Palindromes

Palindromes

Able was I ere I saw Elba is probably the most well known example of a Palindrome. Supposedly uttered by Napoleon Bonaparte when exiled on the Islet of Elba it is thought to be a classic example of that particular figure of speech.
I vaguely remember at school spending interminable long afternoons dissecting sentences into their component parts during what was called English analysis. I didn't get it and forty odd years later someone at creative writing group unkindly referred to one of my scribbles as being not a complete sentence. Any irritation I may have felt was forgotten when the same person stumbled trying to read out Sit on a potato pan Otis.
Lisa Bonet ate no Basil, might have been wiser to read out, or even A man, a plan, a canal ,Panama.
Madam I'm Adam, strikes me as possibly the earliest example. Uttered by forebears of Darby and Joan, and rather like Adam, Darby didn't actually like apples. The first man, a more alert Adam might have distracted Eve with a sharp Was it a rat I saw?. Centuries later Napoleon followed Not tonight Josephine with the immortal words.
Able was I ere I saw Elba.

Re: Palindromes

My wife, nurse Gillian just informed that she has no idea what a PALINDROME is.
It is, of course, a word or phrase which is spelt exactly the same backwords as it is forward.

Re: Palindromes

I'm afraid I'm like like your wife Robert, I didn't know either til you told me, they never taught us about them things in the red brick college I went to, one was lucky to come out alive, never mind being educated. Now if you had said Paladin with Richard Boone I would have known instantly, His motto was "Have Gun will Travel", sort of like Napoleon when you think of it.

Re: Palindromes

Bobbyboy I knew what a palindrome was just couldn't think of an example.

Re: Palindromes

The palindrome of Bolton is Notlob not Ipswich.

Re: Palindromes

Thanks Bruce, I had quite forgotten just how good the Monty Python team were, & I completely forgot the reference to PALINDROMEs

Re: Palindromes

The only one I know......never odd or even..

Re: Palindromes

Couldnt have told you any either. I do remember Richard Boone as
a cowboy and Have Gun Will Travel. Always loved my cowboy programmes.
My ambition in childhood was to be a cowgirl. Turned out to be a
telemarketer instead

Re: Palindromes

I loved cowboy films went to see Gunfight at the OK Corral on my own cos girlfriends didn't like cowies, enjoyed that so following week I went to see Guns of Navarone as well brilliant western that was.

Re: Palindromes

I know a lot of girls who are cows - it's not all its cracked up to be