Questions about BNS

Gwern Branwen · 16 Nov 2007, 02:17 · from 2007-November.txt.gz

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From: gwern0 at gmail.com (Gwern Branwen)
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:17:54 -0500
Subject: (urth) Questions about BNS
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0711151359460.11078 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
References: <4E82554550FE5149AD4B30A4FEA22492A62C8E at xchange.briercrest.ca>
	<20071115022848.GA26055@localhost>
	<Pine.LNX.4.64.0711151359460.11078 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
Message-ID: <20071116021754.GC17150@localhost>

On 2007.11.15 14:13:09 +1000, David Duffy <David.Duffy at qimr.edu.au> scribbled 0 lines:
> On Wed, 14 Nov 2007, Gwern Branwen wrote:
>
> > On 2007.11.14 13:26:21 -0600, Eric Ortlund <eortlund at briercrest.ca> scribbled 0 lines:

> As Agila says, I think they are reenactors.  They are not in our Africa:
> Isangoma uses an Australian aboriginal word for fishing spear, as well
> as Zulu terms, and mentions several our-now-extinct birds and animals.
> Rereading the mail plane description, it is a fixed wing propeller
> driven aircraft.  I don't know who Robert and Marie are, but it seems
> like we *should* know them.  I think they are Preceptor and -tress
> just because they are both missionaries.

Yes, but couldn't the terminology as easily be due to the translation of tBotNS into English? If they really are from the Commonwealth time, then 'our-now-extinct' birds and animals would be even more extinct and mythical. And as someone else pointed out, where would these re-enactors be getting Paris and all the rest from? Records from that period don't seem to be available in Severian's time; the present-day is just too long ago.

> Cheers, David Duffy
>
> PS About 1/3 through _Pirate Freedom_!

--
gwern
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