ddb@mrvax.DEC (DAVID DYER-BENNET MRO1-2/L14 DTN 231-4076) (10/18/84)
Well, I can give you two more. Musk-watz is Sam Moskowitz; Furman is Ferman, editor of F&SF. (Actually, I have no idea who the authors really had in mind, but these two names make sense. Moskowitz wrote a book on the history of SF called The Immortal Storm....) I'm looking forward to seeing the rest explained.... I was also puzzled by Shoogar. -- David Dyer-Bennet -- ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-mrvax!ddb
rcmcc@whuxi.UUCP (MC_CONNELL) (10/19/84)
If I remember correctly, the natives kept referring to the lead character as "Purple." "Purple" <- As-i-mauve <- Asimov is my interpretation. Ron McConnell, Bell Communications Research, whuxi!rcmcc
scw@cepu.UUCP (10/23/84)
In article <134@whuxi.UUCP> rcmcc@whuxi.UUCP (MC_CONNELL) writes: >If I remember correctly, the natives kept >referring to the lead character as "Purple." > > "Purple" <- As-i-mauve <- Asimov > >is my interpretation. Specifically his (the Human character's) translating machine renders his name in the lanuguage of the natives of the planet as: "as a purple shade of gray"->"as a mauve"->Asimov, nifty pun. The story is told from the point of view of one of the natives. -- Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology) uucp: { {ihnp4, uiucdcs}!bradley, hao, trwrb, sdcrdcf}!cepu!scw ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-cs location: N 34 3' 9.1" W 118 27' 4.3"
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (Jerry Hollombe) (10/25/84)
The pun on Asimov's name was specifically revealed at the end of the book. In fact, Asimov was the main character's real name. The name Purple came about because his translating machine had misinterpreted Asimov as "As a mauve" which came out "As a color, shade of purple gray" in the local language. -- J. Hollombe The Polymath
jeff1@garfield.UUCP (Jeff Sparkes) (10/29/84)
> In article <134@whuxi.UUCP> rcmcc@whuxi.UUCP (MC_CONNELL) writes: > >If I remember correctly, the natives kept > >referring to the lead character as "Purple." > > > > "Purple" <- As-i-mauve <- Asimov > > > >is my interpretation. > > Specifically his (the Human character's) translating machine renders > his name in the lanuguage of the natives of the planet as: > > "as a purple shade of gray"->"as a mauve"->Asimov, nifty pun. > And of course, Asimov loves a good ( or bad ) pun!!! Jeff Sparkes jeff1@garfield Gee... I don't have a cute quote.....
dave@garfield.UUCP (David Janes) (10/30/84)
| Specifically his (the Human character's) translating machine renders | his name in the lanuguage of the natives of the planet as: | | "as a purple shade of gray"->"as a mauve"->Asimov, nifty pun. | | -- | Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology) It is also interesting to look at the description that is first given of "Purple" in the book. Rather descriptive of the Good Doctor I would say. dave (the Mercenary Programmer) ------- David Janes "Come in, come out of the rain" Internet: dave@garfield.UUCP UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,utcsrgv}!garfield!dave
msj@gitpyr.UUCP (Mike St. Johns) (11/10/84)
In article <> jeff1@garfield.UUCP (Jeff Sparkes) writes: >> In article <134@whuxi.UUCP> rcmcc@whuxi.UUCP (MC_CONNELL) writes: >> >If I remember correctly, the natives kept >> >referring to the lead character as "Purple." >> > >> > "Purple" <- As-i-mauve <- Asimov >> > >> >is my interpretation. >> >> Specifically his (the Human character's) translating machine renders >> his name in the lanuguage of the natives of the planet as: >> >> "as a purple shade of gray"->"as a mauve"->Asimov, nifty pun. >> > And of course, Asimov loves a good ( or bad ) pun!!! > Sorry to correct you, but the quote was: "As a color, shade of purple-gray" Mike. -- Mike St. Johns Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!msj
ran@ho95e.UUCP (RANeinast) (01/22/86)
Somebody: > Can anybody explain why the triangle is the symbol of Eccar the Man, and > who or what Eccar the Man is? There's something escaping me here. Somebody else: > Eccar the Man, "A man who served the gods so long and well that he was elevated > to godhood himself", is Forrey Ackerman, possibly the world's most famous SF > fan. His house in LA, the Ackermansion, is filled with SF and horror > memorabilia, and I understand that upon his death it will become an SF museum > under the care of the city. I have no idea what the triangle means. Another somebody: > Forry (not Forrey) Ackerman wears a little green star as a sign that he's > an Esperantist. I don't know why he'd been associated with a triangle. I think that they are also punning with a part of the Bible here. Pontius Pilate presented Jesus crowned with thorns with the words, "Behold the Man" (which, by the way, is also the title of a story by Michael Morecock), which, in Latin, is "Ecce homo". This goes hand in hand with the "elevated to godhood", and also explains why his symbol is the triangle (Trinity). -- ". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch." Robert Neinast (ihnp4!ho95c!ran) AT&T-Bell Labs
barb@oliven.UUCP (Barbara Jernigan) (01/24/86)
I fear I haven't read the book, but the triangle (read, pyramid) is an ancient symbol for man+god+etc. Usually there's an eye in the center (look on the back of a $1.00 bill). I can't remember the specifics of meaning, alas -- but it might give you literary blood hounds a new scent to trace. Just thinking aloud, Barb
jsdy@hadron.UUCP (Joseph S. D. Yao) (01/28/86)
In article <490@oliven.UUCP> barb@oliven.UUCP (Barbara Jernigan) writes: >I fear I haven't read the book, but the triangle (read, pyramid) is >an ancient symbol for man+god+etc. Usually there's an eye in the >center (look on the back of a $1.00 bill). Oh, no. Not those bl--dy Illuminati again? -- Joe Yao hadron!jsdy@seismo.{CSS.GOV,ARPA,UUCP}