A Conversation for The Manifesto for the Campaign to rename Thursday, "Thing"

Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 1

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant


There are hundreds of millions of English-speaking people who
have no idea what words like "Sodit" and "Wibble" mean.* This
post is an attempt to clarify.

"Sodit" does not seem to exist as a word, but "Sod" does. The O.E.D.
gives many meanings, most of which make little sense in context.
When the English get up on the first day of the week, do they
think about putting new sod on their lawns? Probably not. Do
thoughts of perversion enter their heads? Probably no more
than on other days (I mean that in a nice way, of course! J).
That just leaves "Sod" as a mild expletive like "darn" or "drat."
Or maybe "Fiddlestix," which Clive the Flying Ostrich has mentioned
in another conversation.

So, you're starting the week with a comment on how bad the week
ahead is going to be. Why is that the most popular conversation topic
at H2G2? I'm curious, darn it!

"Wibble" has two meanings, according to an online dictionary: 1. Pointless
or content-free postings to online discussion forums, or 2. Chickens running
around with their heads cut off.

I have a quibble with "Wibble" as a name for Wednesday. Poor Wednesday
Addams, child of woe, is worried that she might have to change her name
to Wibble. Meanwhile, Thing gets to have a day named after him (it?-not
to be confused with Cousin Itt). Thing is just a disembodied hand. Wednesday
has twice as many hands, plus a lot of body parts that Thing is missing.
Where is the justice? Little Wednesday is obviously not part of a discussion
Thread. But then, she's also not a headless chicken (not that there's
anything wrong with that, if that's your inclination).

A question about wibbling: is the third day of the week (aka Wednesday)
The only day when it's okay to wibble? (A lot of wibbling seems to go on
Here on all the other days, but maybe that's just the servers disgorging
Wibbles that were originated on the appropriate day). Okay, if people
Really want to wibble any time they feel like it, could there be one day
for unwibbling? Just a suggestion. Have a nice day.



*No, I didn't ask them, but you can do it if you like.


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 2

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

Well, I can answer one of your questions... the main reason we're on the "5 most busy conversations" list is because those of us involved in the Manifesto really don't have much to do... other than hang out here. Most of the conversations are in the realm of the extremely bizarre... smiley - silly... and this whole thing is truly smiley - silly... always keep that in mind. smiley - smiley

Clive'll be around sometime to answer your questions... *runs off in search of the beloved warlord...*


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 3

Shea the Sarcastic

I was waiting for someone with a little more authority to handle this one, myself ...


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 4

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

Hmmm... are you saying I have authority?? smiley - winkeye


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 5

Shea the Sarcastic

More than me ... smiley - biggrin


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 6

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

Hehee, cool! smiley - biggrin

But whyever do you say so?


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 7

Shea the Sarcastic

You're a High Priestess and General in Charge of External Affairs ... not only do you out-rank me, but this is an External Affair, no?


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 8

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

Amy, Shea's got a point smiley - winkeyesmiley - laugh


Paul,

Okay, let me see....

Hands up on the English only front. I am only English and lack any competence at a foreign language. I appreciate you bringing this new dimension of the campaign to light.* Maybe we need a Thingite Translator?

I am a favoured user of fiddlestix and it was in the sense or darn or drat that I intended to use "sod"
"Sodit" as in "Oh sod it! It's 7.00am, time to get up... smiley - yawn"
Why is this the most popular conversation? (Maybe I should amend our banner title?) I am always suprised and rather pleased when I see the manifesto on the 5 busiest list. I guess it is, as Amy and Shea will no doubt back me up, that we keep quite a broad church of rather eclectic individuals (have you met Happydude?) who enjoy chatting a lot. smiley - erm

"Wibble", I had not realised can be found in a variety of sources. Blackadder Goes Forth, it has been pointed out to me in the past, famously used "wibble" as the word one must use to declare yourself insane whilst wearing your pants on your head with a pencil up your nose. I just always thought of it as a rather amusing inanne word, devoid of any real meaning. If Def: 1 of your on-line dictionary is correct, why then, what a happy coincidence! smiley - silly

And why on Earth would anyone want to un-wibble? Wibbles for all! Give everyone a universal wibbling!
That's our (very new) slogan smiley - winkeye

I hope I've addressed all of your major concerns (except for the bit with the Adams Family, just as with Black Adder - I never saw the connection until now. Also, Wednesday and Thing and Itt are not real so I'm not minded to regard the too much smiley - winkeye)

Have a nice day as well.

Clive smiley - smiley


*Who should I ask exactly?


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 9

Shea the Sarcastic

See? The authority is so knowledgable! smiley - smiley


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 10

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

As always. smiley - hug

Oh, about the non-English versions of the Manifesto issue, Paul... this whole English/other languages thing has been a real sticky point among researchers and italics, but the basic issue is that the BBC doesn't allow "foriegn languages." (At least from what I've heard, although ideas *have* been bounced around.). Unfortunate, but even if we were to write a few translations of the Manifesto (and make up equivelent names), it wouldn't be allowed on h2g2. Plus, I don't think we have enough people fluent enough in enough languages to make that work, anyway. *shrug* Sorry.

Besides, it's all just blatant and random smiley - sillyness... smiley - clown


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 11

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Hi, Amy, Clive, et al.

Thanks for the explanations. I probably should have said "Non-British participants"
in my subject line. Different forms of English are spoken in places as far apart as London,
Bombay, Hong Kong, Sydney, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Boston. It's
fun to learn new expressions, but it can take a while, and a "translation" helps.

In truth, I don't look forward to a long work week either. I never figured out why there
had to be seven days in a week anyway. If we kept the weekend the way it is, but
"lost" two of the other days, maybe it wouldn't seem so bad.

Take care. smiley - winkeye


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 12

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

I'm not English, per say, I'm American so I also have the occasional trouble "translating" what some of these blokes are saying around here... though I dare say that reading a bit of English literature (including Adams) has helped a bit in that area. Everything else I just ask about.

Except "sodit".

That one I figured out on my own. smiley - winkeye

Oh, I think there's a number of pages on this site devoted to colloquilisms of language-- everything from Cockney Rhyming Slang to American Slang to Useful Latin Phrases. Some of my favorite pages. smiley - smiley

Anyway, I've babbled on long enough... turns into a smiley - fairy and flits away...


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 13

Shea the Sarcastic

*Warning! Blatant Plug! Warning* If you're really interested, some of us are working on a UK/US Dictionary ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F24307?thread=119337


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 14

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Hi, Shea:

That U.K./U.S. dictionary looks like a promising project.
I've been trying to think of things to add, but so far nothing
has come up. The weather's too nice for thinking; I'd
rather go smell the smiley - rosesmiley - rosesmiley - rose

(Those smileys are supposed to be roses, hope they work smiley - smiley


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 15

Shea the Sarcastic

They worked, Paul! And they smell wonderful!
smiley - rosesmiley - rosesmiley - rose Ahhhhh! smiley - smiley


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 16

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

Hmm... I clicked "reply" but I can't remember why for the life of me... hmmmm.


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 17

Shea the Sarcastic

That's okay! Nice to see you, Amy! smiley - hug


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 18

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

You too, Shea. smiley - biggrinsmiley - hug


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 19

Shea the Sarcastic

Having a nice Thing?


Translations for non-English participants,plus a wibble quibble

Post 20

Amy: ear-deep in novels, poetics, and historical documents.

For the most part, yes. Although, I spent from 2 to about 4:30 this afternoon moving wood... we had a tree cut down a few months ago and we use the wood in our fireplace. So I decided, hey, what the heck! Why not move it on a beautiful Thing afternoon such as this? So I did, and it took me forever... now I ache all over, especially my back. And other body parts that aren't exercised while answering forums. smiley - winkeye

But you didn't want to hear that, so the answer, in all, is yes. smiley - smiley


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