The Sardonic Thread

[Bob]

Hey all,

Having recently finished reading Hawkmoon and having thoroughly enjoyed everything else I have read so far by Mr. Moorcock, I couldn't help but notice that the use of 'sardonic' is particularly frequent, notably in Hawkmoon's and Elric's tales. On occasion I've found its use oddly amusing such as the squirrel with sardonic eyes! :D

[Michael Moorcock]

I guess you don't see as many squirrels as I do, especially when they've finally cracked a route through to the bird-feeder... :) I guess I'm just a sardonic sort of guy. I think it probably still is a word I over-use, but not quite as much as I did!

[PsychicWarVeteran]

I noticed the use of the word "sardonic" a lot, too, especially in the early Elric stories, but whenever I got a notion it was being over-used, I found that there was no other word with which to accurately replace it. "Cynically mocking" is just cumbersome and words like "ironic," "sarcastic," and "scornful" just don't carry the same weight or meaning. Indeed it seems there really is no direct synonym for sardonic.

[Michael Moorcock]

Sardonic also implies an element of self-mockery, which is a quality Elric has and which to some extent you'll find in my style, too, though perhaps ironic is a better word there. If you can use it in your style it means you are in a sense telling more than one story in the same breath, or at least offering more than one interpretation of the same actions or statements.
It suits Elric's character particularly well, since the poor bugger isn't always sure whether he's bowling or batting, as we say in cricket terminology.... :)

[Tales from Tanelorn]

Hey, I think this might mean that I am often being "sardonic" (self mocking), though too much is probable bad for one's self esteem..

[Anonymous]

Interesting how many authours have favorite words, one of my favorites is Conan Doyles 'singular'! like 'Sardonic' a truly excellent word.

[Krieghetzer]

Salute,
I am new here and when I saw this thread I couldn't help but laugh. I agree, sardonic is used quite a bit, but I enjoy that is a nice little touch reminds us that we are reading MM rather in a new world.

[Jules]

See if you can guess the author from the word :
Chitinous.


(Clue : 60s SF Author with more film adaptations than Mike).

[Bill]

Arthur C. Clarke?

(I added the "?" since mine is only a guess like the others).

[Michael Moorcock]

Lovecraft ?

[Michael Moorcock]

Clarke, eh ? Wouldn't have been my first guess.
Well, evidently it wouldn't.... :)

[Whiskers]

Alan Dean Foster?

[Jules]

PKD - maybe no one else noticed it, but is was one of those things where it just seemed to stick out more and more - mostly in the early short stories, almost every alien seemed to be chitinous.

'Hurry Watson - there cannot be too many one-legged chitinous men in London'

[titmouser]

Just looked up chitinous and I still don't know what a chitinous alien would look like. Or a one-legged chitinous man. I feel unprepared for the world around me.

[Anonymous]

Overused words

Lovecraft ?

Lovecraft's most overused word is definately "cyclopean".We are thinking of kicking him out of Hell as even da Boss is getting irritated by H.P.'s incessant cyclopeanizing! :twisted: