This is topic Thumb War etiquitte in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=022856

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Y'all did such a great job giving feedback on the whole sneezing in the sunlight thing, I thought I would throw another one at you.

Porter and I do "Thumb wars" (no, not the movie) differently. I say "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war" and he uses the phrase "declare thumb war", omitting the "a".

So a poll, how many of you do it one way or the other? Or do you do it completely differently?

Hatrack, changing the world one domestic dispute at a time.

[ March 28, 2004, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: beverly ]
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
Well, I haven't played thumb wars in years, but it seems pretty obvious to me.

Tactically, what you want is for your opponent to include the "a" and for you yourself to omit it, meaning you get a clear head start.

War is not about what's fair.
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Wehehehell, I never thought of it that way!
 

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Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
 
The 'a' is a must, it's the pattern of the words, without it they just don't flow right.

Hobbes
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
I don't even see how it makes a difference. If he's saying it at a nice, measured pace, then he's going to have to pause there anyway.
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
It's just one of those "I'm doing it the 'right' way" things. To me, his way just sounds wrong and visa versa. So I am curious about how others say it.
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
I believe that people who leave the "a" out are in fact violating the Geneva Convention.
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
Shouldn't there be a handbook or thumbthing?
 

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Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
 
I actually learned it

"one two three four, let's have a thumb war"

must have been a regional variant.

AJ
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
An iamb followed by a spondee just doesn't work. You definitely need the "a."

Dagonee
Changed trochee to iamb.

[ March 28, 2004, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Dagonee ]
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
Actually, you were right the first time, Dagonee. It's trochaic, not iambic.
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
When at war, grammar is not usually a major concern.
Just a rule of thumb.

[ March 28, 2004, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: sndrake ]
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
That's meter, not grammar.

Phillistine!
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
Nations "declare war" on each other. They don't "declare a war". Therefore, it makes more sense to declare thumb war instead of *a* thumb war.

Besides, I'm right. That's all there is to it.
 

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Posted by Nato (Member # 1448) on :
 
Dear Hatrack,

I am a veteran of many thumb wars, primarily against my brother, who loses a lot, but never learns. Being a merciful victor, I have frequently left him defeated, but not vanquished. So of course he tries to beat me whenever the opportunity appears. In any case, I write to you to ask a question about the rules of engagement for thumb wars.

Frequently when he is losing, my aggressor hides his thumb down behind my knuckles where my thumb can't reach. It is very easy, on the other hand to trap his thumb with my knuckles.

I ask Hatrack to rule on the fairness of his underhanded tactics and also on the validity of a knuckle-hold. Is it fair to declare 15 seconds of thumb-immobility-by-knuckles a victory? If not, would it be advisable to chastise my brother a coward for his low tactics?
 

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Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
 
Coward! Burn him at the steak! I'll have mine well done please.
 

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Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 
Those that include an 'a' in their declaration do not have the lord god on their side.

You may declare 'a' war, but it will not be holy.
 

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
Hi, Ralphie.
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
The thing is, without the "a," the rhyme simply doesn't scan. War may be hell, but bad poetry is surely worse.
 

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Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
 
"One, two, three, four, I declare thumb war.
Five, six, seven, eight, try to keep your thumb straight."
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 

quote:

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Nations "declare war" on each other. They don't "declare a war". Therefore, it makes more sense to declare thumb war instead of *a* thumb war.

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quote:

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The 'a' is a must, it's the pattern of the words, without it they just don't flow right.

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code:

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 /    -    /    -     /     -     /
One . . . two . . . three . . . four
/  -   /   -   /     -    /
I de-clare a thumb . . . war.

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quote:

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assault their thumb

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*puts hands inside jacket pockets*
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
Jon Boy -- your little diagram has to squeeze that "a" into the space in order to get it to work. Without that "a", you just let the space be a space. It seems much more natural to me.
 

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Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
 
No, Jon Boy is quite right as far as rhythm goes. Declare gets very disproportionately drawn out if an a is not included. In fact, I'd bet even a lot of the people who just say "I declare thumb war" have a little up-breath between declare and thumb that's almost an a.
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
That's the truth, fugu, because when you listen to Porter and I say it, you can hardly tell the difference. But I am consciously thinking "a" and he is consciously not.
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
I agree with the A people. Thumb Wars are a type of warfare, as such it is usually proceded by an article. A thumb war, The air war. Thumb is not a noun, but acting as an adjective.

As far as the illegal knuckle lock, booo. The secret is to pull coup on your challenger. Place your thumb in a defeated position, making it a vunerable target to tempting to pass up. He will have to reach around, leaving his safe knuckle area, to trap yours. You must then prove your thumb-mastery by zipping around and capturing his thumb.
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 

quote:

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True good form in "thumb war" is to simply initiate a preemptive strike against the rival thumb.

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I would call this "The Way of the Thumb Warrior"

quote:

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change what you're going to count everytime. One two three four, i declare a thumb war
five six seven eight try to keep your thumbs straight
nine ten, lets begin.

That way they're always wondering when you're going to attack

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This deserves its own chapter in "The Art of War." Possibly, "The Art of Thumb War."

*has trouble recalling any sections on grammar in "The Art of War."*
 

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Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
 
A Clone War!

Wait . . that's probably a counterexample.
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 

quote:

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Jon Boy -- your little diagram has to squeeze that "a" into the space in order to get it to work. Without that "a", you just let the space be a space. It seems much more natural to me.

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quote:

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I guess it all depends on how you say "declare a". It would fit just fine if you said it like "de claira", but wouldn't really fit if you said the words totally seperate.

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I'm really not sure what you're saying here. If you're stressing "a," then no, it doesn't fit. It throws off the meter. If it's unstressed, then it fits perfectly. Try saying it out loud while tapping out the beat.
 

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Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
 
Yeah, that's kinda what I meant.
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
I think some Southerners stress articles, Jon Boy. I wonder how this influences their appreciation of poetry.

[ March 30, 2004, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
Stressing articles? That's just plain weird.

Eruve, my scansion clearly shows that "a" should be unstressed.
 

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Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
 
Yeah, I guess your diagram did show it better.

And it is also "more unstressed" if you pronounce it "uh" instead of "ay".
(but that may be a southern thing)

[ March 30, 2004, 05:21 PM: Message edited by: Eruve Nandiriel ]
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
"Ay" is stressed, not unstressed. "Uh" is unstressed.

[ March 30, 2004, 05:25 PM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
 

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Posted by Chaz_King (Member # 3184) on :
 
When my wife and I thumb wrestle, we say:

"1,2,3,4 I declare a thumb war."

Then "Touch" - We touch tips of thumbs..

Then "Bow" - We bend our thumbs at the knuckles

Then we start... and I promptly perform the "mexican cut" (no offense, it is the name of the move) Where I grab her thumb with my forefinger, and declare myself the winner .

I can't win otherwise because she has these quick tiny thumbs (I am 6'5" and she is a full foot shorter than me, so you can imagine the thumb size difference.
 

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Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
You grab her thumb with your forefinger? It is called a THUMB war, right?
 

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Posted by keedokes (Member # 6301) on :
 
Is anyone else having problems recognizing 'thumb' as a word by the time you get to the bottom of the page?
 

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Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 

quote:

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Hi, Ralphie.

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