Author Topic: Trivia: Person from Porlock  (Read 4025 times)

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Offline Phidippides

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Trivia: Person from Porlock
« on: January 11, 2011, 06:02:42 PM »
Without looking:

What person or text is the term "Person from Porlock" most closely associated with? 
"Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses" ~Juvenal

Offline scout1067

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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2011, 08:10:23 AM »
No clue.  Is it a literary reference?  Fishing for a hint here before I resort to the dreaded Wikipedia ;D
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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2011, 08:10:23 AM »

Offline Phidippides

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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2011, 11:09:52 AM »
Its association is with a literary figure (a poet), and the phrase "Person for Porlock" is an expression that is apparently used even today.  Thus, this trivia question will help give you a useful phrase to drop into your conversations from time to time.  ;D
"Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses" ~Juvenal

Offline scout1067

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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2011, 01:26:27 PM »
I finally figured it out, I think. ???  Doesn't the "person from Porlock" have to with Coleridge and Xanadu somehow?
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Offline Phidippides

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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2011, 02:25:05 PM »
Sorry about the delay in getting back.  Yes, you are right - it was Samuel Taylor Coleridge who mentioned the "Person from Porlock" as being responsible for interrupting him as he was recalling his dream which was the source of his unfinished Kubla Kahn poem.  I read a bit about it on this page about facts on dreaming (it's #9). 

Wikipedia says that "'Person from Porlock', 'Man from Porlock', or just 'Porlock' are literary allusions to unwanted intruders."  I will be on the lookout for such a reference in texts and/or speeches in the future. 
"Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses" ~Juvenal

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Re: Trivia: Person from Porlock
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2011, 02:25:05 PM »