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Default Cully?! - 06-21-2007, 23:13

I found this bit in Colour of Magic:
Quote:
Death, although of course completely eyeless, watched Rincewind disappearing with what would, had His face possessed any mobility at all, have been a frown. Death, although exceptionally busy at all times, decided that He now had a hobby There was something about the wizard that irked Him beyond measure. He didn't keep appointments for one thing.
I'LL GET YOU YET, CULLY. said Death, in the voice like the slamming of leaden coffin lids. SEE IF I DON’T.
And i thought: Cully? Who is Cully?
Then L-Space told me this:
Quote:
Death is addressing Rincewind here, so the use of what looks like a different name is confusing. Terry explains: "Cully still just about hangs on in parts of the UK as a mildly negative term meaning variously 'yer bastard', 'man', 'you there' and so on. It's quite old, but then, Death is a history kind of guy."
Is that so, or is that a cop out? And if it isn't Rincewinds first name, as i thought upon reading it, what is?
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Default 06-21-2007, 23:23

I don't think we've ever been told Rincewind's first name, but I know cully as a term roughly equivalent to 'bloke' - but I think of it as something only old men might say.


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Default 06-25-2007, 20:21

Cully dates to the 17th century - Oxford English Dictionary describes it as "informal, archaic a friendly form of address for a man", although I must admit I've only ever heard it used in a very mildly derogatory fashion.
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Default 06-26-2007, 15:23

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hsing View Post
And if it isn't Rincewinds first name, as i thought upon reading it, what is?
Maybe Rincewind is Rincewinds first name. Alot of people in the books use the old version of naming, ie Name of Place or Name the Job. Like Leonard of Quirm or Hrun the Barbarian. So maybe his full name is Rincewind the Wizzard.


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Default 07-18-2007, 09:58

Whilst searching for something else, I discovered that Rincewind's first name might be Churm. Rincewind, it appears, was named (pretty much accidentally) after Churm Rincewind, one of the Seven Red-Bearded Dwarves who accompanied Mr Justice Cocklecarrot in the 'Beachcomer' column that used to feature in the Daily Express. I say accidentally, because it was one of those things which settled in Pterry's subconcious, and it was only later that he realised where the name had come from.

It's a bit tenuous, but until we get a definitive statement from The Mathter, I think that's the best we can hope for.

For more on the origin of Rincewind's name, see: The Annotated Pratchett File
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Default 07-18-2007, 12:22

Regarding Rincewind's first name, I seem to recall from The Last Continent that Rincewind doesn't actually have a last name. I think this was from a conversation between Rincewind and the archchancellor of the Ecksian University, also named Rincewind. Only the Ecksian Rincewind did have a first name.


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Default 07-18-2007, 14:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roman_K View Post
Regarding Rincewind's first name, I seem to recall from The Last Continent that Rincewind doesn't actually have a last name. I think this was from a conversation between Rincewind and the archchancellor of the Ecksian University, also named Rincewind. Only the Ecksian Rincewind did have a first name.
You're right - p. 373 Corgi paperback:

Quote:
'You got a first name? Mine's Bill.'
''s a good name, Bill Rincewind. Dunno if I've even got a first name
So, he might have one but he doesn't know who it is (his mother ran away before he was born, according to one of the books (CoM?)
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Default 07-18-2007, 15:41

Indeed. Though I think it's obvious that Pratchett didn't intend Rincewind to have a first name throughout the later books. Maybe he considered it
when he just created the character, I dunno, but his explanation for using the word 'cully' does make sense.


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Default 07-18-2007, 17:00

Interestingly (or not as the case may be) In some areas of Northern Ireland a similar name 'cuddy' is used to refer to a girl.
I have a friend (believe it or not) who says things like


'Do ya know (insert girls name)?.. ach sheess an awful nice cuddy'

(do you know (insert girls name)? well she's a really nice girl.

Yes. Where i'm from People can be awful nice, things can be wee little or even tootee...
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Default 07-19-2007, 08:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roman_K View Post
but his explanation for using the word 'cully' does make sense.
Well, yes. Any debate on the matter would be a bit silly - "Hmm, here Death refers to Rincewind as 'bloke'. Maybe 'Bloke' is Rincewind's first name?"

Given that Rincewind was in the original books, which were satires of the then state of the fantasy genre, I think it's fairly obvious that Rincewind is only supposed to have one name, as usual for such a character. Just as Hrun (or Cohen) the Barbarian only has one name and an appellation, so does Rincewind the Wizzard.


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Default 07-19-2007, 09:33

I thought The Barbarian was their second name and they were all related. wrong again, I guess.


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Default 07-19-2007, 13:33

Hmmm... Bloke Rincewind...

We should all make an effort to popularise 'Bloke' as a first name! It can't be worse than some of the names produced by celebrity culture...
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Default 07-19-2007, 19:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by Katcal View Post
I thought The Barbarian was their second name and they were all related. wrong again, I guess.
Barbarian is the last name, The is a shared middle name.


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Default 07-19-2007, 19:16

<Homer> Oh so they are related ? Woohooo !!</homer>


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Default I'm glad I came across this post. - 05-18-2008, 14:31

My surname is genuinely Cully. It is of southern Irish origin, and now as far as I know, what you have all said is fine by me

I have always been convinced Rincewind's first name is Cully for unique reasons.
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