SPOILERS The Light Fantastic Discussion **Spoilers**

[Dotsie]

Death was also very different, and since there's only been one of him, I'm prepared to accept a trousers of time explanation. But fanfiction? Oh the horror!

 

[Tonyblack]

I don't know about that. Death's change is more logical and developed. He starts to change after his experiences in Mort.

 

[Dotsie]

No, in Mort he already likes cats, but in one of the first two he kills a cat. The Death after the first two books also makes it clear that he doesn't kill anyone ever - he's not evil or good, he's not really anything.

 

[raptornx01]

It says he takes one of its lives, but doesn't kill it. he does kill various insects though.

 

[=Tamar]

He also let Scrofula take over once when he was busy... this could be one reason he decided he needed an apprentice, not so much a replacement as an assistant.

 

[KamexKoopa]

Light Fantastic was one of the first Pratchett I read, and I read them mostly in a hodge-podge order, as I was able to get my hands on them or when they weren't already borrowed from my school library as much as I enjoyed reading it at the time, I now prefer the TV adapation to the book *awaits the peltation of rancid fruit*

 

[raptornx01]

I can see that point. the movie did a decent job of tying the two books together (even if parts are missing.)

 

[Penfold]

The only moan I had about the movie was the casting of David Jason as Rincewind. Other than that, I found it very enjoyable.

 

[Dotsie]

As above

 

[raptornx01]

I didn't mind David as Rincewind. but the clearly last minute editing of the "gods are a bunch of bastards" line was unforgivable.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Apologies for the Thread Necromancy. (What, you expect me now to remove the Necromancer Robe of Unimaginably Lurid Terrors?* And leave myself exposed in the mating season?** Never!) =)

Anyway, I shan't leave a review of TLF. I came to it relatively late in my DW journey, once I had already read Interesting Times and others. So I knew STP had done better, and I knew this book was -- well -- not-as-great-as-later-efforts. But I have one question:

Towards the end of this book, Twoflower reports to Rincewind that some people broke into a music shop and ran off with instruments. Rincewind's response? "Yes. Luters, I expect."

So, for many years I thought this was nothing but some clever wordplay. (Curse you for getting it first, Terry). *shakes fist comically* However, I just started doing some research into lutes, and discovered some interesting things.

For a start, the word for a person who plays a lute is lutenist, lutanist or lutist. A person who makes a lute is called a luthier.

But, according to wikitionary, a "luter" is ALSO a word for a lute-player. (I'm not sure on that, but let it pass). But it also means "a person who uses lute (the material)" ... and this material is ... *looks it up* "Thick sticky clay or cement used to close up a hole or gap, especially to make something air-tight."

So, my question is:

1. Why is that called "lute"?
2. Wouldn't a person who uses it be more akin to a bricklayer, not a "luter"?
3. Did STP know this, and was he using it for his joke?

Just wondering...

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* Now available from all the Boffo Novelty and Joke Shop, No. 4, Tenth Egg Street, Ankh-Morpork. ("If it's a really horrible joke, it's a Boffo!")

** Thank you, Neddie Seagoon and Harry Secombe.

 

[raisindot]

But, according to wikitionary, a "luter" is ALSO a word for a lute-player. (I'm not sure on that, but let it pass). But it also means "a person who uses lute (the material)" ... and this material is ... *looks it up* "Thick sticky clay or cement used to close up a hole or gap, especially to make something air-tight."

So, my question is:

1. Why is that called "lute"?
2. Wouldn't a person who uses it be more akin to a bricklayer, not a "luter"?
3. Did STP know this, and was he using it for his joke?

Just wondering...

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Two different words. Lute (used in the instrument) comes from the Arabic word meaning wood. Lute, meaning the stuff used like clay, comes the Latin word meaning mud or clay. I honestly don't think Ptery was thinking about the clay meaning. He was just using "luter" to make a homonymic pun.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Thanks, raisindot! I'm researching lutes because one of my side-characters plays one, and I wanted to get it right.

I also never knew that "luter" is a real word, or that there was more than one meaning to the word "lute".

Is "luter" also a person who plays the lute? I'm not sure on this. Some websites say so, while others suggest that the term is lutenist, lutanist or lutist. I've definitely heard those terms, but not "luter" (which, to me, looks like a misspelling of "liter").