Elementary

[wellinghall]

[Poll #1599738]

Comments

[gurthaew.livejournal.com]

Holmes: Watson, the cat is sitting on the electric fire again.
Watson: How can you tell, Holmes?
Holmes: Element hairy, Watson.

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Watson: Holmes! Why have you painted the front door that extremely bright shade of green?
Holmes: A lime entry, my dear Watson.

[malaheed.livejournal.com]

It's one of those phrases that has become quite corrupted over time. The best evidence we have for it being used the first time was in 1856 at Guy's Hospital London when Professor Sir Stanley Elbrown was frustrated at one student's inability to recognise certain organs during the PM he was conducting. Grabing a large point he waved it under the offending student's nose then point at the alimentary canal.

Throughout his medical career, Watson was often mocked by people recalling the incident. Though it became corrupted due to vowel shifts to elementry.

[gurthaew.livejournal.com]

OK - you win!

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

I've got plenty more, but we'll see if anyone else wants to play. :-)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

*groans*

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

*groans again*

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

*groans some more*

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Come on then ... ;-)

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

OK!

Watson: Why is the starter being served on a silver salver bearing the legend "Pentecostal Church"?
Holmes: Elim entrée, my dear Watson.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

*groans even louder*

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Watson: Holmes, what is that attractive woody plant with the dark glossy leaves?
Holmes: A lemon tree, my dear Watson.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I recently read a collection of sf Holmes pastiches. It included one short-short which finished with the words, "Alimentary, my were-Datsun".

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

I'm now seriously tempted to write my own version of that story. :-)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I shall look forward to reading it :-)

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

So go on, what is the right answer? (I know it didn't appear in any of the original stories, but perhaps in one of the later plays?)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

No published Sherlock Holmes story by Arthur Conan Doyle uses this phrase. The Times has traced it back to Psmith, Journalist, by PG Wodehouse, first released in the United Kingdom as a serial in The Captain magazine between October 1909 and February 1910.