We do see mention of Cerdic and Penda being called by those names because their Scothan names resembled these two genuine names taken from our history.
In the original story, Cerdic and Penda were done "straight"; the suggestion by Flandry that he was eliding them with the historical figures was a interpolated in a later edition, IIRC. Likewise, in the original the Scothians were -genuinely- using horn-calls for communications on their starship!
That was very early work, and Poul was shoing his pulp origins as a writer, as well as his extreme talent and cleverness.
I agree. I have read both versions of "Tiger By The Tail." And I recall the examples your cited. Any race capable of using FTL ships would have no NEED for using horns instead of electronic communications. That horn blowing was Cerdic showing his taste for the archaic.
6 comments:
Many of those suggest Celtic and Germanic naming patterns without actually being taken directly from history, which is clever.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
We do see mention of Cerdic and Penda being called by those names because their Scothan names resembled these two genuine names taken from our history.
Ad astra and Happy New Year! Sean
In the original story, Cerdic and Penda were done "straight"; the suggestion by Flandry that he was eliding them with the historical figures was a interpolated in a later edition, IIRC. Likewise, in the original the Scothians were -genuinely- using horn-calls for communications on their starship!
That was very early work, and Poul was shoing his pulp origins as a writer, as well as his extreme talent and cleverness.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree. I have read both versions of "Tiger By The Tail." And I recall the examples your cited. Any race capable of using FTL ships would have no NEED for using horns instead of electronic communications. That horn blowing was Cerdic showing his taste for the archaic.
Ad astra and Happy New Year! Sean
The horn calls within the spaceship are retained in the revised version.
Kaor, Paul!
Oh, certainly! I did not mean to imply the guard outside the compartment Flandry was in used a businesslike intercom to call Cerdic.
Ad astra and Happy New Year! Sean
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