Author Topic: OT- The Meaning Of Liff  (Read 1715 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Petrarch of the VBB

  • Koala-monkey
  • 211
OT- The Meaning Of Liff
Has anyone ever read this? It's by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd and is one of the funniest things ever written. It is like a phrase book, where all the nameless situations are given a name, taken from a placename, I know it sounds crap but here is an example.

CROMARTY
The brittle sludge which clings to the top of ketchup bottles and plastic tomatoes in nasty cafes.

or

ABILENE
Descriptive of the refreshing coolness on the reverse side of the pillow.


Those a re just two examples form a truly funny book.

 

Offline Fineus

  • ...But you *have* heard of me.
  • Administrator
  • 212
    • Hard Light Productions
I've got it, it rocks ;)

 

Offline aldo_14

  • Gunnery Control
  • 213
Finally....words I can use

;)

 

Offline Sandwich

  • Got Screen?
  • 213
    • Skype
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • Brainzipper
Re: OT- The Meaning Of Liff
Quote
Originally posted by Petrarch of th VBB
ABILENE
Descriptive of the refreshing coolness on the reverse side of the pillow.


Oh, yes, Yes YES!!!!!!!!!!!! :nod:


Tell me, is that the correct spelling of the book's title? "...Liff"?
SERIOUSLY...! | {The Sandvich Bar} - Rhino-FS2 Tutorial | CapShip Turret Upgrade | The Complete FS2 Ship List | System Background Package

"...The quintessential quality of our age is that of dreams coming true. Just think of it. For centuries we have dreamt of flying; recently we made that come true: we have always hankered for speed; now we have speeds greater than we can stand: we wanted to speak to far parts of the Earth; we can: we wanted to explore the sea bottom; we have: and so  on, and so on: and, too, we wanted the power to smash our enemies utterly; we have it. If we had truly wanted peace, we should have had that as well. But true peace has never been one of the genuine dreams - we have got little further than preaching against war in order to appease our consciences. The truly wishful dreams, the many-minded dreams are now irresistible - they become facts." - 'The Outward Urge' by John Wyndham

"The very essence of tolerance rests on the fact that we have to be intolerant of intolerance. Stretching right back to Kant, through the Frankfurt School and up to today, liberalism means that we can do anything we like as long as we don't hurt others. This means that if we are tolerant of others' intolerance - especially when that intolerance is a call for genocide - then all we are doing is allowing that intolerance to flourish, and allowing the violence that will spring from that intolerance to continue unabated." - Bren Carlill

 

Offline Fineus

  • ...But you *have* heard of me.
  • Administrator
  • 212
    • Hard Light Productions
Well here's my copy of the books front cover...



Although given the difference in titles it might be a sequel? I've not heard of there being two different books in the series though...

 

Offline Thor

  • Captain of the GTD Sparta
  • 29
Douglas Adams is the man!  I have to find that book.  If anyone who is looking at this thread has not read the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy: A trilogy in fuve parts, go get it.  It's funny as something we don't say on nice forums like HLP;7
I can't believe my profile is still active... member since  July 25, 2002

 

Offline TheVirtu

  • Firedancer
  • 28
    • http://autoassault.edgegaming.com
Ooo, I might look into buying that...


Its funny as *bleeped by Thunder*

Your postcount will be removed for excessive spamming and cursing *Virtu begs Thunder not to delete the post count* *delete*
Project Leader of the Ascension of Beyond Campaign
"There was a time of peace, this time is over, peace will be paid for in blood."
Site Director of the Auto Assault Outpost- http://autoassault.edgegaming.com
Site Director of the Darkspace Connection - http://www.3dap.com/darkspace
Former Webmaster of i82.co.uk - Shut Down 2/12/03
"If HLP wants your developing, they'll promote you to Senior Engineer, now shutup and focus!" - Shi
Think of the Coke machines! What did they ever do to you![/b]

 

Offline Shrike

  • Postadmin
  • 211
    • http://www.3dap.com/hlp
Quote
Originally posted by TheVirtu
Its funny as *bleeped by Thunder*

Your postcount will be removed for excessive spamming and cursing *Virtu begs Thunder not to delete the post count* *delete*
:wtf:
WE ARE HARD LIGHT PRODUCTIONS. YOU WILL LOWER YOUR FIREWALLS AND SURRENDER YOUR KEYBOARDS. WE WILL ADD YOUR INTELLECTUAL AND VERNACULAR DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR FORUMS WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

 

Offline Styxx

  • 211
    • Hard Light Productions
Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
:wtf:


:wtf:, indeed.
Probably away. Contact through email.

 

Offline Fineus

  • ...But you *have* heard of me.
  • Administrator
  • 212
    • Hard Light Productions
Hmm, yes.

I read the intro to the book more carefully and it might well be a sequal or a revised edition - however as with the rest of the book the preface doesn't take itself seriously (the authors have a conversation with eachother over several years worth of revised edition prefaces) so I'm not exactly sure what it is. Still funny though :)

 

Offline Kellan

  • Down with pansy elves!
  • 27
    • http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/blackwater
Quote
Originally posted by aldo_14
Finally....words I can use

;)


Yes, they're perfectly cromulant words. :nod:

 

Offline Petrarch of the VBB

  • Koala-monkey
  • 211
If anyone in the UK wants to know where to buy it, you can get it from Waterstones or Ottakars for £5.99.

 

Offline aldo_14

  • Gunnery Control
  • 213
Quote
Originally posted by Thunder
Well here's my copy of the books front cover...

http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/col/files/misc_meaningofliff.jpg

Although given the difference in titles it might be a sequel? I've not heard of there being two different books in the series though...


Illustrated by Bert Kitchen.... now that's a quality name!

 

Offline Galemp

  • Actual father of Samus
  • 212
  • Ask me about GORT!
    • Steam
    • User page on the FreeSpace Wiki
More words! More!
"Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he's supposed to be doing at that moment." -- Robert Benchley

Members I've personally met: RedStreblo, Goober5000, Sandwich, Splinter, Su-tehp, Hippo, CP5670, Terran Emperor, Karajorma, Dekker, McCall, Admiral Wolf, mxlm, RedSniper, Stealth, Black Wolf...

 

Offline Blue Lion

  • Star Shatterer
  • 210
Quote
Originally posted by TheVirtu


Your postcount will be removed for excessive spamming and cursing *Virtu begs Thunder not to delete the post count* *delete*


:lol: :lol: :lol:

 
AITH (n.)

The single bristle that sticks out sideways on a cheap paintbrush.

AMERSHAM (n.)

The sneeze which tickles but never comes. (Thought to derive from the Metropolitan Line tube station of the same name where the rails always rattle but the train never arrives.)

BANFF

Pertaining to, or descriptive of, that kind of facial expression which is impossible to achieve except when having a passport photograph taken.

BEREPPER

The irrevocable and sturdy fart released in the presence of royalty, which sounds quite like a small motorbike passing by (but not enough to be confused with one).

BONKLE

Of plumbing in old hotels, to make loud and unexplained noises in the nigth, particulary at about five o'clock in the morning.

BRECON

That part of the toenail which is designed to snag on nylon sheets.

BUDBY

A nipple clearly defined thorugh flimsy or wet matereal.

CLENCHWARTON (n. archaic)

One who assists an exorcist by squeezing whichever part of the possessed the exorcist deems useful.

CORFU (n.)

The dullest person you met during the course of your holiday. Also the only one who failed to understand that the exchanging of addresses at the end of a holiday is merely a social ritual and is absolutly not an invitation to phone you up and turn up unannounced on your doorstep three months later.

CRANLEIGH (n.)

A mood of irrational irritation with everyone and everything.

DIBBLE (vb.)

To try to remove a sticky something from one hand with the other, thus causeing it to get stuck to the other hand and eventually to anything else you try to remove it with.

DORRIDGE (n.)

Technical term for one of the lame excuses written in very small print on the side of packets of food or washing powder to explain why there's hardly anything inside. Examples include 'Contents may have settled in transit' and 'To keep each biscuit fresh they have been individually wrapped in silver paper and cellophane and separated with courrugated lining, a carboard flap, and heavy industrial tyres'.


A few of my initial favorites from a-d.
Can the reason that we fear the unknown be that we know ourselves too well?       -The Outer Limits

<*)}}}><  HAPPY FISHIE!!

 

Offline Styxx

  • 211
    • Hard Light Productions
Talk about having absolutely nothing productive to do... :p
Probably away. Contact through email.

  
Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Talk about having absolutely nothing productive to do... :p


Hell f***in yeah...
Can the reason that we fear the unknown be that we know ourselves too well?       -The Outer Limits

<*)}}}><  HAPPY FISHIE!!