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| The Meaning of Liff | 
 enlarge | Authors: Douglas Adams, John Lloyd
Publisher: Pan Books
Category: Book
List Price: £6.99
Buy Used: £0.01
You Save: £6.98 (100%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (11 reviews)
Sales Rank: 3830
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown)
Media: Paperback
Pages: 191
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6 x 3.9 x 0.6
ISBN: 0330281216
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780330281218
ASIN: 0330281216
Publication Date: November 11, 1983
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 The Meaningless of Liff. July 30, 2008
In `The Meaning of Liff' Douglas Adams and John Lloyd have expanded the English language by noting down the meaningless names that lie underused on signpost and attribute new purpose to them covering the common experiences we have yet to assign a word to.
Depford(n).
The Disappointment one feels when our favourite author puts out a book not worthy of their name.
Twinning(n).
The nagging sensation the reader feels that he has been swindled out of five pounds that would have been better served giving to a barmaid in return for a couple of pints of beer or indeed burning.
Lepton(n).
The disconcerting feeling that some people will love the said book and Leap-Upon any critic daring to say it's rubbish.
 Pure joy March 18, 2008
If you love words and curious sounding place names, and the funny little foibles of existence, if you love silliness, then you must read this book!
Some people have described it as wordplay, but it's not wordplay in the sense of puns. It's playing with words in the sense of having fun with the silly, illogical images that the words somehow evoke, and it is the capturing of little things that you never think about but which could definitely use a name of their own.
I've only read this version, but apparently the following book was an extended and updated version.
The original, ground-breaking pocket editon of LIFF July 5, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Quite simply one of the very cleverest books. Have you ever read a dictionary? Did you remember much? No?
Well, this effect extends to TMOL (The Meaning Of Liff), because it is a 'dictionary' like no other.
All those needed but un-named words that describe everyday situations (standing in the kitchen, wondering why you are there = "Woking") have been listed and described without coining a single word.
By re-using place names no new words have been created, only new meanings. Humorous meanings, mostly, although some are plain waspish! The authors take their revenge on people and places that have (presumably) given offence.
And the advantage of the dictionary format is that all this wisdom and humour can be read and re-read almost indefinitely, since it is (after all) so hard to remember things when you read a dictionary. This small book will pass time for ages, and every loo should have one. Also suitable for cars, boats, and (especially) light aircraft with luggage limits.
First draft to The Deeper Meaning of Liff, save your pennies September 1, 2004
100 out of 107 found this review helpful
I am deeply disappointed that both books are still in circulation. The Deeper Meaning of Liff (TDMOF) is an updated edition of The Meaning of Liff (TMOF), it contains all the definitions found in TMOF and a significant number more. So why oh why is TMOF still being sold???? Don't make the same mistake I did, I bought both together.
Essential reading. November 2, 2003
29 out of 31 found this review helpful
First read the original version on the York to London train in April 1984, and by Stevenage was reading it aloud to my half of the carriage. My four children have been brought up on scullets, duddos, aboynes, goosnarge, kent expressions and, of course, clixbys. I have frequently been threatened with matricide for being exessively spreakly, but have never been accused of a ditherington. My husband has a fondness for my budbys, and has had consirable experience of poonas. I've had plenty of episodes of silesia, been occasionally duntish after being extremely solent, endured many a hoylake, committed the occasional hidcote bartram and have often been observed kelling. I'm also very adept at losing things in fiunaries. Anyone who understands some - or most of this - is at least as sad as I am, but probably, also like me, has more fun in life than many people.. Now have a copy of the Deeper Meaning, but haven't learned as many new words now my family have grown & flown. I still think a runcorn could be an athletes affliction, slimbridge a dieter's scales, and saundersfoot the irritating tapping made someone who is enjoying the sort of music you can't stand! Maybe they'll be an Even Deeper Meaning of Liff?
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