# What does Bilbo say at his Birthday? "I like you half as much as you deserve?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432 "2007-02-01T17:37:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/1 "2007-02-01T17:37:52Z")
I need a LOTR quote - anyone near a copy or have it memorized…It’s during Bilbo’s birthday speech where he says something along the lines of …“I know less than half of you more then half the amount you deserve…” Or something like that! Damn I need the quote? Anyone know it? ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/2 "2007-02-01T17:39:12Z")
“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/3 "2007-02-01T17:41:41Z")
2 minutes? Nope, no geeks here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/4 "2007-02-01T17:46:21Z")
I would have come in at a respectable 7 minutes! – IG ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/5 "2007-02-01T18:14:47Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” [/QUOTE] I’m going to try and bring this into a board type meeting this afternoon, I’ll check back and tell you how it went. THANKS A BUNCH!!! 🙂🙂🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/6 "2007-02-01T19:00:19Z")
The line after that is what always cracked me up. As I remember it, the hobbits just kind of sat there wondering if it was an insult. After a pause, they decided to break into applause. At least that’s how I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/7 "2007-02-01T19:16:04Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] 2 minutes? Nope, no geeks here. [/QUOTE] Damn, I went to lunch at the wrong time. 😉 **Phlosphr** , I am looking forward to hearing how it is received. Jim ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/8 "2007-02-01T19:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] The line after that is what always cracked me up. As I remember it, the hobbits just kind of sat there wondering if it was an insult. After a pause, they decided to break into applause. At least that’s how I remember it. [/QUOTE] A smattering of applause, but mostly they sit there trying to work it out. Bilbo continues with his speech before they can get it quite worked out. As I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/9 "2007-02-01T20:34:23Z")
It _is_ an insult right? I still get a little confused by it sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/10 "2007-02-01T20:37:04Z")
Yes, it was cautiously interpreted as a subtle insult. The guests also end up a little “grossed out”, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/11 "2007-02-01T20:44:04Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] It _is_ an insult right? I still get a little confused by it sometimes. [/QUOTE] Depends on how you think Bilbo felt about you. It was very insulting to the Sackville-Baggins, but not insulting at all to the ‘small’ legion of younger Hobbits that liked the old Baggins. It was also not insulting to those that were sure that others could only like them, as they would “know” that Bilbo was talking about others not them. It was far more subtle than a mere insult. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/12 "2007-02-01T21:06:18Z")
To clarify, the only insult in it is that he is specifically stating that he dislikes some people, some of them undeservedly. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/13 "2007-02-01T21:10:16Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] The guests also end up a little “grossed out”, so to speak. [/QUOTE] Tee hee, snort! [/geeky giggle] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/14 "2007-02-01T21:56:32Z")
That really should be “FEWER than half of you”, shouldn’t it? _Very_ clever, **robardin**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/15 "2007-02-01T23:05:56Z")
Well I got a few good laughs, I tweeked it slightly to accomodate my meaning in the meeting, but it went well. Instead of the original : “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” I said to complete strangers who I am hopiong to get a grant from: “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; but I like **more** than half of you half as well as you deserve.” They chuckled and in the end I got the go-ahead with the project I was seeking. Meaning I got the grant. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/16 "2007-02-01T23:25:23Z")
They probably figured that anyone clever enough to paraphrase Bilbo was worthy. ---
**Author:** ![NJ\_Kef\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b487fb/32.png) [@NJ\_Kef\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ_Kef_1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/17 "2007-02-01T23:27:02Z")
**ProudFEET!** Oh. Wrong thread. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/18 "2007-02-02T00:17:07Z")
[QUOTE=NJ\_Kef] **ProudFEET!** Oh. Wrong thread. Sorry. [/QUOTE] That looks like the right post for this thread. What thread were you looking for? Jim ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/19 "2007-02-02T00:53:27Z")
Wait, so you admitted that you don’t appreciate a majority of the audience you were pitching to, and they approved your project anyway? Easy crowd… ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432/20 "2007-02-02T02:18:47Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] Well I got a few good laughs, I tweeked it slightly to accomodate my meaning in the meeting, but it went well. Instead of the original : “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” I said to complete strangers who I am hopiong to get a grant from: “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; but I like **more** than half of you half as well as you deserve.” They chuckled and in the end I got the go-ahead with the project I was seeking. Meaning I got the grant. 🙂 [/QUOTE] But how did they react when you vanished at the end of the pitch? ::wide-eyed innocent smiley:: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-bilbo-say-at-his-birthday-i-like-you-half-as-much-as-you-deserve/390432.md?page=2)