Nov 8, 2018 09:50
5 yrs ago
English term

Scrik

English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
She groped for an ornate speaking tube, but Moist took it gently from her hand, whistled expertly down it, lifted it to his ear and flashed her a smile.
[…]
A voice in his ear, faint as a spider trapped in a matchbox, said: ‘Scitich wabble nabnab?’
‘Hugo? ’ said Moist. ‘It’s good of you to make time for me. It’s Moist, Moist von Lipwig. Postmaster General.’ He glanced at the speaking tube. It disappeared into the ceiling. ‘So kind of you to assist us, Hugo. It’s these missing letters. Five missing letters, to be exact.’
‘*Scrik*? Shabadatwik? Scritch vit bottofix!’
‘Don’t really carry that kind of thing, Hugo, but if you’d care to look out of your window you’ll see my personal assistant, Mr Pump. He’s standing on the other side of the street.’
And he’s eight feet tall and carrying a huge crowbar, Moist added mentally. He winked at the lady
sitting at the desk, who was watching him in a kind of awe. You had to keep people skills polished at all times.
He heard the muffled expletive through the floor. Via the speaking tube it became ‘Vugrs nickbibble!’
--quoted from Going Postal (2004, fantasy fiction) by Terry Pratchett (link: http://www.8novelsread.com/read/going-postal/334910)

Sorry for the length, but I have to. The context is that: Hugo, who said the weird words, had stolen some metal letters of a slogan sign from the post office to make his own sign, and Moist, Postmaster General, asked Hugo to return the letters with threat and succeeded, despite his reluctance.
The three lines said by Hugo were distorted by a speaking tube and became a voice "as a spider trapped in a matchbox", so left me three riddles to be cracked.
Now, the first line "Scitich wabble nabnab" may be "Is it corporal Nobby Nobbs". Here is my question about it: https://chi.proz.com/kudoz/english/poetry-literature/6586483...
The third line "Vugrs nickbibble!" may be "buggers nickable". Here is my question about it: https://chi.proz.com/kudoz/english/poetry-literature/6586031...

"Scrik" is the first part of the second line to be cracked.
Thank you very much for your participation!

Discussion

updownK (asker) Nov 9, 2018:
@philgoddard Maybe. But I have to find a way to deal with this part, or I cannot explain why Moist can talk with Hugo, apparently with no diffculty.
philgoddard Nov 9, 2018:
Sorry, but I think you're wrong.
updownK (asker) Nov 8, 2018:
Summary of the 3 line of 5 riddles: Scitich wabble nabnab? = Is it corporal Nobby Nobbs? (by Ajin Im)
Scrik? = Excuse me? (my wild guess)
Shabadatwik? = So what's it have to do with me? (by Yvonne Gallagher)
Scritch vit bottofix! = Screw your post office! (my wild guess, not perfect for "Scritch vit", but fits Moist 's answer "Don’t really carry that kind of thing (screw)")
Vugrs nickbibble = buggers nickable (by David Hollywood, not perfect for "nickbibble")

Responses

18 hrs
Selected

Crikey! Cripes!

another guess since no one else has offered anything (other than "rubbish")

Of course he could be saying these are the 5 missing letters (except they aren't!)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 1 hr (2018-11-11 11:23:06 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have been able to help.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you for your continuous help!"
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search