Help with abbv
Jeffrey A. Dettmann
I say, could someone decode an acronym for me? In "Jeeves and the Old
School Chum" Bertie refers to the title character (the old school chum,
not Jeeves, do try to keep up) as P.M.G. Pyke. What does "P.M.G." stand
for? The best I can come up with is "Pest Most Great", but that doesn't
ring true. I don't see anything in the surrounding text to help. Please
post or email replies.
Anne Cotton
Schoolboys were referred to by first initials only (not full first names)
and surnames. Thus, "P.M.G. Pyke" was possibly Philip Michael Geoffrey
Pyke, or some similar name. Not an acronym at all.
Lady Bassett
(who will never tell what they called us in girls' schools)
Merideth Kelley
Dear Mr. Dettmann,
As I recall from a previous discussion of this topic, far off in the mists
of time, there is an odd misprint in certain editions of this story. In
others, the quotation goes roughly as follows:
"The watchword, therefore, was P.M.G. 'Pyke Must Go'!"
The odd m. making it look as though the, er, woman's name is P.M.G. Pyke,
which wasn't the case. I think Mrs. Little calls her Laura at one point,
but I'd have to read it again to be sure.
Bertie is, I believe, at this point in the narration commenting on the
eminent ruin of Bingo Little's domestic bliss by the "old school chum" of
Mrs. Little.
No doubt someone else will come to your assistance in this matter.
Probably one more able than I.
Yours Truly,
Lady Theresa "Terry" Cobbold
(aka Merideth Kelley)
Disclaimer:
Please, do not be intimidated by my use of a nom-de-plum. I
lurked and sometimes participated in alt.fan.wodehouse for a year at least
before choosing and registering a nom. Noms are by no means required.
Merideth Kelley
But my dear Lady Bassett! This Pyke would have been called whatever they
called you in girls' schools, since she was not Bertie's old school chum,
but Mrs. Bingo Little (nee Rosie M. Banks)'s. Unless I am remembering the
wrong story altogether. Hmmm. Too little gin in the old d., I suspect.
Lady Terry
David W. Talley
Jeffrey A. Dettmann wrote:
>
> I say, could someone decode an acronym for me? In "Jeeves and the
> Old School Chum" Bertie refers to the title character (the old
> school chum, not Jeeves, do try to keep up) as P.M.G. Pyke. What
> does "P.M.G." stand for?
When I posted essentially the same question some months ago, a kind
soul referred me to the text to explain my error. I had blithely
assumed that dear old P.G.W. was once abbreviating some common phrase
(as when Bertie describes an episode at breakfast, "I progged a moody
forkful of e. and b.")
In truth, context seems clearly to indicate that "P.M.G." refers,
instead, to the entire sentence that follows, "Pyke must go!" The
difficulty arises, of course, because the period ending the sentence
doubles as the period concluding the abbreviation. Thus, we assume
that the words "Pyke must go" continue the previous sentence, when, in
fact, they constitute an entirely new one of their own.
Professorially (if not pedantically),
Talley
Alan Bird
In article <porcupine-051...@slip-80-14.ots.utexas.edu>,
"Jeffrey A. Dettmann" <porc...@mail.utexas.edu> writes
>I say, could someone decode an acronym for me? In "Jeeves and the Old
>School Chum" Bertie refers to the title character (the old school chum,
>not Jeeves, do try to keep up) as P.M.G. Pyke. What does "P.M.G." stand
>ring true. I don't see anything in the surrounding text to help. Please
>post or email replies.
You're right: I've just re-read the work in question, and there it is:
P.M.G., with not whisker of an explanation. The great Jaggard is no help
here either. All I can do is give the standard meaning of the
expression, Post-Master General, which doesn't convey an iota of sense.
BTW, my edition is a rather tattered complete Jeeves short stories
published by Manor Books, in the States. Is there anyone with a more
authoritative text, such as a first edition, who could check that a
revealing passage, chock-full of expansions on PMG, hasn't been left
out?
--
Alan Bird, representing rather unwillingly the extreme high Tory views of
Major Brabazon-Plank.
Len Lawson
>In article <porcupine-051...@slip-80-14.ots.utexas.edu>,
>"Jeffrey A. Dettmann" <porc...@mail.utexas.edu> writes
>>I say, could someone decode an acronym for me? In "Jeeves and the Old
>>School Chum" Bertie refers to the title character (the old school chum,
>>not Jeeves, do try to keep up) as P.M.G. Pyke. What does "P.M.G." stand
>>for? The best I can come up with is "Pest Most Great", but that doesn't
>>ring true. I don't see anything in the surrounding text to help. Please
>>post or email replies.
I just happen to have the Cosmopolitan Magazine, Feb. 1930 which
contains this story. The lady in question is named Laura Pyke which is
clearly stated early in the story. Here is the paragraph which
explains all.
"Well, I dare say you're right," I said. "Anyway, the point
is, P. M. G. Pyke must go. How do you propose to set about it?"
By some strange fluke I also have the Strand Magazine, Feb. 1930 which
also contains the story. In it the paragraph is as follows.
"Well, I dare say you're right," I said. "Anyway, the point
is, P. M. G.--Pyke must go. How do you propose to set about it?"
I cannot properly display a long dash so take "--" as a long dash.
Uncle Fred
aka Len Lawson
Len Lawson
I must apologize to one and all for using a nom that is not mine in
this group. It is my nom in PGW-net and it was in this group several
years ago but no more. I am sorry, I just forgot which group I was in.
And you needn't sneer Pongo or I shall have to look you up at your
club where you can give me lunch before we step out on the town.
Len Lawson
Green Swizzle Wooster
In article icke...@pipeline.com (Len Lawson) writes:
>From: icke...@pipeline.com (Len Lawson)
>Subject: Re: Help with abbv
>Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 16:07:51 GMT
>I just happen to have the Cosmopolitan Magazine, Feb. 1930 which
>contains this story....
>By some strange fluke I also have the Strand Magazine, Feb. 1930 which
>also contains the story. In it the paragraph is as follows.
Good Lord! Have you been waiting in that doctor's office long?
Green Swizzle
Lorrill Buyens
john...@Carleton.CA (Green Swizzle Wooster), while summoning a demon, chanted:
It *is* occasionally possible to obtain vintage copies of certain periodicals -
f.e., I happen to own copies of the London _Times_ & a folklorists' journal
dated 1929. ;-)
>Green Swizzle
Cordially yours,
Rosie M. Banks
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| Rosie M. Banks |
| Author of _Mervyn Keene, Clubman_; _Only a |
| Factory Girl_; and other fine literary works |
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