When the Grand Duke of Hermes approaches, an aide springs up and asks, "'Sir?'" (II, p. 25) When the Duke says that he does not want to be disturbed, the aide replies, "'Sir!'" (p. 26)
Two teachers at Bentham Grammar School told me of a pupil who was able to express every shade of feeling or meaning in the single word, "Sir."
A request for attention:
"Sir...?"
Puzzlement:
"Sir?"
Indignation:
"SIR!"
Acceptance of an order:
"Sir!"
Acceptance of praise:
"Sir!"
And so on.
Here we appreciate an author's careful observation and faithful reflection of the uses of language. We should probably reread Wooster-Jeeves and Flandry-Chives dialogues to find some more expressive uses and meaningful nuances of the word, "Sir."
3 comments:
Conversation between Lord Havelock Vetinari, Patrician* of Ankh-Morpork, and City Watch Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, in *Feet of Clay* by Terry Pratchett:
"Commander, I always used to consider that you had a definite anti-authoritarian streak in you."
"Sir?"
"It seems that you have managed to retain this even though you *are* Authority."
"Sir?"
"That's practically Zen."
"Sir?"
"It seems I've only got to be unwell for a few days and you manage to upset everyone of any importance in this city."
"Sir."
"Was that a 'yes, sir' or a 'no, sir', Sir Samuel?"
"It was just a 'sir', sir."
Vetinari then gives Vimes a pay raise.
* In Ankh-Morpork, the title "Patrician" means "Tyrant." In the case of Lord Vetinari, it means very, very SMART Tyrant.
Thank you, sir!
Kaor, SIR!
If we HAVE to have tyrants and despots I only wish they were like Lord Vetinari. What do we have instead? Crazy fat kids like Kim Jong Un in North Korea or thuggish goons like Putin in Russia!
Sean
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