When Roan Tom, threatened with "tommics," asks whether that means "nukes":
"The Nikean shook his head." (p. 473)
No? The text continues:
"Tom got a glimpse of that, and wasn't sure whether the gesture meant yes, no or maybe in this land." (ibid.)
Here is recognition that head shakes, nods etc can have different meanings even between human beings - the Nikeans are human -, let lone between different rational species. The text continues:
"But the answer was plain: 'Weapons that unleash the might that lurks in matter.'" (ibid.)
The Nikean is wise. If a single word is queried, then do not merely repeat it but replace it with an explanatory sentence. Anyone who has just arrived in a spaceship should understand what is meant by unleashing the might that lurks in matter. That has been part of human history since 1945.
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, the meanings of gestures can change as time passes.
Interesting that on Nike "atomics" changed to "tommics." In "A Tragedy of Errors" we see not only different dialects of Anglic, but also how those dialects were starting to become different languages.
Ad astra! Sean
Earlier than 1945, to people who were following physics.
In 1942, the editor of an American science fiction magazine published a story that featured a type of nuclear weapon using "heavy elements" to release the "power of the atom".
Then the FBI paid him a visit and their questions suggested a fear that the story was being used as a way of smuggling the results of espionage to Germany. Though they tried to conceal that.
The editor said later that it hit him just as the FBI guys left:
HOLY S**T, WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON THIS!
The above is from memory -- I'm fairly sure this happened, but the details may be off a bit.
A Heinlein story?
Kaor, Mr. Stirling and Paul!
IIRC, the Heinlein story you may both have in mind is "Solution Unsatisfactory," if I got the title right.
Ad astra! Sean
Not the Heinlein story "Solution Unsatisfactory".
Here are the details of that incident
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadline_(science_fiction_story)
That's it.
Jim: that's it. Thanks! I was off on the date and didn't remember who was involved.
Kaor, Jim!
I'll be looking up that Wiki piece about "Deadline." Thanks!
Ad astra! Sean
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