=SDC= Q14: Alternatives

[Jerry Friedman]

This is a Toughie.

A punctuation mark occurs in the informal name of a city (A). In the
formal name of a town ninety miles removed (B), you will also find the
same punctuation marks, although it could equally be said that they
are
different. A border separates the two conurbations, so it could be
contended that the folks who use these names are different too.

Answer one question about each place:

(A) Why does the air sound rude in French?

(B) What's the French connection?

--
Jerry Friedman, T. O. Panelist

[R H Draney]

Jerry Friedman filted:

I've got everything except the second town...the punctuation mark is the
apostrophe, no?...r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

[Mike Barnes]

Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com>:

>This is a Toughie.
>
>A punctuation mark occurs in the informal name of a city (A). In the
>formal name of a town ninety miles removed (B), you will also find the
>same punctuation marks, although it could equally be said that they
>are
>different. A border separates the two conurbations, so it could be
>contended that the folks who use these names are different too.

I've only about ten seconds to spend on this, so I'll simply toss my
suggestion into the ring: A is Derry/Londonderry (stroke city), B is
Strokestown. The border is that between Northern Ireland and the
republic of Ireland.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

[Mike Barnes]

Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com>:

Londonderry Air = London derri�re (derri�re is French for arse).

Should be Londres derri�re, really.

[Mike Barnes]

Mike Barnes <mikeba...@gmail.com>:

>Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com>:
>>This is a Toughie.
>>
>>A punctuation mark occurs in the informal name of a city (A). In the
>>formal name of a town ninety miles removed (B), you will also find the
>>same punctuation marks, although it could equally be said that they
>>are
>>different. A border separates the two conurbations, so it could be
>>contended that the folks who use these names are different too.
>>
>>Answer one question about each place:
>>
>>(A) Why does the air sound rude in French?
>>
>>(B) What's the French connection?

(A)

>Londonderry Air = London derri�re (derri�re is French for arse).
>
>Should be Londres derri�re, really.

(B) The Percy French Hotel, in Strokestown.

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

I'm sure you're right, but people who cheerfully say "merde" and "con"
in mixed company are not going to faint in embarrassment on hearing
"derri�re".


--
athel

[LFS]

Completely irrelevant but the two songs my dad liked best and sang all
through my childhood were the Mountains of Mourne and Abdul Abulbul
Amir, rather different but both written by Percy French.

(Mike, I may have inadvertently emailed you: I made the mistake of
allowing Thunderbird to update itself and the reply and followup buttons
are now placed in a very confusing way...)

--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)

[Jerry Friedman]

On Sep 2, 2:59 am, Mike Barnes <mikebarnes...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Mike Barnes <mikebarnes...@gmail.com>:

>
> >Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com>:
> >>This is a Toughie.
>
> >>A punctuation mark occurs in the informal name of a city (A). In the
> >>formal name of a town ninety miles removed (B), you will also find the
> >>same punctuation marks, although it could equally be said that they
> >>are
> >>different. A border separates the two conurbations, so it could be
> >>contended that the folks who use these names are different too.
>
> >>Answer one question about each place:
>
> >>(A) Why does the air sound rude in French?
>
> >>(B) What's the French connection?
>
> (A)
>

> >Londonderry Air = London derrière (derrière is French for arse).
>
> >Should be Londres derrière, really.

>
> (B) The Percy French Hotel, in Strokestown.

Thank you! The T. O. answer is the Percy French Prize, awarded at a
poetry festival there.