Understanding Athelind's Argot: "Both Kinds".

Jul 12, 2009 10:51

Both Kinds: X1 and X2 indicates a distinction that seems non-existent to an outsider, but to an insider, seems not only significant, but a proud example of diversity and broad tastes.

Derives from the scene in The Blues Brothers in which the eponymous band cruise into a cowboy bar and claim to be the act that's actually booked their, stealing their gig. As they're setting up, they try to get an idea of what they should play:

Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?
Bar Manager: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western.

Can also be used for the inversion, where an insider who really knows the diversity of a field winces at what a dabbler considers "diverse":

Grognard: "What kind of games do you usually play here?"
WoW Refugee: "Oh, we play both kinds: Dungeons and Dragons."addendum, 16 Feb 2010: "I don't play D&D, I play Pathfinder."

In rare instances, it works both ways simultaneously:

Customer: "What kind of comics do you sell?"
Loyal Diamond Minion: "Both kinds: Marvel and DC."

argot, hoard potato, fandom, slandom

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