# "Dragonslayer" nitpick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422 "2007-05-02T04:54:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/41 "2007-05-03T10:14:22Z")
The plural of scum is a friend of mine who has a law degree and works as a car salesman, no? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/42 "2007-05-03T11:05:41Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] If the plural of “forum” is “fora,” and the plural of “auditorium” is “auditoria,” what is the plural of “scum”? 🙂 [/QUOTE] “Republicans” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/43 "2007-05-04T05:22:02Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] [The Doomfarers of Coramonde by Brian Daley](http://www.amazon.com/Doomfarers-Coramonde-Brian-Daley/dp/0345339533/ref=sr_1_2/104-5126329-0350315?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178179709&sr=1-2); it has a sequel, _The Starfarers of Coramonde_. Quite good. [/QUOTE] Thanks Der Declan ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/44 "2007-05-04T15:13:55Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] If the plural of “forum” is “fora,” and the plural of “auditorium” is “auditoria,” what is the plural of “scum”? 🙂 [/QUOTE] Well, unlike “forum” and “auditorium”, “scum” isn’t a latinate word; it probably comes from Middle Dutch. I guess the plural would simply be “scums”. There’s nothing lamer than a play on words that requires ignorance to work. Also note that the acronym “SCA” (sometimes pronounced as a word, sometimes as initials) is itself singular. Summing up: your joke is stupid and makes no sense. I hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/45 "2007-05-04T15:34:43Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Since we’re talking about _Dragonslayer_, I thought I’d mention that Caitlin Clarke, who played Valerian, would have been 55 tomorrow (May 3). Unfortunately she died a few years ago of ovarian cancer. Damn shame. [/QUOTE] I was surprised to find out that she was 29 when the film came out. Valerian was a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/46 "2007-05-04T16:26:43Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] There’s nothing lamer than a play on words that requires ignorance to work. [/QUOTE] Except, just possibly, a labored explanation of why a joke makes no sense… ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/47 "2007-05-04T17:46:44Z")
…unless, of course, such an explanation were itself intended as a good-natured spoof of SCA pedantry; in which case consider me whooshed. Needless to say, I’m extremely defensive when people condemn humor that requires ignorance to work. It’s the only kind of humor I can enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/48 "2007-05-04T20:39:36Z")
Not to hijack this thread, but can I thank you dopers? I read about books & authors you recommend (in this case, Esther Friesner) online & request them from the local library. Sometimes they’re a bit dusty when they come in (as in A Cantacle for Liebowitz), but I always enjoy them. Nice to be in a group of not just hate-this-screw-that, but respondents who think. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422/49 "2007-05-10T14:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] …unless, of course, such an explanation were itself intended as a good-natured spoof of SCA pedantry; in which case consider me whooshed. [/QUOTE] Yes it was, but I should have laid it on a little thicker to distinguish it from my normal pedantry. The SCA has plenty of pompous windbags, that’s for sure. (I was also hoping that your joke was good-natured, and not a real insult.) And my apologies for the drive-by. Totally forgot about this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dragonslayer-nitpick/402422.md?page=2)