Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Digest for rec.games.trivia@googlegroups.com - 13 updates in 4 topics

msb@vex.net (Mark Brader): Dec 19 11:44PM -0600

These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2016-10-03,
and should be interpreted accordingly.
 
On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
Please post all your answers to the newsgroup in a single followup,
based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
the correct answers in about 3 days.
 
All questions were written by members of the Misplaced Modifiers
and are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may
have been retyped and/or edited by me. For further information
see my 2016-11-26 companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
 
 
* Game 3, Round 2 - Canadiana Literature - Giller Prizewinners
 
The Scotiabank Giller Prize is a literary award given to a Canadian
author of a novel or a short-story collection published in English
the previous year. It has been awarded 22 times since 1994.
Although some years have seen two winners share the prize, there
have also been writers who won more than once, so there have been
only 21 people who have won so far, namely:
 
André Alexis | Esi Edugyan | Alice Munro
Margaret Atwood | Will Ferguson | Michael Ondaatje
David Bergen | Elizabeth Hay | David Adams Richards
Joseph Boyden | Vincent Lam | Mordecai Richler
Bonnie Burnard | Linden McIntyre | Johanna Skibsrud
Austin Clarke | Sean Michaels | M.G. Vassanji
Lynn Coady | Rohinton Mistry | Richard B. Wright
 
Given the title of a winning book (or two books by the same author)
and the date of the award, you name the author from the above list.
 
1. "The Sentimentalists", 2010.
2. "Through Black Spruce", 2008.
3. "The Polished Hoe", 2002.
4. "The Love of a Good Woman", 1998; "Runaway", 2004.
5. "Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures", 2006.
6. "Clara Callan", 2001.
7. "Fifteen Dogs", 2015.
8. "Barney's Version", 1997.
9. "The Bishop's Man", 2009.
10. "The Book of Secrets", 1994; "The In-Between World of Vikram
Lall", 2003.
 
 
* Game 3, Round 3 - Science - Gravity
 
1. Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental forces (or
interactions). Another one of the four is electromagnetism.
Name one of the other two.
 
2. In 2012, scientists determined that the speed of gravity is
the same as the speed of light. Therefore, if the Sun suddenly
disappeared, how long -- rounded to the nearest whole minute --
would it take for the Earth to start spinning out of orbit?
 
3. In a 2-body orbital system (such as the Earth and Moon), there
are 5 predictable points where the gravitational forces interact
in such a way that smaller objects such as asteroids and
spacecraft can remain in a relatively stable position relative
to the two bodies. What are these points called?
 
4. The formula to calculate the acceleration due to gravity at the
Earth's surface is Gm/r, where m is the mass of the Earth and
r is the radius of the Earth. What is G called?
 
5. Within 5% of the true number (which means that any of the
commonly quoted rounded values is acceptable), What is the
escape velocity from Earth? That is, the speed required to
escape the Earth's gravitational pull.
 
6. What is the term given to an object of such mass and gravity
that it can be observed to bend light?
 
7. What is the name given to the 84% of the universe which, although
not directly observable, is detected by gravitational effects?
 
8. This experiment has been conducted several times through history.
The earliest documented account was by Simon Stevin in 1586
at the Delft church tower in the Netherlands. He set out
to demonstrate what is now known as the "weak equivalency
principle". How did he do that?
 
9. After answering the last question, please decode the rot13.
Qnivq Fpbgg bs gur Ncbyyb 15 zvffvba pbaqhpgrq gur fnzr
rkcrevzrag ba gur zbba va 1971. Anzr *rvgure* bs gur gjb
bowrpgf gung ur qebccrq.
 
10. Geostationary satellites travel at an orbit 35,786 km above the
equator, at a speed that gives them the appearance of being
fixed in position. This orbit, or belt, is named after a
science-fiction writer who first recognized its importance in
a 1945 article. Who?
 
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "Why, I make more money than Calvin Coolidge,
msb@vex.net | put together!" -- SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
 
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Marc Dashevsky <usenet@MarcDashevsky.com>: Dec 20 12:08AM -0600

In article <FK2dnQrKSvWiWMXFnZ2dnUU7-R_NnZ2d@giganews.com>, msb@vex.net says...
 
> 1. Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental forces (or
> interactions). Another one of the four is electromagnetism.
> Name one of the other two.
strong force
 
> the same as the speed of light. Therefore, if the Sun suddenly
> disappeared, how long -- rounded to the nearest whole minute --
> would it take for the Earth to start spinning out of orbit?
9
 
 
> 4. The formula to calculate the acceleration due to gravity at the
> Earth's surface is Gm/r, where m is the mass of the Earth and
> r is the radius of the Earth. What is G called?
gravitational constant
 
> commonly quoted rounded values is acceptable), What is the
> escape velocity from Earth? That is, the speed required to
> escape the Earth's gravitational pull.
25,000 mi/hr
 
> 6. What is the term given to an object of such mass and gravity
> that it can be observed to bend light?
gravitational lens
 
> 7. What is the name given to the 84% of the universe which, although
> not directly observable, is detected by gravitational effects?
black matter
 
> at the Delft church tower in the Netherlands. He set out
> to demonstrate what is now known as the "weak equivalency
> principle". How did he do that?
he dropped objects of different masses and noted they landed simultaneously
 
> fixed in position. This orbit, or belt, is named after a
> science-fiction writer who first recognized its importance in
> a 1945 article. Who?
Arthur C. Clarke
 
 
--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.
Dan Tilque <dtilque@frontier.com>: Dec 19 11:14PM -0800

Mark Brader wrote:
 
> 1. Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental forces (or
> interactions). Another one of the four is electromagnetism.
> Name one of the other two.
 
the weak nuclear force
 
> the same as the speed of light. Therefore, if the Sun suddenly
> disappeared, how long -- rounded to the nearest whole minute --
> would it take for the Earth to start spinning out of orbit?
 
8 minutes
 
> in such a way that smaller objects such as asteroids and
> spacecraft can remain in a relatively stable position relative
> to the two bodies. What are these points called?
 
Lagrange points
 
 
> 4. The formula to calculate the acceleration due to gravity at the
> Earth's surface is Gm/r, where m is the mass of the Earth and
> r is the radius of the Earth. What is G called?
 
the gravitational constant
 
> commonly quoted rounded values is acceptable), What is the
> escape velocity from Earth? That is, the speed required to
> escape the Earth's gravitational pull.
 
11 km/sec
 
 
> 6. What is the term given to an object of such mass and gravity
> that it can be observed to bend light?
 
gravitational lense
 
 
> 7. What is the name given to the 84% of the universe which, although
> not directly observable, is detected by gravitational effects?
 
dark matter
 
> at the Delft church tower in the Netherlands. He set out
> to demonstrate what is now known as the "weak equivalency
> principle". How did he do that?
 
dropped two different masses at the same time and compared when they hit
the ground
 
> Qnivq Fpbgg bs gur Ncbyyb 15 zvffvba pbaqhpgrq gur fnzr
> rkcrevzrag ba gur zbba va 1971. Anzr *rvgure* bs gur gjb
> bowrpgf gung ur qebccrq.
 
hammer
 
> fixed in position. This orbit, or belt, is named after a
> science-fiction writer who first recognized its importance in
> a 1945 article. Who?
 
Arthur C Clarke
 
 
 
--
Dan Tilque
Marc Dashevsky <usenet@MarcDashevsky.com>: Dec 19 08:26AM -0600

In article <uOWdnYGQlaMSVMnFnZ2dnUU7-TXNnZ2d@giganews.com>, msb@vex.net says...
 
> 2. Also in 1981, he had his first major role in a film, based on
> the John Fowles novel of the same title, opposite Meryl Streep.
> Give that title.
The French Lieutenant's Woman
 
> Simon Gruber (brother of the villainous Hans Gruber, who was
> played by Alan Rickman in the original film). Name the franchise
> or the specific movie.
Die Hard
 
> 7. Irons is one of only 22 actors to win the so-called "Triple
> Crown of Acting" -- an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony. Name *any*
> of the works he won for. (Just the title will do.)
Reversal of Fortune
 
 
> 10. Irons has also done voice work in animated movies. He provided
> the voice of the villainous brother Scar in a 1994 Disney movie.
> Name the film.
Lion King
 
 
> A1. Really a great big rapids, the greatest waterfall by
> volume is Inga Falls, of which Livingstone Falls is the
> most famous part. On which river can you find them?
Congo
 
> A2. There is no standard way to measure waterfall height, but
> most experts agree that Angel Falls is the tallest in
> the world. In which country can you find it?
Venezuela
 
 
> B1. Who was "Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky,
> with hideous ruin and combustion down, to bottomless
> perdition"?
Satan
 
> B2. Which literary character seemed to have met his doom by
> being cast off a cliff into Reichenbach Falls, but was
> later revived by the author due to public pressure?
Sherlock Holmes
 
> * C. History of Falls
 
> C1. Name William Shirer's 1960 best-selling historical work
> about Germany.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
 
> C2. Name Edward Gibbon's historical masterpiece, published in
> the late 18th century.
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
 
> Earth's axis is not perpendicular to the plane of its
> orbit around the Sun, but is tilted -- by how much, plus
> or minus 1?°?
14.5
 
> E2. At which point of the compass does the Sun set on the evening
> of the fall equinox, as seen from every point on the globe?
due west
 
 
> F2. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, TV viewers in North
> America could see Yugoslavian Vinko Bogotaj ["BO-ga-tie"]
> fall horrifically every week. What show were they watching?
ABC's Wide World of Sports
 
 
--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.
msb@vex.net (Mark Brader): Dec 19 11:40PM -0600

Mark Brader:
> and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information
> see my 2016-11-26 companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
> Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
 
Game 2 is over and GARETH OWEN is the winner. Well done, sir!
Hearty congratulations!
 
 
 
> 1. The role that brought Irons fame was that of Charles Ryder,
> in a 1981 British television adaptation of an Evelyn Waugh novel.
> Name the novel.
 
"Brideshead Revisited". 4 for Joshua, Peter, Gareth, and Calvin.
 
> 2. Also in 1981, he had his first major role in a film, based on
> the John Fowles novel of the same title, opposite Meryl Streep.
> Give that title.
 
"The French Lieutenant's Woman". 4 for Joshua, Gareth, and Marc.
 
> the TV series "The Borgias", playing the role of patriarch
> Rodrigo Borgia. By what title is Rodrigo Borgia better known
> in history?
 
Pope Alexander VI. The name and number were required. 4 for
Dan Tilque.
 
> where Irons plays a dual role as identical-twin gynecologists
> -- one of them with a penchant for using bizarre gynecological
> instruments.
 
"Dead Ringers". 4 for Joshua and Gareth.
 
> 5. Irons played the Spanish Jesuit priest Father Gabriel opposite
> Robert De Niro in *which film* set in 18th-century South America?
 
"The Mission". 4 for Dan Blum and Joshua.
 
> Simon Gruber (brother of the villainous Hans Gruber, who was
> played by Alan Rickman in the original film). Name the franchise
> or the specific movie.
 
"Die Hard", "Die Hard with a Vengeance". 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua,
Pete, Gareth, Calvin, and Marc.
 
> 7. Irons is one of only 22 actors to win the so-called "Triple
> Crown of Acting" -- an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony. Name *any*
> of the works he won for. (Just the title will do.)
 
* Tony (actor in a [non-musical] play): "The Real Thing" (1984).
* Oscar (leading actor): "Reversal of Fortune" (1990).
* Emmy (supporting actor): "Elizabeth I" (2005).
* Emmy (voiceover): "The Great War and the Shaping of the Twentieth
Century" (1997); "Great War" was sufficient.
* Emmy (narrator): "Game of Lions", part of "Big Cat Week" (2013);
either title was sufficient.
 
4 for Joshua, Gareth, Calvin, and Marc.
 
> 8. In 1998, Irons played a musketeer alongside John Malkovich,
> Gérard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne in the movie "The Man in
> the Iron Mask". What was his character's name?
 
Aramis. 3 for Peter. 2 for Dan Blum and Gareth.
 
> is that the music is about to stop, and we're going to be left
> holding the biggest bag of odorous excrement ever assembled in
> the history of capitalism." Name the film.
 
"Margin Call". 4 for Gareth.
 
> 10. Irons has also done voice work in animated movies. He provided
> the voice of the villainous brother Scar in a 1994 Disney movie.
> Name the film.
 
"The Lion King". 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter, Pete,
Gareth, Calvin, and Marc.
 
 
 
> A1. Really a great big rapids, the greatest waterfall by
> volume is Inga Falls, of which Livingstone Falls is the
> most famous part. On which river can you find them?
 
Congo. 4 for Dan Blum and Marc. 2 for Pete and Gareth.
 
> A2. There is no standard way to measure waterfall height, but
> most experts agree that Angel Falls is the tallest in
> the world. In which country can you find it?
 
Venezuela. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Erland, Peter, Pete,
Gareth, and Marc. 3 for Calvin.
 
 
 
> B1. Who was "Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky,
> with hideous ruin and combustion down, to bottomless
> perdition"?
 
Lucifer. (In "Paradise Lost" by John Milton; accepting Satan, etc.)
4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter, Gareth, and Marc.
 
> B2. Which literary character seemed to have met his doom by
> being cast off a cliff into Reichenbach Falls, but was
> later revived by the author due to public pressure?
 
Sherlock Holmes. 4 for everyone -- Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque,
Erland, Peter, Pete, Gareth, Calvin, and Marc.
 
 
 
> * C. History of Falls
 
> C1. Name William Shirer's 1960 best-selling historical work
> about Germany.
 
"The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". 4 for Joshua, Dan Tilque,
Pete, Gareth, Calvin, and Marc.
 
> C2. Name Edward Gibbon's historical masterpiece, published in
> the late 18th century.
 
"The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". (The key
words from "Decline" -- not Rise this time! -- onward were required.)
4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter, and Marc.
 
 
> * D. Fall TV and Movies
 
> D1. Fall TV: Who plays DSI Stella Gibson in the BBC Drama
> "The Fall", set in Northern Ireland?
 
Gillian Anderson. 4 for Gareth.
 
> D2. Fall Movie: Who plays the patriarch of the Ludlow clan in
> the 1994 epic drama "Legends of the Fall"?
 
Anthony Hopkins. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Gareth, and Calvin.
 
 
> Earth's axis is not perpendicular to the plane of its
> orbit around the Sun, but is tilted -- by how much, plus
> or minus 1½°?
 
23.5° (accepting 22-25°). 4 for Dan Blum, Dan Tilque, Erland,
Gareth, and Calvin.
 
> E2. At which point of the compass does the Sun set on the evening
> of the fall equinox, as seen from every point on the globe?
 
West (270°), duh. 4 for Dan Blum, Dan Tilque, Erland, Peter, Gareth,
Calvin, and Marc.
 
 
> runner Zola Budd may or may not have caused an American
> runner to fall during the women's 3,000 m event. Name the
> American runner.
 
Mary Decker (now Mary Decker Slaney). 4 for Joshua, Peter, Gareth,
and Calvin.
 
> F2. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, TV viewers in North
> America could see Yugoslavian Vinko Bogotaj ["BO-ga-tie"]
> fall horrifically every week. What show were they watching?
 
ABC's "Wide World of Sports". (In the opening-title sequence,
as the announcer spoke of "the agony of defeat".) 4 for Dan Blum,
Joshua, Dan Tilque, Pete, Gareth, and Marc.
 
 
Scores, if there are no errors:
 
GAME 2 ROUNDS-> 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 BEST
TOPICS-> Geo Spo Lit Can His Sci Ent Cha SIX
Gareth Owen 28 27 32 0 36 23 30 42 195
Joshua Kreitzer 35 28 28 0 36 21 28 32 187
Dan Blum 28 21 34 0 24 11 14 36 157
Marc Dashevsky 19 24 8 0 24 20 16 32 135
Dan Tilque 32 16 20 4 24 8 8 32 132
Pete Gayde 18 28 12 3 24 6 8 18 108
Peter Smyth 24 16 12 0 16 0 11 24 103
Erland Sommarskog 31 8 8 0 12 16 0 16 91
"Calvin" 23 24 -- -- -- -- 16 27 90
Bruce Bowler 12 20 -- -- -- -- -- -- 32
 
--
Mark Brader "One should never listen to oneself.
Toronto I mean, who are one to judge?"
msb@vex.net -- Barry Etheridge
 
My text in this article is in the public domain.
"Peter Smyth" <smythp@gmail.com>: Dec 19 10:47AM

Calvin wrote:
 
> 1 Which British physicist and engineer (1824-1907) is credited with
> coining the term "kinetic energy"?
Watt
> 2 Which country was runner-up in both the 1974 and 1978 football
> (soccer) World Cups?
Netherlands
> 3 According to the Gospels, at which site immediately outside the
> walls of Jerusalem was Jesus crucified?
Calvary
> 4 What 6-letter word is both a car part and a collective name for
> eggs?
Clutch
> 5 How may basic positions are there in modern-day classical ballet?
Five
> 6 Which mathematician and astronomer (1571-1630) is remembered for
> his three laws of planetary motion?
Kepler
> 7 Which author (1927-2001) wrote the "Bourne Identity", "The Bourne
> Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"?
Ludlum
> 8 In which US state are the Bonneville Salt Flats where many land
> speed records have been set?
New Mexico
> 9 By what name do the Japanese call Japan?
 
> 10 Which sport do the Baltimore Ravens play professionally?
American Football
 
Peter Smyth
Marc Dashevsky <usenet@MarcDashevsky.com>: Dec 19 08:10AM -0600

In article <4c6a610a-2ef7-427f-8cd7-5500334f9a48@googlegroups.com>, 334152@gmail.com says...
 
> 1 Which British physicist and engineer (1824-1907) is credited with coining the term "kinetic energy"?
> 2 Which country was runner-up in both the 1974 and 1978 football (soccer) World Cups?
> 3 According to the Gospels, at which site immediately outside the walls of Jerusalem was Jesus crucified?
Golgotha
 
> 4 What 6-letter word is both a car part and a collective name for eggs?
clutch
 
> 5 How may basic positions are there in modern-day classical ballet?
> 6 Which mathematician and astronomer (1571-1630) is remembered for his three laws of planetary motion?
Johannes Kepler
 
> 7 Which author (1927-2001) wrote the "Bourne Identity", "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"?
Robert Ludlum
 
> 8 In which US state are the Bonneville Salt Flats where many land speed records have been set?
Utah
 
> 9 By what name do the Japanese call Japan?
> 10 Which sport do the Baltimore Ravens play professionally?
American football
 
 
 
--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.
msb@vex.net (Mark Brader): Dec 18 09:27PM -0600

"Calvin":
> 1 Which British physicist and engineer (1824-1907) is credited
> with coining the term "kinetic energy"?
 
Huh, I would've guessed that was older. Let's see, Maxwell?
 
> 2 Which country was runner-up in both the 1974 and 1978
> football (soccer) World Cups?
 
Italy?
 
> 3 According to the Gospels, at which site immediately outside
> the walls of Jerusalem was Jesus crucified?
 
Calvary?
 
> 4 What 6-letter word is both a car part and a collective name
> for eggs?
 
Clutch. Tricky, considering that they've been obsolete since the
automatic transmission was developed.
 
> 5 How may basic positions are there in modern-day classical ballet?
 
> 6 Which mathematician and astronomer (1571-1630) is remembered
> for his three laws of planetary motion?
 
Kepler.
 
> 7 Which author (1927-2001) wrote the "Bourne Identity", "The
> Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"?
 
Ludlum.
 
> 8 In which US state are the Bonneville Salt Flats where many
> land speed records have been set?
 
Utah.
 
> 9 By what name do the Japanese call Japan?
 
Nihon, also rendered as Nippon.
 
> 10 Which sport do the Baltimore Ravens play professionally?
 
American football.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "How many killers do we know who'd use a semicolon?"
msb@vex.net --Delia Peabody (Nora Roberts as J.D. Robb)
 
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com>: Dec 19 06:41PM


> 1 Which British physicist and engineer (1824-1907) is credited with
> coining the term "kinetic energy"?
 
Kelvin?
 
> 2 Which country was runner-up in both the 1974 and 1978 football
> (soccer) World Cups?
 
Netherlands
 
> 3 According to the Gospels, at which site immediately outside the
> walls of Jerusalem was Jesus crucified?
 
Golgotha
 
> 4 What 6-letter word is both a car part and a collective name for
> eggs?
 
Clutch
 
> 5 How may basic positions are there in modern-day classical ballet?
 
5
 
> 6 Which mathematician and astronomer (1571-1630) is remembered for his
> three laws of planetary motion?
 
Kepler
 
> 7 Which author (1927-2001) wrote the "Bourne Identity", "The Bourne
> Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"?
 
Ludlum
 
> 8 In which US state are the Bonneville Salt Flats where many land
> speed records have been set?
 
Utah
 
> 9 By what name do the Japanese call Japan?
 
Nippon
 
> 10 Which sport do the Baltimore Ravens play professionally?
 
What all right thinking people call American Football
swp <Stephen.W.Perry@gmail.com>: Dec 19 07:48PM -0800

On Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 10:20:44 PM UTC-5, Calvin wrote:
> 1 Which British physicist and engineer (1824-1907) is credited with coining the term "kinetic energy"?
 
lord kelvin
 
> 2 Which country was runner-up in both the 1974 and 1978 football (soccer) World Cups?
 
the netherlands
 
> 3 According to the Gospels, at which site immediately outside the walls of Jerusalem was Jesus crucified?
 
golgatha
 
> 4 What 6-letter word is both a car part and a collective name for eggs?
 
clutch
 
> 5 How may basic positions are there in modern-day classical ballet?
 
five
 
> 6 Which mathematician and astronomer (1571-1630) is remembered for his three laws of planetary motion?
 
j. kepler
 
> 7 Which author (1927-2001) wrote the "Bourne Identity", "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"?
 
r. ludlum
 
> 8 In which US state are the Bonneville Salt Flats where many land speed records have been set?
 
utah
 
> 9 By what name do the Japanese call Japan?
 
nippon
 
> 10 Which sport do the Baltimore Ravens play professionally?
 
football (american style)
 
 
swp, who is only mostly dead
Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com>: Dec 19 06:39PM


> On the grounds that "-ee" (as in "fiancee") is closer to being a
> feminine suffix in English than "-elle" is, I nominate Gareth Owen
> to run RQ 241, if he's prepared to do it.
 
I am happy to do so but only on the grounds that the score was judged as
a tie.
Erland Sommarskog <esquel@sommarskog.se>: Dec 19 07:56PM +0100

> On the grounds that "-ee" (as in "fiancee") is closer to being a
> feminine suffix in English than "-elle" is, I nominate Gareth Owen
> to run RQ 241, if he's prepared to do it.
 
Chris did not state any tie breaker. Since Mark and Gareth has exactly
the same questions correctly, so the common rule of "he who answers the
most difficult question" cannot be applied. Another common rule is the
order of the answers, and I note that Mark posted his slate a few
hours before Gareth.
 
Then again, I like the idea of judging the incorrect answers as that
is the principle I usually apply myself. I'm not really keen on
making a statement here, but I will have to confess that I find -ee
flat wrong. In "fiancée" the suffix is really only -e. -ee as a suffix
does indeed exist in English and is productive, but in that case it
is genderless, meaning the person or thing who is the object of some
action. As one example of such a word, which I saw the other day, consider
this: feedbackee.
 
(It was an internal site for feedback on colleagues at multi-national
corporation with its head office in Finland.)
 
 
--
Erland Sommarskog, Stockholm, esquel@sommarskog.se
msb@vex.net (Mark Brader): Dec 19 03:27PM -0600

Mark Brader:
> > On the grounds that "-ee" (as in "fiancee") is closer to being a
> > feminine suffix in English than "-elle" is, I nominate Gareth Owen
> > to run RQ 241, if he's prepared to do it.
 
Erland Sommarskog:
> Another common rule is the order of the answers, and I note that Mark
> posted his slate a few hours before Gareth.
 
I did do that.

> Then again, I like the idea of judging the incorrect answers...
 
That was not my intent. My intent was to estimate the likelihood
that the answers given would be ruled as alternative *correct* answers
in the view of the moderator.
 
> In "fiancée" the suffix is really only -e.
 
In the masculine forms "divorce" and "fiance" (this is English, we
ain't got no need for accents), the -e is a suffix indicating the
person that an action has been done to, which also occurs in words
like "employee" but spelled as -ee. (In fact the spelling "employe"
has also been used in the past.)
 
Then you can either take the view that to make the word feminine
you (A) add a second suffix -e, or that (B) you replace the masculine
suffix -e with its feminine version -ee. I think the fact that -ee
also exists as a sexless version of the suffix is evidence in favor
of interpretation B, so there's a strong case for Gareth's answer.
--
Mark Brader | "This was followed by a vocal response which
Toronto | would now be reserved for kicking a ball in a net."
msb@vex.net | --Derrick Beckett
 
My text in this article is in the public domain.
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