In T.Pratchett's "Unseen Academicals" Archchancellor Ridcully is about to make a speech:
"Ridcully picked up a spoon and tapped the side of a wine glass, in the time-honoured ‘Look, everybody, I’m trying to make a loud noise very quietly!’ procedure, which has successfully eluded after-dinner speakers ever since the invention of glasses, spoons and dinners."
The highlighted part confuses me: does the master mean that after-dinner speakers don't understand the procedure or nobody wants to use it so they use it as seldom as possible or something else completely? Thanks!
"Ridcully picked up a spoon and tapped the side of a wine glass, in the time-honoured ‘Look, everybody, I’m trying to make a loud noise very quietly!’ procedure, which has successfully eluded after-dinner speakers ever since the invention of glasses, spoons and dinners."
The highlighted part confuses me: does the master mean that after-dinner speakers don't understand the procedure or nobody wants to use it so they use it as seldom as possible or something else completely? Thanks!
