Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Teleambic Pent-et-mediameter

Anthroapology
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A name for the distinctive 5 1/2 foot syncopation of telephone numbers. There are several subvariants: for British mobile numbers, for example, it's 5-3-3, but for American, it's (1)-3-3-4 (though the inital 1 is by convention omitted).

There is some evidence of a standard melody as well, in this most primal of spoken forms. The first (attack) verse goes up, the second (sustain) develops the theme, the third (decay) resolves to the home key.

So, a simple British T.P.-e.-m.:

Oh where have you been,
croissant mine,
cleft in twain.

General Washington, Sep 04 2002

[link]






       eh?
st3f, Sep 04 2002
  

       is this some sort of aide memoire for phone numbers? or am I being thick?   

       land lines are 3-4-4
po, Sep 04 2002
  

       Mm... I'm not sure there's anything to say about this really. More observation than suggestion. But halfbaked certainly, o yes. At best.
General Washington, Sep 04 2002
  

       ah.
st3f, Sep 04 2002
  

       More often than not,
the number
is forgot.
FarmerJohn, Sep 04 2002
  

       [po]: No.
Most provincial numbers are 5-6.
angel, Sep 04 2002
  

       Croissant for title,
It is good,
oh so good.
Zircon, Sep 04 2002
  

       London is 3-4-4
po, Sep 04 2002
  

       O thankyou zed!
the silence,
was deafening.
General Washington, Sep 04 2002
  

       But
On switchboard design
Outside line
Requires nine.
DrBob, Sep 04 2002
  

       think nothing of it,
General,
Washington.
Zircon, Sep 04 2002
  

       I can see
that this is
some modern type of haiku.
phoenix, Sep 04 2002
  

       'General' has some,
Syllables,
Are there three?
Zircon, Sep 04 2002
  

       Some telephone numbers could be poetry in and of themselves:   

       Oh, 'f I've won free,
once heaven's hero...
Oh, for sex too!
  

       Don't ask me what it means.
Guy Fox, Sep 04 2002
  

       eight six seven five three oh nigh-ee-igh-in   

       Who says "nine" only has one syllable?
supercat, Sep 04 2002
  

       that in a strong westcountry accent, guy?
yamahito, Sep 04 2002
  

       But
On switchboard design
Outside line
Requires nine.
DrBob, Sep 04 2002
  

       think nothing of it,
General,
Washington.
Zircon, Sep 04 2002
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

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