h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hyphen, always please. Unlesss, by No, you mean, and wish to emphasise, 'Not A Single'

(someone will understand, one day)

Hey V&A.

You cannot claim Lardy Cake solely for Dorset, I have a recipe from Wiltshire, and I knew it well in Sussex.

You cannot claim cider solely for the region, you are forgetting Hereford.

You cannot claim Dorset as the Pig capital of the country. Other places have equal claims. Lincolnshire and Yorkshire to name but two.

On all other matters we are in full agreement.

Just got back ...

Dork has similar conotations to geek, anorak, etc. (at least, that's the way I use it)
Often refer to idiot drivers as dork-brains

V&A: I've been trying to keep up with this thread since I posted here *checks personal space*...five weeks ago..I'm going to try to dive headlong back in, as life is too precious to spend even *trying* to catch up with the enlightening discourse here. Apologies, all, for my lack of manners...

*Takes a deep breath...*

Kaeori: I always write "noone". Oh, and "cooperate", not "co-operate".

*grins*

A

Oh, and on the subject of Enid Blyton, my boyfriend reads a "Pip" story to me before bedtime sometimes (don't ask) and he's such a self-satisfied little fairy, I can't be doing with him. Pip, not my boyfriend, that is. So, down with Enid Blighton, *and* her bunnies. *And* her fairies.

A

You also get cider from Kent/Sussex as well.

You mean Bunnies, don't you Pheroneous? Oh stap me vittals, I writ it again! Dorking about in Surrey was far too subtle for me without an explanation. Very amusing

Found this about dork ... doesn't seem likely though

Main Entry: dork
Pronunciation: 'dork
Function: noun
Etymology: perhaps alteration of dick
Date: 1967
slang : NERD; also : JERK 4

Afrael (welcome back) EB is difficult. There are a 1000 reasons to consign her books to the outer darkness, but... I remember (long memory) reading to my little pheroneums... and to my astonishment, they were enthralled. Somehow she hits the spot for little ones. And without her, half the entries here would not exist. Cripes!

Crikey, you're right, Pheroneous. The little ones think she's wizard!

A

No it's Harry Potter who's the wizzard isn't it.

In accord with Pheroneous, many items of childrens' "literature" have been lambasted, particularly by those snooty people who take it upon themselves to decide what is good for us (as if we are unable to string more than two recognisable sylables together).
I'm not defending the political correctness or literary quality, just an individual's right to make their own choices.
I was not a good reader as a child and needed all the encouragement I didn't get. I got told off by a librarian for reading Thomas the Tank Engine at age 10, and our libraries have never stocked EBs books (which I found absorbing to read) or Biggles (a later favourite).
I think I'm OK now (no thanks to the 'system'), but others with less determination etc. have probably been more "ruined for life" than could have been possible by allowing EBs books into the libraries.

(Bows and gets off large stack of soap boxes)

The only Enid Blyton books that apealed to me as a child where the Famouse Five. I'm not sure why but the other used to bore me a bit. I liked the one where they go camping on the island and find a well shaft leading to dungons full of gold under a castle. Has anyone read that one?

Nikki-D, I take your point because I know children need as much encouragment to read. My brothe ris the same, he will only read Harry Potter or Pokemon related material. Those are the only things he enjoys and for a 9 year old he doesn't read as well as he should. Enid Blyton is a must as I happen to think it is spiffing! I just don't agree with Beatrix Potter!

Oh, and as for the pigs and cider thing, I got my information from family members. Blame them!! I figured they would know because they have come from Dorset and Sommerset since the middle ages. Oh well, maybe my Grandma doesn't know everything!! Sorry.

Yes V&A, its the famous five I always connect with EB, although she wrote loads of other tosh. (If anyone is interested in little known facts, EB was quite a friend of the Mitfords, thus presumably even more 'non-pc')

Talking of cider & apples, lets return to the subject (What! Why? How dare he?)

scrumping
scrumptious

Tosh - "'Allo Tosh, got a Toshiba?"
But didn't Tosh exist in our (British) language before Toshiba ?
Have the more learned folk here an idea for its origin ?

Sorry! V&A, sorry, I thought you said Enid Blyton...

Must read backlog, must read backlog...

That's what I get for jumping in...

What *is* the topic these days?

Seems like a right dog's dinner...

A

scrumdiddlyumptious, as Ned would say.

Sorry, Im not feeling clever today, that is the most interessting thing I can think of to say!!

I heard somewhere that Tosh was an old slang London word for the waste and sewage that used to get poored into the Thames a couple of ceturies ago!!! Maybe I'm wrong yet again...

Oh dear! The mention of anything canine just gets a howl (!) of non-abuse

What does the phrase "all systems are aardvark" mean??