The Meaning Of Liff

Preface to the First Edition, 1983

In Life¹, there are many hundreds of common experiences, feelings, situations and even objects which we all know and recognize, but for which no words exist.

On the other hand, the world is littered with thousands of spare words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about on signposts pointing at places.

Our job, as we see it, is to get these words down off the signposts and into the mouths of babes and sucklings and so on, where they can start earning their keep in everyday conversation and make a more positive contribution to society.

Douglas Adams, John Lloyd, Malibu, 1982

Preface to the 1984 Reprint

What we said in the first preface pretty much stands, I think.

Douglas Adams, New York, 1983

Preface to the Second 1984 Reprint

Can't think of anything much to add to the previous preface. It's nice here, though.

Douglas Adams, Seychelles, 1984

Is it?

John Lloyd, Birmingham, 1984

Preface to the 1986 Reprint

There was a point I was going to make in this preface but it's one of those things you just can't remember when you actually sit down to write it.

Douglas Adams, Madagascar, 1985

Preface to the 1987 Reprint

No. It came back to me briefly when I was in Brazil, but I didn't have a pen with me.

Douglas Adams, Hong Kong, 1986

Preface to the 1988 Reprint

Did you get the preface I faxed you from New Zealand?

Douglas Adams, Zaïre, 1988

Preface to the 1989 Reprint

No.

John Lloyd, Lambeth, 1989

Preface to the Second 1989 Reprint

Pity. That was a good one. Can't remember how it went now.

Douglas Adams, Beijing, 1989

Preface to the Third 1989 Reprint

Did we make the point about all these words actually being real place names?

Douglas Adams, Mauritius, 1989

Preface to the Fourth 1989 Reprint

Yes.

John Lloyd, Lambeth, 1989

Preface to the First Edition of The Deeper Meaning Of Liff, 1990

Well, there's not much we need to add to that then, really, is there?

Douglas Adams, John Lloyd, Sydney, 1990

1. And, indeed, in Liff