Comments on: Speak of the Devil! http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: Stephen Thorn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/comment-page-1/#comment-163440 Stephen Thorn Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:42:35 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2144#comment-163440 Maeve, other terms to include would be "diabolical" (not actual "devil" but closely related; "daredevil"; "(to) bedevil someone"; "devil's quotes" (this may be largely regional -- it refers to the Christian idea that even the Devil may quote scripture for his own ends. It means information that has been twisted or spun to present a specific point of view in order to advance the speaker's agenda.); the various plants that have names including devil-related terms; and "whistling up the devil," which refers to the nervous whistling a person may do to ward off fear (like when walking past a cemetary at night, for example). Maeve, other terms to include would be “diabolical” (not actual “devil” but closely related; “daredevil”; “(to) bedevil someone”; “devil’s quotes” (this may be largely regional — it refers to the Christian idea that even the Devil may quote scripture for his own ends. It means information that has been twisted or spun to present a specific point of view in order to advance the speaker’s agenda.); the various plants that have names including devil-related terms; and “whistling up the devil,” which refers to the nervous whistling a person may do to ward off fear (like when walking past a cemetary at night, for example).

]]> By: Stephen Thorn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/comment-page-1/#comment-163437 Stephen Thorn Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:34:25 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2144#comment-163437 Yaniv is correct. In my studies on occultism, black witchcraft, demonology, and related fields, Lucifer is the official name of the primary (boss) demon in Hell. Beelzebub, Astaroth, Asmodeus, Astarte, Belial, Leviathan, and many, many others are separate and individual spirit beings. Of course, for many people the terms are largely interchangeable, but the note should be made if you're writing involves these beings -- you can bet there will be someone out there who will call you on the carpet if your usage is incorrect. Yaniv is correct. In my studies on occultism, black witchcraft, demonology, and related fields, Lucifer is the official name of the primary (boss) demon in Hell. Beelzebub, Astaroth, Asmodeus, Astarte, Belial, Leviathan, and many, many others are separate and individual spirit beings. Of course, for many people the terms are largely interchangeable, but the note should be made if you’re writing involves these beings — you can bet there will be someone out there who will call you on the carpet if your usage is incorrect.

]]> By: Stephen Thorn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/comment-page-1/#comment-163429 Stephen Thorn Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:27:25 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2144#comment-163429 Maeve, I might suggest double-checking the "printer's devil" expression. It was my understanding that the term referred to the compartmentalized wooden tray that holds all the little metal letter stamps used in a printing press. If that tray got tipped over and the letters spilled the printer would need hours and hours reorganizing the tray (having a devil of a time in the process). This was told to me when my grade-school class trip visited a recreated colonial American village; the man working the old-time printing press told us that was where the term "printer's devil" came from. Maeve, I might suggest double-checking the “printer’s devil” expression. It was my understanding that the term referred to the compartmentalized wooden tray that holds all the little metal letter stamps used in a printing press. If that tray got tipped over and the letters spilled the printer would need hours and hours reorganizing the tray (having a devil of a time in the process). This was told to me when my grade-school class trip visited a recreated colonial American village; the man working the old-time printing press told us that was where the term “printer’s devil” came from.

]]> By: Peter http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/comment-page-1/#comment-117653 Peter Wed, 06 May 2009 01:37:44 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2144#comment-117653 <i>One punishment in the old sailing days was being “keel hauled”, they would tie a line in a circle around the circumference of the ship, then they would attach the unfortunate sailor to this line, throw him overboard and pull the line on the other side until the sailor was dragged under the ship and finally come out the opposite side of the ship. If he held his breath long enough he would live.</i> The hull of the ship would have been covered in barnacles. The keel-haulee would be flayed. Seems very unlikely anyone could survive that, sans modern medicine (antibiotics, in particular), even if he could hold his breath. One punishment in the old sailing days was being “keel hauled”, they would tie a line in a circle around the circumference of the ship, then they would attach the unfortunate sailor to this line, throw him overboard and pull the line on the other side until the sailor was dragged under the ship and finally come out the opposite side of the ship. If he held his breath long enough he would live.

The hull of the ship would have been covered in barnacles. The keel-haulee would be flayed. Seems very unlikely anyone could survive that, sans modern medicine (antibiotics, in particular), even if he could hold his breath.

]]> By: PreciseEdit http://www.dailywritingtips.com/speak-of-the-devil/comment-page-1/#comment-117542 PreciseEdit Tue, 05 May 2009 17:24:40 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2144#comment-117542 Ok, to give the devil his due, I had remembered one: make a deal with the devil. Ok, to give the devil his due, I had remembered one: make a deal with the devil.

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