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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1 |
I came across a strange word in the children's book I am currently
> reading. I am on the fourth of a series of six books, starting with
> "The Magician's Nephew", written by C.S Lewis and telling the story of
> four children in Narnia. I am currently reading "Prince Caspian" and
> in the book I came across the word "bivouacked". I can't remember in
> what context the word was used, or if Mr Lewis made it up using poetic
> licence! Can you help?
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
addict
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addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619 |
bivˇouˇac ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bv-k, bvwk) n. A temporary encampment often in an unsheltered area. intr.v. bivˇouˇacked, bivˇouˇackˇing, bivˇouˇacs, also bivˇouˇacks To camp in a bivouac. re: Did "Mr Lewis made it up using poetic licence!"In his day, you didn't even need a camping licence to bivouac. 
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
I do like Puddleglum. Or is he in "The Silver Chair"?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 328
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 328 |
Or is he in "The Silver Chair"?
Yes, he's in The Silver Chair. Isn't Puddleglum great? I have a neighbor whom I (secretly, of course) call the Marsh-wiggle because he's tall, skinny and wears a conical straw hat.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
Quick! Check and see if his toes are webbed! 
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289 |
Erika, I would think that CSL would have been the last man in the world to have any necessity to make up a word because of being at a loss for one. He was, after all, a professor of philology and one of the great master wordsmiths, to say nothing of his other accomplishments.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
Making a bivouac (or bivvy) was part of the experience of "outdoor education" for many Kiwi kids. My younger sister once got a nasty scratch on her eye when a fern frond she was attempting to insert into the roof of her bvouac insetred itself in her eye instead.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
He was, after all, a professor of philology and one of the great master wordsmiths
Indeed, he and Professor JRR Tolkien had a writing group that met at a pub in Oxford called the Eagle and the Child (or familiarly, the Bird and Baby).
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
a writing group
the Inklings.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
a writing group
the Inklings.
as opposed to: a singing group
the Ink Spots
-ron (If I didn't care) obvious
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