A few things have been *bugging* me about the Rushdie knighthood

[Book Lover]

Why would a writer say he was "humbled" by an act of social elevation? Do you not know your vocabulary, Sal?

The man lives in NYC. Why grant him a UK honour?

I know as a USian I have little standing to criticize, but as a european medievalist (Arthurian literature, thank you very much), the decadence of the modern honours system bugs the snot out of me in any case. Grrrr.


</rant>

[ghostsofgiants]

1. It could be humbling if he doesn't think he deserves the honour, I guess.

I don't know shit about Rushdie or his knighthood, but that could be a possibility.

[Book Lover]

2. No, it was just sloppy language

I am sure he feels humbled in the usual sense by receiving an honour, but a moment's thought would have prevented him from saying something nonsensical.

[pitohui]

3. he is a citizen of the u.k.

i just googled it actually altho i already suspected this to be the case

my understanding of the british system of knighthood etc. is that it was pretty lightly done in times gone by, such as people being knighted for being bastard sons of somebody or making a big loan/donation to the king of the era, so i don't think the modern way of knighting someone for achievement in music (sir mick!) or writing is terrible thing, i think it a good thing and no doubt an improvement on the old way of just buying your title

just my opinion and obviously i don't have the education that you do, so i would be interested in the rebuttal

i really thought in medieval times people just bought knighthoods after looting and pillaging, to tell you the truth! (don't hit me too hard, i was a science nerd)

and we all know there is a difference between spoken and written english, so i don't think the usage of "humbled" is wrong in this context, it's what you are expected to say when you receive a huge honor