Signor No

I suspect that Ian Fleming knew (Noel Coward, allegedly: “Dear Ian, the answer to Dr No is no, no, no, no!”) the stereotypical Signor No in Thomas Dekker’s The Noble Spanish Soldier (1622-ish):

Enter Signor No.

MEDINA whispers
What are you? Come from the King?

NO
No.

BALTHAZAR
No? More no’s? I know him, let him enter.

MEDINA
Signor, I thank your kind intelligence,
The news long since was sent into our ears,
Yet we embrace your love, so fare you well.

CARLO
Will you smell to a sprig of rosemary?

NO
No.

BALTHAZAR
Will you be hanged?

NO
No.

BALTHAZAR
This is either Signor No, or no Signor.

It would be interesting to know what happened to this man of one little word in Dekker’s comic rewrite, The Welsh Embassador.

Related posts

• Mock Welsh
• Language of love
• Enough Lloretisation!
• Hebben/zijn, haber/ser
• Quillo/chav/all suffix and no root/blah

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