Eyebrows

The bread and butter!

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Eyebrows

Postby Weeble » Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:40 pm

Any of you (and I know there's a few) who have read my stories, know that I tend to indicate T'Pol's disposition with varying eyebrows, e.g. Eyebrows of impending doom. My buddy Kotik tends to refer to the position of the eyebrows e.g. eyebrows went to the north pole, In order to spare my mind a bit, I was wondering if I could beg a we bit of help by asking any and all to put their favorite Eyebrow expressions here. I will compile them for future use.
This is called weaseling help.

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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Distracted » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:54 pm

Eyebrow expressions? Hmmm. I just usually use something like "she lifted a brow at him" to mean anything from surprise to annoyance to expectation. But lemme see...

The Brow of Spousal Disapproval
The Brow of Tolerant Amusement

I wrote a sonnet about an eyebrow once. It was a play on a humorous Shakespeare passage about a man writing poetry extolling his lover's eyebrow, but it's about an SCA royal who did the brow lift when she was displeased. Maybe it'll give you some ideas.

The lady hath most gentle quality,
With grace and kindly manner known to all.
She reigns with such a noble sovereignty,
That all who hear doth answer to her call.
For pleasing her is right in deed and thought,
Our one reward the smile upon her face.
But if perchance displeasure is our lot,
We know at once, and are put in our place,
Our hearts repentant as we take a bow,
Chastised by her majesty's eyebrow.
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Alelou » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:29 am

:clap: :clap: :clap:
OMG, ANOTHER new chapter! NORTH STAR Chapter 28
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Weeble » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:08 am

Splendid Dis, splendid,

Now the rest of you slackers jump in :D
RIP Tom, I will miss you, as will many others

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Re: Eyebrows

Postby putaro » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:33 am

I like "quirked an eyebrow"
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Alelou » Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:12 pm

I'm not good at this stuff. I suspect if I did a "find" in my stories I'd be repeating my eyebrows with the same phrases all over the place. Usually while editing I go in and take most of them out just because of that. An eyebrow rose, both eyebrows went up, her eyebrows drew together ... there, that's pretty much my palette unless I'm going for a joke, and I think you've already got those (eyebrow of doom, etc.)

That's one thing I prefer about writing plays or screenplays -- you don't tell the actors how to act, so you can just write dialogue and really essential stage direction.
OMG, ANOTHER new chapter! NORTH STAR Chapter 28
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Transwarp » Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:02 pm

Eyebrows?

At last, a serious topic, worthy of merit and not the usual trivial fluff. Since I was taught in engineering school that if you can't quantify a problem then you really don't understand it, I have endeavored to perform a statistical analysis of my own eyebrow usage in my two latest works ('Command' and 'Convicted'). So fasten your seatbelts and prepare for a fascinating ride!

There are 73,000 words in 'Command' and 26 total eyebrow references, which is one reference for every 2,800 words. Of the 26 references, 19 are for T'Pol and 7 for other characters.

There are 74,500 words (and counting) in 'Convicted' and only 19 total eyebrow references. This is one reference every 3,900 words, so I am clearly beginning to get my eyebrow usage under control! Of the 19 references, 7 are for T'Pol and 12 for other characters.

Combining the two works, there are 147,500 words and 45 references, or one eyebrow every 3,300 words. That's 26 times for T'Pol's eyebrows, and 18 times for everyone else. I leave it as an exercise for the individual reader to decide if that is too many, too few, or exactly right!

What is the most common eyebrow reference? I'm glad you asked! It breaks out like this:

Eyebrows
raised -- 14
arched -- 9
lifted -- 9
quirked -- 4
shot up -- 3
went up -- 2
twitched -- 1
creased -- 1
climbing -- 1
other -- 1

So there you have it. 31% of the time, my eyebrows are raised. 20% of the time, they're arched, and 20% lifted. Who knew?

But don't take my word for it! I have listed them all below so you may see them in context. The lines that start with an asterisk are for eyebrows belonging to characters other than T'Pol.

EYEBROW REFERENCES IN 'COMMAND'
1. Two tiny creases formed between her eyebrows, and Trip had to smile.
2. T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "Have a cow?"
3. T'Pol lifted an eyebrow. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I will take it in my office."
4. T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "It is unprecedented for someone my age to be offered such prestigious positions."
5. T'Pol raised an eyebrow, but held her peace.
6. T'Pol's raised eyebrows indicated her surprise at T'Pau's admission.
7. She arched a single eyebrow and gazed at him with the innocent look Trip called her 'Vulcan eyes'.
8. T'Pol glanced down the list of items and arched an eyebrow.
9. T'Pol twitched an eyebrow. "Hardly."
10. "I do not believe I actually made that comparison," T'Pol said, with a characteristic eyebrow-quirk.
*11. He took in the rows of decorations on her uniform, and lifted his eyebrows.
12. T'Pol quirked an eyebrow, silently conceding his point.
13. T'Pol lifted an eyebrow. "Very well, I shall endeavor to be succinct, but not too succinct."
14. T'Pol lifted an eyebrow and turned her gaze on Verley. "Chief?"
*15. Trip arched his eyebrows in his best T'Pol imitation. "Indeed," he intoned.
16 .T'Pol arched an eyebrow but said nothing. This seemed to have an unsettling effect on Devlin, and Archer had to work very hard to suppress his amusement.
*17. Archer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "There are no others?"
18. T'Pol lifted an eyebrow. "Is the entire crew involved in the 'Khart-lan' joke?"
*19. Trip's eyebrows shot up. "What... Are you saying you did doubt your plan?"
20. She quirks an eyebrow at him. "Perhaps if you ask a question requiring more than a one-word response?"
*21. "What brings you to Lalande III?" Trip asked. "Especially now? In about three weeks, we're gonna be up to our eyebrows in Romulans."
22. T'Pol lifted one eyebrow, "Perhaps I am not the right person for this mission, being Vulcan myself."
*23. McCourtney raised his eyebrows, impressed by Trinh's newly-revealed talents.
*24. The probable courses of the two Coalition warships appeared on the screen and Kralok raised his eyebrows in surprise.
25. T'Pol arched one eyebrow as she regarded him.
26. She arched one eyebrow, but revised her statement, "I am not kidding."

EYEBROW REFERENCES IN 'CONVICTED'
*27. Gardner raised his eyebrows and looked thoughtful, then he slowly smiled.
28. T'Pol raised an eyebrow and appeared about to speak, but Tucker placed a hand on her arm.
*29. "You are surrendering yourself to the Andorians," Kolna said, eyebrows raised.
30. Lieutenant Graham caught the question implicit in her raised eyebrow.
*31. Trip merely lifted his eyebrows and regarded her closely. "You were going to leave without telling me."
*32. "Indeed?" Soval's eyebrows shot up, and Kolna was not sure whether he was registering surprise, or something more troubling.
33. T'Pol arched an eyebrow as she recognized the subtle trap that Trip had laid for her.
*34. Verley glanced at his mug and raised his eyebrows. "Physics is Phun?"
35. T'Pol's eyebrows went up. "Torture? Vulcans do not torture."
36. Trip couldn't see it, but he knew T'Pol's eyebrow had arched into a delicate expression of Vulcan skepticism.
*37. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You're afraid someone will catch us making out?"
*38. Moose leaned in to kiss him again, but he stopped her with a gentle hand against her cheek. She raised her eyebrows inquiringly.
*39. Drevok's eyebrows went up. "You think our nine escorts will not defeat the five Starfleet vessels?"
40. She quirked an eyebrow, but stood to one side and allowed him entrance.
*41. Trip took the PADD and his eyebrows lifted.
*42. Vokalus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Chosin's Captain arrested?"
*43. It takes an effort worthy of Surak for T'Pol's father to keep his eyebrows from climbing in amusement.
*44. Archer raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Impressive."
45. She arched an eyebrow, but took one of the indicated seats while Shran took the other.
Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.

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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Distracted » Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:56 pm

Hmmmm. It looks like somebody has waaaay too much free time on his hands. How about volunteering as a moderator and story poster at TriS, Transwarp? I'll keep you busy. :twisted:
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Alelou » Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:12 pm

Excellent plan!

It may amuse you to know that there's a whole new field of critical study in English literature rising out of just that kind of analysis, now made much easier with digital files.

Though I haven't seen eyebrows become a subject in any literary journals yet....
OMG, ANOTHER new chapter! NORTH STAR Chapter 28
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Read opening chapters free at Amazon (US): The Awful Mess: A Love Story
Blog: Sheer Hubris Press / Twitter: @sheerhubris / Facebook: Sandra Hutchison

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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Weeble » Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:46 pm

Working thru my own stories and not anywhere near as diligent as Transwarp so far I have found:

Eye Brows of …

Questioning
Mild Shock
Uneven eyebrows of happy contemplation not used yet but from the last scene of 'Bound'
Impending Doom
Duh or no sh#@ Sherlock
RIP Tom, I will miss you, as will many others

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Re: Eyebrows

Postby putaro » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:42 am

Here's one for you:

Well, as long as she wasn’t around to give him the disapproving eyebrow, he could get some drinking in.
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Re: Eyebrows

Postby Weeble » Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:03 am

My list is improving here are some new ones:

Slow painful death
Mere tolerance
Single eyebrow of curiosity

I am adding the suggestions to the master list.
RIP Tom, I will miss you, as will many others


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