get to hunt for a new one... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

12-03-2004, 04:45 PM	#4
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	How did Tolkien once describe an American accent? And what came of the incident? __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

12-03-2004, 07:32 PM	#6
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	Foul! I cry Foul! (Possibly even Havoc. . .where are my dogs of war?) This very letter and topic was recently discussed over in the Cellar Door thread. Harumph, I say - Harumph. (I woulda got this one, too sulks) __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.

12-03-2004, 07:49 PM	#7
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	Methinks he doth cry foul too much ... Professor Hedgethistle! Are you daring to suggest that I would not have got it without the Cellar Door discussion? Harumph indeed to that! Actually, it's one of those passages from the Letters that really sticks in my mind. Can't think why ... __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

12-16-2004, 08:36 AM	#9
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	We don't have to wait 'til Christmas to open this thread, do we? I think SpM has forgotten about this thread too and not only the Musical thread. A quiz if you please, Mr. SaucepanMan. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

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