The Height of Stupidity

Fallen London
1

I somehow sucker punched myself using wordplay.

Recently, I was toying with the idea of coming up with a name for my Gentleman Butler. For those who don’t know, he’s the dude that carries me (a puppy) around on a cushion.

I wanted it to start with D. Douglas? Too simple. Doopliss? Eh, that name’s already taken. Donald? Heck no.

For whatever reason, I settled on naming him &quotDubious&quot.

A full minute passes.

I think about my own name, and what it sounds like.

I think about &quotTystefy and Dubious&quot.

…

…

If that wasn’t enough, I kicked myself when I was sprawled on the floor by thinking about how well that described my entire presence on these forums.

…

2

Pats Tystefy on the back

3

Scratches Tystefy’s ears There, there. It’ll be easier to remember you two now.

4

Any good samaritan in the mood to explain to a third-language-english guy what’s so funny/unusual about “Tystefy and Dubious”? Pretty please?

5

Eh, it’s been 8 hours. I’ll explain it.

My name, &quotTystefy&quot, (t-ice-D-eff-eye, yes that is the canon pronunciation) is a play on words of &quotTestify&quot. Another word for &quottestify&quot is &quottestimony&quot.

I named my Gentleman Butler &quotDubious&quot, unintentionally making the two of us &quotDubious Testimony&quot.

Not only is dubious testimony an in-game item, I come off as satirical, whimsical, some third word that would make a third-language-English guy look it up, etc etc.

I’m basically the jester, the trickster, the class clown, etc etc, someone who you shouldn’t take seriously… except for those really rare occasions.
edited by Tystefy on 7/21/2017

6

Right that’s. Actually quite funny. Would be funnier from the start if I weren’t reading your username as…- you know what, I don’t think english people even have this sound in their phonetic, but it definitely wasn’t anything like &quottestify&quot. I feel intellectually richer by your explanation, thank you ;)
edited by gronostaj on 7/21/2017

7

Wordplay can get tricky when different languages are involved. Also:

That is a very interesting way to say &quotsmarter&quot. English is my first (and probably only) language, so I would have never thought to think of that!

It’s kind of hard to convey what I mean. To put it simply, you showed me how to think in a different way, and I am glad for it.

My, uh… intellect is richer because of it.

Dang. Dang. That is a really good way to say smarter. I cannot get over it!

But now I’m rambling. If you will excuse me, I must go and make up some creative ways to say common words.

8

That may be the persona you’re going for, but you can’t really tell us how you come across to us. We’re the ones who get to decide our impression of you ;)

9

It’s really not, you know. A testimony is something that one testifies, but they’re not synonyms.

10

I guess I’ll add in a third and fourth kick to the gut for those two.

BUT YOU GET THE JOKE.

11

Correcting your phrasing and word usage isn’t really “kicking you in the gut,” it’s helping you out. Using the wrong words Interchangably can make you look uneducated. Telling people how they should perceive you can come across as really egotistical. I’m assuming you aren’t either of those things. So why not let you know so you can correct your linguistic mistakes so you don’t keep accidentally sending the wrong impression?

If we didn’t care about you, we’d just let you keep making the same mistakes while we watch from the sidelines and snicker ;)

12

Eh, come on guys, cut the eyebrow dog some slack. It’s an internet forum, not a lectern. We won’t one-up failbetter writting team when it comes to sounding educated, anyway. Have you seen their crazy word pool? And those juicy neologisms. in such a neologismically thankless language too!

13

[quote=Kukapetal]Correcting your phrasing and word usage isn’t really &quotkicking you in the gut,&quot it’s helping you out. Using the wrong words Interchangably can make you look uneducated. Telling people how they should perceive you can come across as really egotistical. I’m assuming you aren’t either of those things. So why not let you know so you can correct your linguistic mistakes so you don’t keep accidentally sending the wrong impression?

If we didn’t care about you, we’d just let you keep making the same mistakes while we watch from the sidelines and snicker ;)[/quote]

Alright alright already. So I should have said &quotI try to come off as…&quot instead of &quotI come off as…&quot

Here I am, getting lectu- eh, never mind. Just let it die already!

14

It was my way of trying to tell you, as gently as I could, that sometimes the way we try to appear is not necessarily the way we are perceived. And I say this as someone who also used to RP as a wacky, attention-seeking character on these forums ;)

I was worried someone who found you less than whimsical might take it upon themselves to…er…“enthusiastically” correct you.

If nothing else, you might want to grow a thicker skin if you’re constantly going to put yourself in the spotlight like this.

End of lecture, because I’m quite done with all this.

15

Thanks for your words.

CONNECTION TERMINATED

16

Absolutely none of us are doing that, I can assure you. I definitely didn’t make popcorn for everyone.