Understanding Athelind's Argot: "Both Kinds".

[athelind]

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:

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

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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":

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Grognard: "What kind of games do you usually play here?"
WoW Refugee: "Oh, we play both kinds: Dungeons and Dragons."

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addendum, 16 Feb 2010: "I don't play D&D, I play Pathfinder."

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In rare instances, it works both ways simultaneously:

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

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Comments

[cpxbrex.livejournal.com]

I love The Blues Brothers. I was thinking of the "country AND western" gag a few days ago for reasons I don't remember. But I remember thinking of the gag.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

I've been using it enough to justify an Argot entry. Oddly, while I know I've used it several times in recent weeks, today's "Dungeons AND Dragons" line was the only specific example I could come up with.

[jirris-midvale.livejournal.com]

Ahaha. Wow. I've been looking for something like this to use in speech recently and you've gone and solved my problems.

Aren't you at least happy the wow refugee got out of the house to adventure with people face to face at least? I'm overjoyed that there is some cross over.

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

Never consiodered DC a Marvel m'self.....

[foofers.livejournal.com]

Totally off-topic, just wanted you to see this.