Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
SG says this stamp is "Girl in Cornfield Wearing Coat of Arms" but it looks more like wheat.
If it was issued 3-21-88 then the date 7 NOV was likely 11-7-87, and that's the date Zine El Abidine Ben Ali assumed power in Tunisia. Apparently his first speech talked of International cooperation to save fertile land from desert encroachment. That would explain the wheat field. If the girl is running through a wheat field, then perhaps she is wearing an apron that is flowing behind her. But what of the protrusion from the left side of her head?
The birds in the sky represent countries. Bottom left appears to be the Tunisian flag, at 5 o'clock to his headshot in the corner is the US flag. At 2 o'clock is likely the British flag. Germany to the left of the denomination and France below it seems easy enough, and perhaps the red and white is Canada (the red looks a bit like a Maple Leaf).
I have accepted that this likely isn't a mermaid stamp, but what about that protrusion? The only thought I had was a caricature of Ben Ali facing to our right. It does seem odd that a postage stamp would ridicule the new leader that way, though. Any ideas?
Lars
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Never mind. I just looked at a map of Tunisia. Duh!
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In other countries, corn is the generic term for grains, not necessarily maize.
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Larsdog , you could have been in the right area. The protrusion is a similar shape to the part of Tunisia where the land east of town of Kelibia juts into the Med.
Unable to find any other detail regarding the stamp elsewhere on the web.
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"In other countries, corn is the generic term for grains, not necessarily maize."
Well that makes sense! Thanks!
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Sheepshanks: Agreed. I believe this one is played out.
Thanks for your inputs, as always!!!
Lars
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This one must be up there with the '10 Worst Designed Stamps Ever'!
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Hi all,
They do say that the USA and the UK are one people divided by a common language. This is a case in question. Wheat in the UK is generally called corn, hence cornfield. What is called corn in the USA is called sweetcorn here or if it is sold fresh or frozen in a store is often called 'corn on the cob'. It is never referred to as corn.
I hope this does not confuse the issue any further. I also think that the design of the stamp is terrible. It looks like it was designed by a committee.
Kim
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"They do say that the USA and the UK are one people divided by a common language."
Kim,
Even the USA is divided by a common language. Try explaining "chicken-fried steak" to a Yankee some time.
Lars
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Even in the UK there is cornflict.
Wheat is Wheat.
Corn is Oats
Barley is Barley
Maize is Maize
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Cornflict! Oh my. 
"Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?"
Thanks, Mom.
boB
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Wow, Bob! That brings back memories. It was 20 years later that I finally learned that the words were REALLY "Mares eat oats and does eat oats..."
That reminded me of "I hate Bosco, so rich and chocolatey..."
and "Comet, it makes your teeth turn green..."
and "Beans, beans, good for your heart..."
and "Great, green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts..."
and "John and Mary, sittin' in a tree ..."
I actually taught my boys the Great green gobs jingle!
Lars
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There may be a regional difference in the meaning of corn in the UK.
In England it is always wheat. I see that Brechinite is from Angus which explains all. I was unaware that the Scots refered to oats as corn. Mea Culpa. Not much oats are grown in England.
Maize is usually only refered to as such by the rural community. Indigenous Townies generally call it corn on the cob or sweetcorn as of the Jolly Green Giant fame. I have noticed that the immigrant population actually know what it is.
Scottish English is quite different from English spoken south of the border. I know as I was married to a Scots lass. My daughter still lives in Glasgow. My late Dad was stationed not far from Angus during the war, at Ballater with the Polish Airborne.
Best wishes to all and Lang may yer Lum Reek.
Kim
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Even within Scotland words can have different meanings in different places.
At home in Roxburghshire corn meant wheat but for my grandfather in Argyll it meant oats.
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I can't resist mentioning Dr Johnson's definition of oats in his 1755 dictionary: 'A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.'
His companion Boswell, who was a Scot, responded: 'Aye, and that's why England has such fine horses, and Scotland such fine people.'
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No wonder I like oats.
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Never mind the difference in language between Scotland and England.
There are huge differences between those in the South of England and the "Bonny Lad" Geordies in the North East of England, never mind Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
Then of course there is the Welsh language where you need a mouthful of phlegm to pronounce anything!!
Who calls a village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch !!
Which means:- Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave.
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'Who calls a village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch !!'
Hugely intelligent people 
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Isn't that the shortened form of the town name, or is that another Welsh contender for longest place name?
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cornerpost, nice repost.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch is the longest place name.
The shortened name is Lanfair P. G.
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02:07:51am
" ... Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch ..."
With a name that long you'd need two envelopes just to write out the address
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Often just referred to as Llanfair
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
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There are a lot of Llanfair s in Wales!
In the UK "descriptive" non-specific place names are many and varied ( and common) and so they often have defining prefixes or suffixes to distinguish them.
One local to me is "Broughton". This is quite a common name so the village is actually called "Broughton Astley " to specify which Broughton. Named after Thomas D'Estley, one time Lord of the manor, and descendant of one of the sidekicks of William the Conqueror, usurper of the lands and titles of the Anglo Saxons !
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I'm still trying to figure out a detail on this Tunisian stamp - Scott #935 - issued 3-21-88 "Mermaid, doves, national coat of arms"
SG says this stamp is "Girl in Cornfield Wearing Coat of Arms" but it looks more like wheat.
If it was issued 3-21-88 then the date 7 NOV was likely 11-7-87, and that's the date Zine El Abidine Ben Ali assumed power in Tunisia. Apparently his first speech talked of International cooperation to save fertile land from desert encroachment. That would explain the wheat field. If the girl is running through a wheat field, then perhaps she is wearing an apron that is flowing behind her. But what of the protrusion from the left side of her head?
The birds in the sky represent countries. Bottom left appears to be the Tunisian flag, at 5 o'clock to his headshot in the corner is the US flag. At 2 o'clock is likely the British flag. Germany to the left of the denomination and France below it seems easy enough, and perhaps the red and white is Canada (the red looks a bit like a Maple Leaf).
I have accepted that this likely isn't a mermaid stamp, but what about that protrusion? The only thought I had was a caricature of Ben Ali facing to our right. It does seem odd that a postage stamp would ridicule the new leader that way, though. Any ideas?
Lars
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Never mind. I just looked at a map of Tunisia. Duh!
Login to Like
this post
re: Still trying to figure this one out
In other countries, corn is the generic term for grains, not necessarily maize.
Login to Like
this post
re: Still trying to figure this one out
Larsdog , you could have been in the right area. The protrusion is a similar shape to the part of Tunisia where the land east of town of Kelibia juts into the Med.
Unable to find any other detail regarding the stamp elsewhere on the web.
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
"In other countries, corn is the generic term for grains, not necessarily maize."
Well that makes sense! Thanks!
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Sheepshanks: Agreed. I believe this one is played out.
Thanks for your inputs, as always!!!
Lars
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
This one must be up there with the '10 Worst Designed Stamps Ever'!
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Hi all,
They do say that the USA and the UK are one people divided by a common language. This is a case in question. Wheat in the UK is generally called corn, hence cornfield. What is called corn in the USA is called sweetcorn here or if it is sold fresh or frozen in a store is often called 'corn on the cob'. It is never referred to as corn.
I hope this does not confuse the issue any further. I also think that the design of the stamp is terrible. It looks like it was designed by a committee.
Kim
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
"They do say that the USA and the UK are one people divided by a common language."
Kim,
Even the USA is divided by a common language. Try explaining "chicken-fried steak" to a Yankee some time.
Lars
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Cornflict! Oh my.
"Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?"
Thanks, Mom.
boB
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Wow, Bob! That brings back memories. It was 20 years later that I finally learned that the words were REALLY "Mares eat oats and does eat oats..."
That reminded me of "I hate Bosco, so rich and chocolatey..."
and "Comet, it makes your teeth turn green..."
and "Beans, beans, good for your heart..."
and "Great, green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts..."
and "John and Mary, sittin' in a tree ..."
I actually taught my boys the Great green gobs jingle!
Lars
Login to Like
this post
re: Still trying to figure this one out
There may be a regional difference in the meaning of corn in the UK.
In England it is always wheat. I see that Brechinite is from Angus which explains all. I was unaware that the Scots refered to oats as corn. Mea Culpa. Not much oats are grown in England.
Maize is usually only refered to as such by the rural community. Indigenous Townies generally call it corn on the cob or sweetcorn as of the Jolly Green Giant fame. I have noticed that the immigrant population actually know what it is.
Scottish English is quite different from English spoken south of the border. I know as I was married to a Scots lass. My daughter still lives in Glasgow. My late Dad was stationed not far from Angus during the war, at Ballater with the Polish Airborne.
Best wishes to all and Lang may yer Lum Reek.
Kim
Login to Like
this post
re: Still trying to figure this one out
Even within Scotland words can have different meanings in different places.
At home in Roxburghshire corn meant wheat but for my grandfather in Argyll it meant oats.
Login to Like
this post
re: Still trying to figure this one out
I can't resist mentioning Dr Johnson's definition of oats in his 1755 dictionary: 'A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.'
His companion Boswell, who was a Scot, responded: 'Aye, and that's why England has such fine horses, and Scotland such fine people.'
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
No wonder I like oats.
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Never mind the difference in language between Scotland and England.
There are huge differences between those in the South of England and the "Bonny Lad" Geordies in the North East of England, never mind Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
Then of course there is the Welsh language where you need a mouthful of phlegm to pronounce anything!!
Who calls a village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch !!
Which means:- Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave.
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
'Who calls a village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch !!'
Hugely intelligent people
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Isn't that the shortened form of the town name, or is that another Welsh contender for longest place name?
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
14 Mar 2018
02:07:51am
re: Still trying to figure this one out
" ... Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch ..."
With a name that long you'd need two envelopes just to write out the address
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re: Still trying to figure this one out
Often just referred to as Llanfair
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
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12:55:32pm
re: Still trying to figure this one out
There are a lot of Llanfair s in Wales!
In the UK "descriptive" non-specific place names are many and varied ( and common) and so they often have defining prefixes or suffixes to distinguish them.
One local to me is "Broughton". This is quite a common name so the village is actually called "Broughton Astley " to specify which Broughton. Named after Thomas D'Estley, one time Lord of the manor, and descendant of one of the sidekicks of William the Conqueror, usurper of the lands and titles of the Anglo Saxons !
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