# I even have some small knowledge of phrenology

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 25, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197 "2013-10-25T11:27:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197/21 "2013-10-27T22:32:01Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> The song can’t have been from _Pinafore_, because one of the Major-General’s accomplishments is that he “can sing every word of that infernal nonsense Pinafore”.

“whistle every air…”

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**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197/22 "2013-10-28T00:26:47Z")

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Reminded me of Dr Schultz in Django Unchained…

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197/23 "2013-10-28T00:38:40Z")

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Aside: If you Google for “Infernal nonsense Pinafore”, the second hit is [an SDMB thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=624475).

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**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197/24 "2013-10-28T02:17:01Z")

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> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> Nope. Not G&S. But there have been any number of variations played on the Major General’s song, depending upon the performers and what is most likely to appear as useless book-learning to the immediate audience.

If the sought-after phrase doesn’t appear in any of them, it should. Perhaps a “mad scientist” version. It would have to be adjusted a bit to fit, however. “I’ve even a passing knowledge of surveys phrenological”?

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-even-have-some-small-knowledge-of-phrenology/672197/25 "2013-10-28T07:51:50Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Aside: If you Google for “Infernal nonsense Pinafore”, the second hit is [an SDMB thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=624475).

And to correct myself, the words are "whistle _all the airs_ from that infernal nonsense ‘Pinafore’ ". (I auditioned once for Major-General Stanley but didn’t get it. If I’d known who else was auditioning I wouldn’t have even turned up. It was that kind of society.)

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