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The English translation of 'La Disparition', a 1969 novel by Georges Perec written entirely without the letter 'e'. It has been translated into several other languages, including Spanish in which it is written entirely without the letter 'a'. The plot (concerning people looking for a missing acquaintance) references its lipogrammatical nature often: a missing part 5 of 26 and the missing person being named Vowl to name but two.
Perec was not the first to attempt the feat - Ernest Vincent Wright's 'Gadsby' (available in full here) was an earlier ('39), and more challenging, effort - Wright liked to try including many items with the letter 'e' in them, such as a horse-drawn fire engine, by describing and not naming them. He also set his story in the past and managed avoiding the verb ending '-ed'. However, 'A Void' is generally considered a better literary work overall.
A synopsis (from the rear cover):
As his country is torn apart by social and political anarchy, A Void's protagonist, Anton Vowl, a chronic insomniac, is unaccountably found missing. Ransacking his Paris flat, a group of his faithful companions trawl through his diary for any indication, for any faint hint, as to his location. All that it brings to light, though, is Vowl's liking for parody, wordplay and dazzling fictional constructs - and gradually, insidiously, a ghost from Vowl's past starts to cast its malignant shadow...
This is a story chock-full of plots and subplots, of trails in pursuit of trails, all of which allow its author an occasion to display his customary virtuosity as an avantgardist magician, acrobat and clown.
A Void's translator, too, is just brilliant at such linguistic conjuring tricks, fully, unflinchingly assuming a monstrous constraint laid down by its author - to propound a gripping Gothic fiction with lots of twists and turns and without at any point invoking that most basic prop of traditional syntax: an e!
Members that think A Void is the best!
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Although, this author (and to copy his pun) "avoids" including that particularly popular digraph without any obvious discomfort.
It's amazing, no? What impulsion would carry a man to try any such stunt? It's thorough lunacy in my mind!
God, this could start an addiction in my brain...
Carry on, PO and HM, carry on!
So it starts. On what day or hour will this find its finish? I wish it will hurry up and stop, as soon as now.
That's mighty soon! I think as a group within us a skill, a knack if you will, shall form and soon, and without noticing, many paragraphs shall fill this void. Watch this location!
Oh… all right! I find that it's arduous, though. Not many words spring to mind, though I think hard (hmm.. mayhap that's think hardly?)
I hardly think so, but I must admit that it will claim many days for yours truly to do this whilst lacking or without consulting a book of synonyms.
I concur with that! Although I think that this kind of thinking can only do good things to my brain. So I am willing to stomach any difficulty in word hunting. By constricting my vocabulary in this way, I trust I will 'bush out' my armoury of words in a dissimilar way.
Right. If you, Finrod, and I go on with this, it will probably build my own vocabulary, gradually. This much is a fact. Though I don't know about yours or his.
Quid pro quo! I must admit, though, to finding it not as hard as I first thought. It's amazing that I can think of what I want to say, and find a way to say it without much hardship! Substitutions naturally must occur - primary colours now turn into cyan, crimson and xanthous; and any odd digit (1, 3, 5, and so on) cannot turn up scripturally...
Having said all that, though, I fully count on slipping up first!
Don't count on it. I had a goof in a past post, but this kluts is lucky this forum has a crucial link which allows modifications.
Ha ha ha! I applaud your catching of it. Nobody saw it, obviously. Had you not told of it, not a soul would know!
It's not hard to catch said misprint's original location. What was ASAP is now ASAN.
HM, how lackadaisical of you! That's truly shambolic, to slip up in such a way.
[This is hard work!]
It's good for you, Finrod! Stop complaining!! (Just kidding!) HM, I thought it was a bit odd, actually. It brings us to a good point, though… do acronyms satisfactorly sit in our posts? Or talking in various linguistic communication? I almost fall back on 'hai' for affirmation a lot!
I think I'll allow it, when such acronyms boast normality, and fit into journalistic standards. Could I not call you Mr. Octopus, without dishonoring our limitation? I think I could, as you can say HM. Also, I know individuals who usually say "ASAP" as it's shown in short form.
I was only kidding, too, PO! Acronyms OK, in my opinion. Affirmation is a hazard for unwary typists, but on many an occasion a form of words is on hand for us. Imagination is all!
Urm, PO... satisfactorly? Tut tut...
Oops! Sorry, my bad. Although "urm"? Hmm...
Okay, so anything that would fit into a normal chit-chat kind of situation is all good. I also know of humans who say things similar to 'ASAP'. It must almost turn up in a dictionary - as 'SCUBA' would, anyway!
"Journalistic standards." Brilliant.
Oh, and Mr. Octopus or PO. I don't mind at all!
I'm afraid, HM, as much as I do not wish to point it out, that particular 'f' and 'h' words that you say contain a taboo sort of ring. Alas a grand post if not for a stray or two!
I know it! I should drop out. This board is for you two from now on. Carry on without this man who fails at a simplistic word sport. I took too many hits and am out of the match. I hath guilt for tainting this forum with statutory impurity. Away I go, into thin air, as a light mist. *POOF*
Oh no you shouldn't! Your distinct and individual skill is crucial to this colloquium. Don't mourn your frailty, but turn around and chip in to this nugatory, downright absurd display of prolix and loquacious circumlocutions, I pray you! Isn't your opinion similar, PO?
That was a tricky paragraph!
Probably not as tricky a paragraph as it was a pronunciation. Okay. As you wish, Finrod. I shall stay and risk additional humiliation. But I shall proclaim no oaths of ability.
Oh joy! I'm glad you stay! I concur with Finrod and his difficult paragraph. I think HM that you did confirm your validity as a clansman along our path in such a way that you may in fact hold quality (not only singular, but plural) all important, nay, crucial to our continuing colour flying triumph.
Hurrah! Your visitation again is grounds for much hilarity and hullabaloo, HM. For us to part, arguing upon an inapt symbol would count as folly, or stupidity, mayhap.
Post Script: PO, If I want to say "Urm...", I will, and you cannot stop m... ah, no, I must say 'it,' in that word's position!
PPS:I almost had an apostrophic omission in 'word's' in that PS. Scandalous! Atrocious and shoddy!
Think nothing of it. It occurs, particularly on occasions in which our writing incarnation has to contain much thought and any word box can stay at hand for a long(ish) duration. Thankfully clocks play no part in our communications. Any such constraining binds would totally swallow any fun that is had!
Truly said, truly said! Synchronicity can occur at any point in diurnal living. Thank you for affirming my formal apology (in plural, naturally!
). Why, a posting in this position can call for many fractions of an hour... but I will admit that I hold a third or fourth (or fifth or sixth!) tab in addition to my first, for occasions that occur (fairly habitually!) that insist that I find a synonym lacking that 'fifth symbol' that is abomination to us strict lipogrammatists (I think I own copyright to that addition to our vocabulary).
Mayhap an occasion will pop up that shows this skill's applicability or practicality - but I doubt it!
A Void's author did profit from this hobby, via fictional publication. But for utility, that's probably this skill's limitation.
Financial gain is a big plus!
Finrod, I'm afraid your post contains a locational word with two faults. Sorry again for pointing this out!
Not now, PO!
It was my typing it at a... dark hour that was my downfall. It just shows, HM, that if you withdraw your vision from a particular ball for a tiny fraction of an hour, anybody can slip up!
I might shyly add that a tiny drop of Australian Shiraz (from Lidl - simply outstanding financial worth) had found its way into my blood, too.
But not too tiny.
Ahh, night! During which most of my posting occurs.
Now, Finrod, what's this I find out about Lidl Shiraz? I ain't bought stuff from Lidl for many a day! Still, Shiraz is Shiraz!
I must solicit forth again my apologia for pointing out any faults on this ribbon. I should post in your own word box, not for all to look upon. I am a bad man!
It is truly said, PO is a Bad Man!
Lidl in my town has an Australian Shiraz which is fantastic, in both financial worth and quality. I buy things in that thrift shop on many an occasion. Why, only last night (I don't usually shop in daylight - too many cars, as parking lot too small - a truly grand Lidl construction is a-building in that locality) I got backup cords for my... training boots, in which I stomp about on a daily basis, for only (forty + thirty + four + four + a unit) small coins of our glorious country. Wondrous stuff! Many days, Lidl (although youths wouldn't carry a Lidl shopping bag, living or as a carcass! It's just not 'cool,' I am told) is optimum pick, in my opinion. Not Morrison's, or Asda (Walmart), or Sainsbury's... but I stray from my point.
Ah, Lidl... simply glorious for good vino!
Good folk, is it a (pangrammatic) aim for us to put forth in grammatical form all symbols but that obnoxious, odious and infamous fifth? Mayhap, I think, that that situation has struck our linguistic coasts prior to this posting!
PS Why I said 'parking lot' in post prior to this badly lacks clarification. I am not from... lands 'found' by that Italian chap Columbus (stupid notion! Vikings found Nova Scotia half a thousand orbits ago!), I am from land of Anglia and Saxons! Why not say 'car park' as I usually do? God knows...
lol Good application of historical facts. Just Brilliant.
Thank you, HM, good pal. **Finrod bows**
I must say, this is good fun! Prior, I thought it too hard - but a strong addiction it has.
Bloody strong...
Jump in, PO, Finrod awaits!
HM, say what you will! Finrod harks (sorry for that archaism).
Now... do I own a flagon of Shiraz tonight? Ah! I can catch sight of it.. and at only a trio of pounds minus a singular small and tiny coin of my country... so good!
Night, all. Finrod yawns mightily and hits sack. Sorry, Fin has no work tomorrow!
Good somnic (a word copyright to my linguistic rights) imaginations, folks.
I go now. Night.
£2.99? (I nod to your dancing around digits, Finrod, but will not carry forth such notions!) That is ridiculously... how do I say... uncostly! Chin-chin!
Somnic is good!
Thankfully I also am not working tomorrow. Off to London visiting pals. So, if I'm not around for an amount of two or so days, you know why! Although I don't know why I work with such articulation. "Not around for two days" would do! I think my brain is starting to mutiny; It's making my phrasing difficult without want!
Anyway, bask in your day without toil; I shall!
Good work chums. Onwards!
Always onwards and upwards!
£2.99, PO. Fabulous, or what? And a similar crimson vino, with tag (only partly, sorry - must avoid fifth symbol) 'd'abruzzo' is only £2.29 today - and mayhap tomorrow too
.
Must go shopping, now. Can't say which big shop - but its tag starts with a 'T.' Its finish is an 'o' and it has not four, not six symbols, but a digit halfway.
Dosvidanya!
Columbus was a fraud! This chap found nowt (=nothing) and said Cuba was China, for God's... right, OK.
Also Columbus thought Inca and Arapaho from India... stupid man! Only gold for Columbus (and Isab... whoops, that woman of Spain).
Song:
http://www.laurieyork.com/extras/1492.mp3
Can't bloody link today!
[But can on following day. I don't follow this linking thing. I am posting this about 18 hours post-original]
That URL is to us as a cross is to Count Dracula. I hold up my cloak and withdrawal into shadows to avoid looking at it. And I must point out that dissimilar to most Spaniards in that day, Columbus was smart to know that this world is as round as an orb.
As a cross... or crucifix or garlic or holy liquid!
HM, virtually no sailors or navigators thought it flat! Almost all thought it round. In La Divina Commedia (1308-1321), all narration occurs in a round world.
But Columbus was way off on sizing up in his navigation, thinking Japan just across his horizon.
Oh, I didn't know that. Public schools in this country do not tutor with strong facts. Politics appoint all standards of wisdom, which isn't too promising to start. I find TV programs such as shows found on the History station to display additional accuracy. I found most fascination with biology, astronomy, psychology, and so on, but not so much with history.
Oh, I know what you...um, I follow your intimation in that post. Schools in this country must always confront political intrusion into scholastic affairs, too.
I watch a TV History station, also - though it shows 'historical' dramas, too, which I find odious. I don't watch much TV. I watch a no-pay ground-transmission - not brought through stationary-orbit automata, nor through alloy linking - digital TV supply, with about forty to fifty canali (as I can say in Italian), plus radio stations.
Sorry for using Italian! Difficult to find any synonym for it... good job 'stationary' isn't its homophonic cousin, too!
I call this simplistic proposal 'Avowal.' Naturally, that's a pun.
I think I may - I think I might -
Try out my hand at writing slight
And unimportant rhyming.
Any symbol - almost, mind -
Is licit, and for all mankind
Akin to mountain-climbing!
And so you carry us to a daunting standard of difficulty that is making me groan.
Making who groan, HM?
Rhyming lipogrammatically is insanity, I know, but it had its origin automatically in my mind on Saturday, with no conscious thought on my part. It's trifling... but it was fun to match up chunks of rhythmic balladry until I had a full stanza to look at.
Stupid Finrod! (Slaps cranium) This is a stanza with upgrading:
I think I may - I think I might -
Try out my hand at writing slight
Lipogrammatic rhyming.
Any symbol - almost, mind -
Is licit, and for all mankind
Akin to mountain-climbing!
Finrod is a crazy fool,
I'm glad I wasn't at his school!
If this is what occurs with words,
His math with digits must look absurd.
Trying to count backwards from a grand,
In binary, you total madman!
I'll start, though think that it's not much fun:
1-1-1-1-1-0-0-1-1-1.
Ah, hail, PO. Did your London trip to visit your pals go swimmingly?
I must concur with you, Finrod is a crazy fool! Youths I instruct all think I'm mad. And I won't try rhyming in this posting, as I wish not to transform into a total lipogrammaniac.
Oh, and PO - my stanza scans!
PS I can link today. Odd.