"He's so old, he studied the quadrivium."

[Robb]

Also known as "tell a joke no one will get" thread. :yoiks"

[trof]

1. The quadrivium

TGFG*

The quadrivium was comprised of the four subjects taught in medieval universities after the trivium. The word is Latin, meaning "the four ways" or "the four roads": the completion of the liberal arts.

At many medieval universities, such as Oxford, this would have been the principal postgraduate course leading to the degree of Master of Arts. After the MA the student could enter for Bachelor's degrees of the higher faculties, such as Music. To this day some of the postgraduate degree courses lead to the degree of Bachelor (the B.Phil and B.Litt degrees are examples in the field of philosophy).

In medieval educational theory, the quadrivium consisted of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. These followed the preparatory work of the trivium, made up of grammar, logic (or dialectic) and rhetoric. In turn, the quadrivium was considered preparatory work for the serious study of philosophy and theology.

The quadrivium could be considered as the study of number: arithmetic was pure number, geometry was number in space, music number in time, and astronomy number in space and time.

This schema is sometimes referred to as classical education, but it is more accurately a development of the 12th and 13th centuries rather than an organic growth from the educational systems of antiquity.


*Thank God For Google

[intrepid_wanderer]

2. I wooooduh guessed

... something close, but,


COOL


thanks :-)

[Robb]

3. I wonder...

...is making a joke make sense sort of like blowing the punchline? :D

[billyskank]

4. It does attenuate the hilarity a little

:)

[billyskank]

5. That sounds pretty interesting

They should do that course again! :bounce:

[KittyWampus]

21. how interesting! Thanks

[khashka]

6. I get it...

And it is kinda funny..... in a dry sort of way.


On the other hand.... it's a little too true. Being in love with a man who was apparently born in the 13th century and probably spouts Latin in the heat of passion.....


The wonders of a British public school education!


Khash.

[NoPasaran]

7. LOL!

You made me spit up vinum diachytum all over my tabula!

[Robb]

8. Homminus Domminus

You'll be ok. ;)

[tjwmason]

9. They're the best.

I got it immediately - though my response was to ponder whether we should go back to teaching the quadrivium.

My two favourites are:

"He's so clever he can tell the difference between Claret and Bordeaux"

"He's the sort of man that would wear a waist-coat" (this one relies on pronunciation with the two component parts of waistcoat being fully pronounced rather than pushed together as wesc't).

[billyskank]

11. I always pronounce it "waist coat"

what does that say about me?

BTW, khash thinks you probably spout latin in the heat of passion. ;)

[tjwmason]

12. Nothing really.

Other than that you're normal - thankfully you don't know the difference between a claret and a bordeaux (that one is actually an insult).

Was he talking about me there? I'm much more 16th than 13th century.

Anyway, how's you this fine evening? :hi:

[Robb]

13. There's one difference, usually

Claret is priced in pounds, almost exlusively. ;)

[tjwmason]

14. That's because we British are lazy sods

and can't be bothered to learn how to pronounce dodgy foreign words like bordeaux.

[billyskank]

15. A bit lonely, actually

It's the regular long dark tea-time of the soul that always happens on Sunday night when the lounge is particularly slow.

I assumed he was referring to you. But yes, I think you're much more of a Renaissance Man. :hi:

[tjwmason]

17. It is very quiet in here.

I'm sort of reading at the same time - the source of the magnificent quote "No one is fool enough to choose war instead of peace - in peace sons bury fathers, but in war father bury sons" - clearly Solon never met Mr. Blair.

Normally at this time on a Sunday I'm making soup for the week (which as an activity is incredibly relaxing), but I'm going to do that tomorrow this week.

Perhaps I should start an "entertain billyskank" thread - but it would probably only show how empty the Lounge is. x(

As for Khash - well goodness only knows to whom he was referring, a complete flibberty-gibbet. I noticed though that we both got staring roles in his unfounded rumours.

[billyskank]

18. Probably take a rain check on the "entertain billyskank" thread

:hug:



(Sorry for using that americanism).

[billyskank]

19. Too late

:rofl:

[tjwmason]

20. Whoopsy

For that brief moment it appeared better than Arcesilaus jollying off to Barca.

[In_The_Wind]

22. Oh my. I was taking a shower.

[billyskank]

23. Joani!

:hi: :hug:

[In_The_Wind]

24. I may miss saying good night to you. I'll be heading out soon.

:loveya:

[billyskank]

25. You enjoy your shopping, sweetie

:hug:

[barb162]

10. He's so old he was born in BC

[supernova]

16. I'm so old, I understood that joke

Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk.

Ah the wonders of having a degree in English. ;-)