[ANSTHRLD] Looking for Info on Branches

Tim McDaniel tmcd at panix.com
Wed Sep 12 15:49:05 PDT 2007


On Wed, 12 Sep 2007, Robert Wade <logiosophia at yahoo.com> wrote:
> tmcd at panix.com:
>> Note "Collegium": as you know, Bob, colleges can go dormant without
>> disbanding.
>
> Rhiannon, the one with the good memory, is Debbie.  Tostig, the one
> who went dormant, is Bob.  Have never been mistaken for my better
> half before.  Thanks for the compliment.

Um, actually, I'd forgotten you were Bob (or Robert).
"As you know, Bob" is a phrase out of SF literary criticism.
<http://www.sfwa.org/writing/turkeycity.html> defines it:

     A pernicious form of info-dump through dialogue, in which
     characters tell each other things they already know, for the sake
     of getting the reader up-to-speed. This very common technique is
     also known as "Rod and Don dialogue" (attr. Damon Knight) or "maid
     and butler dialogue" (attr Algis Budrys).

Daniel de Lindo Colonia
-- 
Tim McDaniel, tmcd at panix.com



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