Four not-at-all-related items!
Oct. 31st, 2014 09:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
heliopausaasakiyume has posted on LJ to say that Irom Sharmila Chanu has arrived in Delhi for trial on the charge of attempting suicide - but what she is actually doing is hunger-striking to protest the appalling Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which grants legal immunity to members of the armed forces for actions in an area declared "disturbed": "There can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone acting under that law. Nor is the government's judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed subject to judicial review."- from wikipedia. May she be triumphant in her long struggle for the repeal of the Act.
I saw the word 'henchman' and wondered idly what was its etymology. :) And was happy to find that it's from 'hengest-man', being someone's personal horse-handler, "hengest" meaning (male) horse. And Hengest was also the name of a Saxon invader, of course, Hengest and his brother Horsa, whose name doesn't need much translation at all. (Open to advice about whether Hengest was really Saxon or Jute or something else entirely!)
I hope all Yuletiding friends all have the most gorgeous and stimulating and fun assignments!. :)
I saw the word 'henchman' and wondered idly what was its etymology. :) And was happy to find that it's from 'hengest-man', being someone's personal horse-handler, "hengest" meaning (male) horse. And Hengest was also the name of a Saxon invader, of course, Hengest and his brother Horsa, whose name doesn't need much translation at all. (Open to advice about whether Hengest was really Saxon or Jute or something else entirely!)
The absolutely last thing I'll say about Bleak House. The prehistoric beast in London!
I've seen it in E. Nesbit:
"The dinosaurus was moving.... She could see through the hole the changing surface of grass and bracken and moss as it waddled heavily along. She dared not drop through the hole while it moved, for fear it should crush her to death with its gigantic feet.... even as she crouched the monster lizard slipped heavily into the water, drowning a thousand smooth, shining lily pads, and swam away towards the central island..." - The Enchanted Castle.
and I've seen it (more than once) in Doctor Who...
but I'm willing to bet that this is the first appearance in English literature of the marvellous scene of the prehistoric beast in London:
"London.... Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill." - Bleak House, Chapter One.
Wonderful!
(And why is it the last thing I'll post about Bleak House? Because I would otherwise go wild talking about what an astonishing book it is. On the other hand, if there is an earlier scene, please let meknow! :) )
I've seen it in E. Nesbit:
"The dinosaurus was moving.... She could see through the hole the changing surface of grass and bracken and moss as it waddled heavily along. She dared not drop through the hole while it moved, for fear it should crush her to death with its gigantic feet.... even as she crouched the monster lizard slipped heavily into the water, drowning a thousand smooth, shining lily pads, and swam away towards the central island..." - The Enchanted Castle.
and I've seen it (more than once) in Doctor Who...
but I'm willing to bet that this is the first appearance in English literature of the marvellous scene of the prehistoric beast in London:
"London.... Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill." - Bleak House, Chapter One.
Wonderful!
(And why is it the last thing I'll post about Bleak House? Because I would otherwise go wild talking about what an astonishing book it is. On the other hand, if there is an earlier scene, please let meknow! :) )
I hope all Yuletiding friends all have the most gorgeous and stimulating and fun assignments!. :)
