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The idiom "handmaid's tale" has a meaning that predates the novel & the film & TV series (etc.). A web search results in a plethora of results for those, but I can't find anything about the meaning of the term itself. Is it nearly synonymous with " old wives' tale" or "water cooler gossip" or "palace intrigue" perhaps? — 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:831:EE2:9FFB:76D0 ( talk) 09:00, 11 December 2017 (UTC) — Would this be better asked at the Language desk?
In the Canterbury Tales, a group of fictional characters narrate tales. Most of the narrators are identified by their profession or social status, and not their names. Most do not even have names. The prologue gives detailed information on the characters' backgrounds, yet omits their names. The Knight for example is noted as having traveled and taken part in battles and campaigns in many areas of Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, and is featured as an illustrious man. But not a word about his name.
One interpretation was that Chaucer intended his characters to be character types, representatives of entire social groups or social classes. The narrators are socializing with each other during a pilgrimage, but their words and their tales point to tensions among the group (and the groups they represent) and differing world-views on most topics. See: Chaucer's Pilgrims: An Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales Dimadick ( talk) 12:08, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
Thanks y'all for the discussion & links. I'm not certain that I've come across the term pre-1985, but the context was typically something like: after hearing a fanciful tale imagined to be true about actual people and events, the listener responds with "That's quite a handmaid's tale", indicating disbelief. I assumed the the title referenced the term -- but it could be visa-versa. — 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:831:EE2:9FFB:76D0 ( talk) 22:58, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
A British company description contains the following statements:
The confirmation statement part I have understood by now (would Confirmation statement be worth an article?), but what does the "accounts" section exactly mean? -- KnightMove ( talk) 09:57, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
A website(s) that displays all sorts of inflatable products please. 123.108.244.116 ( talk) 15:54, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
Typically useless process bickering
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(relative to the home country currency) It might not be too much more than 50% since they have to pay attention to many other things too. Especially if the company has already saturated the less risky countries. Or do they try to play it safe and not favor currencies in an attempt at market timing (or even hedge by betting on bad currency results like futures hedgers)? Or does the strategy depend on company? Sagittarian Milky Way ( talk) 22:47, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
Humanities desk | ||
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< December 10 | << Nov | December | Jan >> | December 12 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
The idiom "handmaid's tale" has a meaning that predates the novel & the film & TV series (etc.). A web search results in a plethora of results for those, but I can't find anything about the meaning of the term itself. Is it nearly synonymous with " old wives' tale" or "water cooler gossip" or "palace intrigue" perhaps? — 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:831:EE2:9FFB:76D0 ( talk) 09:00, 11 December 2017 (UTC) — Would this be better asked at the Language desk?
In the Canterbury Tales, a group of fictional characters narrate tales. Most of the narrators are identified by their profession or social status, and not their names. Most do not even have names. The prologue gives detailed information on the characters' backgrounds, yet omits their names. The Knight for example is noted as having traveled and taken part in battles and campaigns in many areas of Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, and is featured as an illustrious man. But not a word about his name.
One interpretation was that Chaucer intended his characters to be character types, representatives of entire social groups or social classes. The narrators are socializing with each other during a pilgrimage, but their words and their tales point to tensions among the group (and the groups they represent) and differing world-views on most topics. See: Chaucer's Pilgrims: An Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales Dimadick ( talk) 12:08, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
Thanks y'all for the discussion & links. I'm not certain that I've come across the term pre-1985, but the context was typically something like: after hearing a fanciful tale imagined to be true about actual people and events, the listener responds with "That's quite a handmaid's tale", indicating disbelief. I assumed the the title referenced the term -- but it could be visa-versa. — 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:831:EE2:9FFB:76D0 ( talk) 22:58, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
A British company description contains the following statements:
The confirmation statement part I have understood by now (would Confirmation statement be worth an article?), but what does the "accounts" section exactly mean? -- KnightMove ( talk) 09:57, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
A website(s) that displays all sorts of inflatable products please. 123.108.244.116 ( talk) 15:54, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
Typically useless process bickering
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|
Extended content
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(relative to the home country currency) It might not be too much more than 50% since they have to pay attention to many other things too. Especially if the company has already saturated the less risky countries. Or do they try to play it safe and not favor currencies in an attempt at market timing (or even hedge by betting on bad currency results like futures hedgers)? Or does the strategy depend on company? Sagittarian Milky Way ( talk) 22:47, 11 December 2017 (UTC)