Saying things that characters in books do...

[Linna Heartbooger]

'Fess up... when have you done this?
(at least in ways that amuse and you are willing to confess to.)

After reading "Things Fall Apart," I started using the exclamation "Oho!" like Ekwifi and Ezinma use with each-other...

I used "Psssht..." awhile back, but my usage of it had faded...
Now that I have heard it so much out of the mouth of The (much-loved) Mahdoubt, I plan to go on a "pshhttt"-using spree again.
Surely, it will make me feel wise.

What do other people use from stories?
Maybe there's even people using longer sound-bytes than my one-word phrases!

[Orlion]

Kinda relevant... at least until I can find a better example.

Last December, my Aunt pointed out on Facebook that "You've been reading too many British and Canadian translations. You're picking up their spelling."

Makes sense... the used bookstore I frequent sells a lot of UK editions

[Vraith]

I pick up and discard things all the time...although even when I pick them up, I tend to warp/twist/play with them to fit context and match my sense of humour [which I'm well aware many don't find so humerus ...but I do, and that's all that matters]

I mean, I once used "hellfire and Dalmations!" loudly to a crowd...though why is a really long boring story that isn't really all that funny.

Though I use "Zounds!" [which rhymes with WOUNDS, not SOUNDS] for hours whenever folk quote Shakespeare. No matter why they do it.

[Avatar]

I'm sure I do, although I can't think of an example.

Wait, I can...Pratchett gave me "for a given value of x."



--A

[aliantha]

Sometimes I would say, "Vagel, I'm coming!" to the kids, and they would look at me funny. And then I'd laugh hysterically.

I pick up phrases from all over the place, so I'm sure I've picked up some from books along the way. Oh, I know one: "What has it got in its pocketses?" is sort of a mantra in our family.

And I've been known to mutter "Hellfire and bloody damnation," but not often.

[dlbpharmd]

Back in '97, I had to deliver the eulogy for an uncle who had died suddenly. I cribbed SRD's "grace which has been given to you, to bear what must be borne" line.

I've said "Hellfire!" for over 3 decades now. It adequately expresses a variety of emotions.

[Linna Heartbooger]

"Hellfire and dalmatians"?
"Vagellll, I'm coming!!!"?
You people kill me!

...my Aunt pointed out on Facebook that "You've been reading too many British and Canadian translations. You're picking up their spelling."

Cool of her to notice and infer why that was happening to your spelling!
(I think.)

[which I'm well aware many don't find so humerus ...but I do, and that's all that matters]

Psssht... the Linna deigns to contradict.
Your humor brings joy to those who are amused, and truly that is a thing of great import.

What is the 'zounds' reference from? One specific play, or more? or something else?

Wait, I can...Pratchett gave me "for a given value of x."

oh, thaaat's who that's from?
thank you, sir.
I've been using a line that I knew not the origin of.

Ali- I want to steal that one from you!!!
I suspect you're using it in contexts where you feel a leeeeeetle bit crazed yourself, running to respond to requests and not?
(Thank goodness that I'm not the only one who thinks it's hysterical.)
I'm thinking - whenever one of your daughters reads MN, she's gonna crack up soooo hard when she gets to that line!!!

dlb- wow on the line in the eulogy.
That is quite the beautiful one.

[I'm Murrin]

"Zounds" is an archaic exclamation originating from "God's wounds", which I guess was a lot more common a few centuries ago.

I've not really directly quoted characters before, but what I'm reading has affected me. Back in my teens when I was heavily into Wheel of Time (read the 10 books about 3 times over within a couple of months) I (unconsciously) started using "bloody" a lot instead of any other swear words. Then my first read of GRRM's series brought "fuck" back into my vocabulary.

[Vraith]

"Zounds" is an archaic exclamation originating from "God's wounds", which I guess was a lot more common a few centuries ago.

I've not really directly quoted characters before, but what I'm reading has affected me. Back in my teens when I was heavily into Wheel of Time (read the 10 books about 3 times over within a couple of months) I (unconsciously) started using "bloody" a lot instead of any other swear words. Then my first read of GRRM's series brought "fuck" back into my vocabulary.

Yep, that's what it is U.R. Murrin. I do it to make fun of people who quote "The Bard" for no good reason. It's a peeve. I don't know why.

I use "bloody" quite a lot...but I picked it up from "Bloody Well Right" [Supertramp album "Crime of the Century,"....which, BTW is a bloody fantastic album]...discovery of Monty Python only encouraged the habit.

Drek is another one, but don't use it so much anymore...I discovered it in something SF long ago, but I remember looking it up once and it's yiddish, IIRC?

[Savor Dam]

Correct, Vraith. Drek is Yiddish.

The reverse is not true.

[I'm Murrin]

On the other hand, "Dren" is Farscape-ese.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I find myself rubbing my hands together and looking at people sideways and saying, "It's MY precious..." I still call people dotards which stems from a combo of SRD and FBH. I also have been known to say, "Joy is in the ears that hear."

It's not from a book but I also say "Frack" from Battlestar Galactica and I commonly say, "Shiny!" from Firefly.

[aliantha]

Oh, yeah, "frack". I use that a lot.

Linna, "Vagel, I'm coming!" was often in response to the microwave timer going off. Yeah, feel free to steal it, since I stole it from SRD to start with! (I've been trying for several years to get Magickmaker to read Mordant's Need, because I think she will really enjoy it. Sigh. Kids these days.)

[Cameraman Jenn]

Tell her to read it or I am totally going to unfriend her everywhere.

[aliantha]

Ah, peer pressure! I'll tell her.

[Linna Heartbooger]

Linna, "Vagel, I'm coming!" was often in response to the microwave timer going off.

Oh... right. Not to any person. Good clarifying.

...and I commonly say, "Shiny!" from Firefly.

True; it's not from a book, but at least it's a Kayleigh line!!!

[Avatar]

Last December, my Aunt pointed out on Facebook that "You've been reading too many British and Canadian translations. You're picking up their spelling."

You mean you're starting to spell things right.

--A

[Cameraman Jenn]

Another two quotes I commonly say are also from movies, Charlotte's Web and it's "Greetings and Salutations" and from Austin Powers, "One million dollars" and yes, I do the pinky gesture. I also occasionally say, "SILENCE! I am plotting World Domination." from Pinky and the Brain.

[Menolly]

On the rare occasion I will say, "Be seeing you!" with the hand/eye gesture...

[Vraith]

"SILENCE! I am plotting World Domination." from Pinky and the Brain.

I have to confess to multiple usages of "Narf," "Poit," and "Egad, Brain!"....
....and maybe once or twice singing Schmeerzgehoven [I'm not even gonna pretend I know the correct spelling of that]...by Swedish Super-Group "BAAB".... in public.
....among other things.

Heh...I just remembered Pinky ALSO says "zounds," so he quotes me, too.