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tsuwm Offline OP
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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?


#112447 09/18/03 05:22 PM
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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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"it reminded me so much of South Carolina"
GRR-RR!


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old hand
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for its stupid people and its high humidity
syllepsis used to devastating effect


#112450 09/19/03 12:32 PM
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Good one, Herr Sieber! Thanks for that!


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jmh Offline
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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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tsuwm Offline OP
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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
:)


#112453 09/23/03 04:51 PM
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tsuwm Offline OP
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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.


#112454 09/24/03 01:32 AM
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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


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#112455 09/24/03 10:11 AM
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OED *does give one of the definitions of bœotian as stupid.


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