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Loading... The Meaning of Liff (edition 1983)by Douglas Adams (Author)
Work InformationThe Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) CraigGoodwin | Apr 20, 2024 |  ) Allyoopsi | Jun 22, 2022 |  ) invisiblecityzen | Mar 13, 2022 | ) invisiblecityzen | Mar 13, 2022 |  ) CliveUK | Sep 20, 2020 |
Lists place-names alphabetically, attributing to each a definition which is humorous and somehow appropriate— for example: Kalami (n.) The ancient Eastern art of being able to fold road-maps properly Oshkosh (n., vb.) The noise made by someone who has just been grossly flattered and is trying to make light of it. The final 34 pages are a (single-column) 'Index of meanings', taking topics from the contents of the definitions and referring, not to the page on which they occur, but to the place-name itself—thus: gusto, terrific, tuneless: Royston hat behind, leaving one's: Hidcote Bartram lawnmowers, frustrated: Trispen madmen, departed, in toasters: Throckmorton Topics are enhanced in the index: 'Ice, octogenarians under the: Wivenhoe' refers to the definition, 'The cry of alacrity with which a sprightly eighty-year-old breaks the ice on the lake when going for a swim on Christmas Eve'; and 'Number, wrong, so she claims: Kurdistan' to, 'hard stare given by a husband to his wife when he notices a sharp increase in the number of times he answers the phone to be told, "Sorry, wrong number'". There are cross-references in the text; a Wembley is 'the hideous moment of confirmation that the disaster presaged in the ely (q.v.) has actually struck'. Subheadings are used indeed; 26 under 'objects' ('heavy, with toes on: Clun') and 31 under 'noises' ('gushing and cooing: Oshkosh'). Reference direct to place-names lends a new fascination to the index. Rarely can simple page references be perplexing in conjunction with the index entry; but why should 'fish, tropical, stupid' lead to Stoke Pogesi Why, 'pyjamas, muslim' to Albuquerque1. We glimpse a new criterion for assessment of indexes; they should make the reader eager to turn to the text cited. Can readers send us other examples of indexes that achieve this? Belongs to SeriesMeaning of Liff (1) Is contained inIs expanded inInspired
In Life* there are many hundreds of common experiences, feelings, situations and even objects which we all know and recognize, but for which no words exist.On the other hand, the world is littered with thousands of spare words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about on signposts pointing at places."Douglas Adams and John Lloyd saw it as their job to get these words down off the signposts and into the mouths of babes and sucklings and so on, where they could start earning their keep in everyday conversation and make a more positive contribution to society. The Meaning of Liff was the bestselling humour book that resulted. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies and remains to this day, nearly thirty years later, a much-loved classic of its kind.*And, indeed, Liff No library descriptions found. |
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