Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Random Wikipedia fun

From the entry on "Ook":

Ook is the only word of the Orangutan language as spoken by orangutans in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett — specifically, by the Librarian of the Unseen University.

The word ook can mean (via intonation) any word, meaningful or not. So, for example, Ook-ook can be a long speech, an emphatic denial, or a shout of joy. On rare occasions the Librarian has been known to expand his vocabulary to include oook, gook, and, in times of stress, the high pitched eek and eeek.

According to the Librarian, who is patiently compiling an orangutan-human dictionary, definitions include:

  • Ook. Excuse me, but that's my rubber ring you're hanging in.
  • Ook. Oh, I do beg your pardon, I didn't realise there was a dominant male in this group.
  • Ook. I'll Just go and sit over here very quietly, shall I?
  • Ook. You're out of your tree. This is my tree.
  • Ook. Yes.
  • Ook. No.
  • Ook. Banana.
  • Ook. It may be a vital oxygenating biomass to you, but it's home to me.

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