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How many times does the word misshapen crop up? I see it everywhere. It is so much SE's favourite word.
Then there is "must needs".
There are a couple more that I forget temporarily.
What other SE-isms have you spotted?
What is it about SE and "Misshapen"
#2
Ammanas 
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Posted 17 April 2008 - 03:41 PM
Fifty;291006 said:
How many times does the word misshapen crop up? I see it everywhere. It is so much SE's favourite word.
Then there is "must needs".
There are a couple more that I forget temporarily.
What other SE-isms have you spotted?
Then there is "must needs".
There are a couple more that I forget temporarily.
What other SE-isms have you spotted?
I seem to remember a large quantity of "Just so" in the earlier books. But lets face it--over thousands of pages some trends will occur, through expediency or just personal choice.
#3
D'rek
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Posted 17 April 2008 - 04:06 PM
"must needs" is weird, but he's definitely not the only author who has been using that in their writing. At first I thought it was some british thing, but now it's just some weird fantasy-author thing. I wonder if it's some strange oxfordian-english linguistic thingamajig?
worrywort, on 14 September 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:
I kinda love it when D'rek unleashes her nerd wrath, as I knew she would here. Sorry innocent bystanders, but someone's gotta be the kindling.
#4
ch'arlz
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Posted 17 April 2008 - 04:41 PM
A said:
"must needs" is weird, but he's definitely not the only author who has been using that in their writing. At first I thought it was some british thing, but now it's just some weird fantasy-author thing. I wonder if it's some strange oxfordian-english linguistic thingamajig?
I believe that locution goes back to Shakespeare: All's Well That-Ends Well
Shaken, not stirred.
#5
Salt-Man Z
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Posted 17 April 2008 - 04:58 PM
I've also noticed (in MoI, at least) a tendency for SE to use "Thus." as a single sentence. A lot.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
#6
Dolorous Menhir
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Posted 17 April 2008 - 07:54 PM
I'm just repeating another forum member's observation, but in Erikson's world dying civilisations always make a special effort to cover their streets in potsherds before finally coming to an end.
#7
Illuyankas
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Posted 18 April 2008 - 11:58 AM
@DM: It is a bit jarring.
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#9
Illuyankas
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Posted 18 April 2008 - 12:48 PM
It's a shard of pot.
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#10
megaphage
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Posted 18 April 2008 - 05:38 PM
ch said:
I believe that locution goes back to Shakespeare: All's Well That-Ends Well
I have wondered this before and found that it comes from an English poet from the 14th/15th century. Can't remember his name though. It was originally "must needs", but people use it either way these days.
I can't remember the original context it was written in, but I always think of it as "needs must be fulfilled". There are some things you don't want to do but have to.
#11
Wickan Warrior
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Posted 18 April 2008 - 07:33 PM
Another thing i've noticed is that all the characters seem to have "a shaved knuckle in the hole" ????? What is that anyway??? Does everyone on wu have hairy knuckles???? and so having a shaved one whist in a hole is gunner suprise everyone??? Couldn't just one time someone have an "ace up there sleve"?
#12
Aptorian
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Posted 18 April 2008 - 07:37 PM
the term "shaved knuckle" refers to the Malazans bonegames. I'm guessing a shaved knuckle is carved in such a way that it always lands in a prefered way. Thus, by cheating, the game is won.
#13
Raymond Luxury Yacht
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Posted 20 April 2008 - 08:01 AM
I think the shaved knuckle is a deliberate replace for ace up the sleeve.
@ Illy: That was so bad it almost made me shard my pants.
@ Illy: That was so bad it almost made me shard my pants.
Error: Signature not valid
#14
Kalahinen
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Posted 21 April 2008 - 08:45 PM
Dolorous Menhir;291192 said:
I'm just repeating another forum member's observation, but in Erikson's world dying civilisations always make a special effort to cover their streets in potsherds before finally coming to an end.
Of course, that's archaeology...be glad Erikson doesn't mention burnt clay as often (an insider joke, I admit). It is annoying when you only find small pieces of burnt clay in excavations. Another archaeologist told me that their only finds from a small excavation in Southern Finland were tens of kilos of burnt clay and one iron nail.
#15
Illuyankas
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Posted 21 April 2008 - 09:11 PM
@Ray: It's shardly worth thinking about.
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#17
Illuyankas
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Posted 21 April 2008 - 09:52 PM
Why, is it driving you potty?
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#18
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Posted 21 April 2008 - 10:53 PM
Not at all, I just wanted to get involved 
I would have been a hypocrite by asking you to stop through participation.
The shard jokes are amusing. I'm glad SE brings Archaeological experience into the books on the odd occasion.
I would have been a hypocrite by asking you to stop through participation.The shard jokes are amusing. I'm glad SE brings Archaeological experience into the books on the odd occasion.
#19
Illuyankas
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Posted 21 April 2008 - 11:33 PM
It's certainly unearthed some inteNO STOP IT ILLY NO MORE PUNS GRAHJEHVANJFKBNFHUSGIPDF
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
