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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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I received the following via email and, what with one thing and yanother, I haven't the time to research it. can anyone help the lady?
There was a word I was recently introduced to that was a derivative of a (mythic?) Greek city renown for its stupid people and its high humidity and damp climate. I remember it reminded me so much of South Carolina, but I can't find it. Can you help, please?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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If she learns to use "renowned" correctly, I might. And what's stupid about South Carolina? [crossing arms over breast]
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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"it reminded me so much of South Carolina" GRR-RR!
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old hand
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old hand
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for its stupid people and its high humidity syllepsis used to devastating effect
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Good one, Herr Sieber! Thanks for that!
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Abdera? (bd´r) (KEY) or Avdira (ävd´rä) (KEY) , town, NE Greece, in Thrace, near the mouth of the Mesta River. It is a small agricultural settlement. Founded (c.650 B.C.) by colonists from Clazomenae, it was destroyed by the Thracians (c.550 B.C.) and rebuilt (c.500 B.C.) by refugees from Teos. The town passed to Macedon in 352 B.C. and in 198 B.C. became a free city under Roman rule. The term Abderite was used by the ancient Greeks as a synonym for stupid. However, the philosophers Protagoras, Leucippus, and Democritus lived there. http://www.bartleby.com/65/ab/Abdera.html
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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that looks good, Jo! I'll pass it along to my interlocutor.
btw, she gives the following as her business addy: Assistant to the President Brookgreen Gardens Pawleys Island, SC :)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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well, she says that Abdera isn't it; it lacks humid and damp (although I'd have thought that was a given for Thrace). thanks anyway, Jo -- abderite made for a good wwftd.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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tsuwm, is this a serious question on the part of your correspondent or is she just testing you? How does she know Abdera is not the answer?
You could try out Boeotia on her. It's the region round Thebes. According to the Athenians, people from Boeotia were rather dense country bumpkins. Dunno what the climate's like.
Bingley
Bingley
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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OED *does give one of the definitions of bœotian as stupid.
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