Talk:ATD 296-317

Is it appropriate to add all of the unknown phrases to the annotation pages? How and when do we decide that something like, say, "matte-surface" isn't in need of being on the annotations page? Or do we just let these things accumulate? Crazymonk 19:02, 15 December 2006 (PST)

IMO, the Pynchon wiki, like Wikipedia, should not serve as a dictionary, but rather a useful and hopefully interesting aid to a reader. With that in mind, the definition of unknown phrases (of which Pynchon uses many) is appropriate. If something can be looked up in a dictionary, delete it. Bleakhaus 12:27, 16 December 2006 (PST)

If most readers will need to look it up, include it. And if Pynchon seems to be up to something subtle, definitely include it, to encourage guesses. Why delete anything even slightly useful??? --Robot 13:54, 16 December 2006 (PST)

I agree with the ???'s being unnecessary. They distract and without really adding anything. Such a policy might be useful if an entry demanded the attention of someone with a specific set of knowledge, as in "Can anyone with a working knowledge of the Tibetan language translate this passage," but as a standard practice, I don't see the need. --Squidwiggle 15:06, 16 December 2006 (PST)

I agree for phrases, and for *really* rare words like absquatalated, but i'm a notch hesitant to say include all difficult words when they can simply be looked up in the dictionary. Bleakhaus 14:07, 16 December 2006 (PST)

Bleakhaus, you may not have noticed, but my 'southerly' note would have saved one poster considerable embarrassment... but you deleted it for no good reason. --Robot 13:55, 16 December 2006 (PST)

yo robot, I'm confused-- I thought I *kept* your southerly addition. If you think that entry could be better, definitely change it-- Bleakhaus 14:07, 16 December 2006 (PST)

OK, looking at the edit logs I assume you're referring to my cuts to your many posts around Dec 4 that referenced later pages. I may have been too harsh on that page 8, but I was in a bit of a panic after another post of yours on page 1 that gave away a MAJOR spoiler. Please re-add any info you feel should be in there. As for Page 8, it later became a mess, so I edited it to inlcude all relevant info, including your note on "southerly." I like how the entry looks now, with New Orleans couched in speculative language. Bleakhaus 14:30, 16 December 2006 (PST)