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Re: Cultural Idioms and Darmok

From:Adam Walker <carrajena@...>
Date:Thursday, February 5, 2004, 21:35
--- Gary Shannon <fiziwig@...> wrote:
> The discussion of idioms caused me to wonder again > about the Star Trek language Darmok. > http://www.chaparraltree.com/sflang/darmok.shtml > > What would a human equivalent look like? For > example, > "Archimides in his bathtub" to indicate that someone > has realized something, or "Paul on the road to > Damascus" for religious conversion. > > The meanings should be clear for these: > > Willy Loman, his pockets empty. > Lincoln, getting ready for the play. > Gollum, his precious lost. > Winona, in Saks Fifth Avenue. > Buddha, sitting under the tree. > Saddam, sitting in his spider hole. > Anne Frank, hiding in the attic. > Napolean at Waterloo. (Custer at Little Bighorn.) > Luke and Obi Wan at Mos Isley. > Lee Harvey Oswald, his hands full, climbing to the > fifth floor.
Um, from a native Dallasite perspective, this idiom is rather confusing. The famous sniper's nest was on the sixth floor of the School Book Depository. So if Oswald is on the fifth floor what is he doing? Perhaps this is a failed assasination attempt? :-) Adam ===== Indjindrud edjuebu ul Ozias ad ul Jotam. Indjindrud edjuebu ul Jotam ad ul Acaz. Indjindrud edjuebu ul Acaz ad ul Ezecias. Indjindrud edjuebu ul Ezecias ad ul Manases. Indjindrud edjuebu ul Manases ad ul Amos. Indjindrud edjuebu ul Amos ad ul Josias. Machu 1:9-10