hannon Says:
October 18th, 2005 at 1:47 pm e
Awesome! If you make it to Oxford (hours train ride from London) you can go to the Bodleian Library and visit the various haunts of people like Lewis Carroll, Tolkien and all sorts of famous literarys (as in pubs).
Believe it or nay, fair reader Shannon, I have BEEN to the Bodleian library in Oxford. I was studying abroad in Dublin. I had two days in the UK. Where did I go? Oh yeah. The only library in the world that makes its patrons vow not to set the books on fire.
En route, I was lectured by an unamused train conductor on the correct pronunciation of Oxford. According to the man in the hat, it is not pronounced (imagine a thick midwestern accent) AAHHXFERD, as we kids insist, but rather (imagine a thick plank lodged irretrievably netherward) UHXFERD. This remains my only real memory of Oxford, so perhaps I should return.
Anybody want to hook a sister up with Bodleian backstage passes? In return, I promise to tell you the (two-drink minimum, not work-safe) story about my deadly encounter with the MSU library masturbator.
October 20th, 2005 at 3:43 pm
Hmmm I live and work in Oxford and while my American accent definitely makes it more of the AAHHXFERD, I think it’s a matter of the length of the AAHH bit as I just made my very English boyfriend say it aloud about 10 times! And you midwesterners are known for drawing out the vowels! ;)
Unfortunately I can’t hook you up with backstage passes to Bodleian as I don’t have the pleasure of working there. I can hook you up w/ a pint if you do come to UHXFERD.
October 20th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
Hi,
My darling ex-boss, Ruth Bird, from the Melbourne University Law Library (in Australia) now manages the Bodleian Law Library at Oxford (pronounced OHX-FORD - as in the Latin ‘O’ vowel sound - here in Australia as well as in that part of the UK ;).
I’m sure if you looked her up and mentioned me (my best wishes to her, tell her I landed on my feet finally), she could arrange something.
Best of luck!
regards,
Em
October 30th, 2005 at 5:46 pm
Hello…I used to work in Oxford (yeah pronounced OXford, as in the cow-like animal), though sadly not in the Bodleian, so no back-stage passes available. You could try smiling nicely at the porter, but I doubt it would work (hopefully not for the sake of their security!). Anyway, hope you have fun in the UK.
November 18th, 2005 at 7:07 am
Hi
I used to work in Oxford (agree pronounced as in the cow-like animal) and at the Bod. Still no suggestions re: back-stage passes but could suggest some good pubs in the area!