--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Er, why do you need to work in a dark…" description: "\"“Er, why do you need to work in a dark room, though?\" he said. \"The imps don't need it, do they?\" \"Ah, zis is for my experiment,\" said Otto proudly. \"Y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/terry-pratchett-19_dark-room_er-why-do-you-need-to-work-in-a-dark-roo_2463817.jpg" --- # Er, why do you need to work in a dark room, though?" he… ![“Er, why do you need to work in a dark room, though?" he said. "The imps don't need it, do they?" "Ah, zis is for my experiment," said Otto proudly. "You know zat another term for an iconographer would be 'photographer'? From the old word photos in Latation, vhich means - " "'To prance around like…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/terry-pratchett-19_dark-room_er-why-do-you-need-to-work-in-a-dark-roo_2463817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/terry-pratchett-19_dark-room_er-why-do-you-need-to-work-in-a-dark-roo_2463817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/terry-pratchett-19_dark-room_er-why-do-you-need-to-work-in-a-dark-roo_2463817.jpg) > ““Er, why do you need to work in a dark room, though?" he said. "The imps don't need it, do they?" "Ah, zis is for my experiment," said Otto proudly. "You know zat another term for an iconographer would be 'photographer'? From the old word photos in Latation, vhich means - " "'To prance around like a pillock ordering everyone about as if you owned the place'", said William. "Ah, you know it!”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A whimsical exchange about work conditions, language, and authority, satirizing bureaucracy and pretension. **In simple terms:** Playful banter about work and titles. Key Takeaway Question authority with humor. Themes humor bureaucracy language authority Mood playful ironic Type fiction dialogue When to use this quote - office settings - creative labs - team meetings Key Concepts satire linguistic play power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What does language reveal about power? - When is satire effective? A Different Perspective Humor can mask serious critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-room/) [Discworld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discworld/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [“You know zat another term for an iconographer would be ‘photographer’? From the old word ‘photus’ in Latation, vhich means—” “‘To prance around like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-know-zat-another-term-for-an-iconographer-would-be-photographer/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“From the old word ‘photus’ in Latation, vhich means—” “‘To prance around like an idiot ordering everyone about as if you owned the place,’”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/from-the-old-word-photus-in-latation-vhich-means-to-prance-around/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“ Click. The salamander flared, etching the room with searing white light and dark shadows. Otto screamed. He fell to the floor, clutching at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/click-the-salamander-flared-etching-the-room-with-searing-white-light/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Lawn looked down at his patient. "In the words of the philosopher Sceptum, the founder of my profession: am I going to get paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/lawn-looked-down-at-his-patient-in-the-words-of-the-philosopher/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“I shall fear not. According to the Testament of Mezerek, the fisherman Nonpo spent four days in the belly of a giant fish," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-shall-fear-not-according-to-the-testament-of-mezerek-the-fisherman/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Vimes was already lost. Oh, there was the sun, but that was just a direction . He could feel it on the side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/vimes-was-already-lost-oh-there-was-the-sun-but-that-was-just-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Everybody does it!" Quirke burst out. "It's perks !" "Everybody?" said Vimes. He looked around at the squad. "Anyone else here take bribes?" His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/everybody-does-it-quirke-burst-out-it-s-perks-everybody-said-vimes-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Just a minute," said Lobsang. "Who are you? Time has stopped, the world is given over to...fairy tales and monsters, and there's a schoolteacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-a-minute-said-lobsang-who-are-you-time-has-stopped-the-world-is/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Vimes awoke with a noseful of camel. There are far worse awakenings, but not as many as you might think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/vimes-awoke-with-a-noseful-of-camel-there-are-far-worse-awakenings/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Is that you, Sergeant Angua?" said a voice in the gloom. A lantern was open, and lit the approaching face of Constable Visit. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/is-that-you-sergeant-angua-said-a-voice-in-the-gloom-a-lantern-was/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The street was full of animals, milling around uncertainly. When animals are in a state of uncertainty they get nervous, and the street was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-street-was-full-of-animals-milling-around-uncertainly-when/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Vimes shook some lather off the blade. "Hah! I bet they have. Tell me, Willikins, did you fight much when you were a kid?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/vimes-shook-some-lather-off-the-blade-hah-i-bet-they-have-tell-me/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Her books on alchemy were marvellous objects, every page a work of the engraver's art, but they nowhere contained instructions like "Be sure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/her-books-on-alchemy-were-marvellous-objects-every-page-a-work-of-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Sacharissa saw a movement. Boddony had pulled his axe out from under the bench. It was a traditional dwarf axe. One side was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sacharissa-saw-a-movement-boddony-had-pulled-his-axe-out-from-under/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Dark room quotes > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [You should climb around inside my brain, Dan. It's like this dark room surrounded by quicksand." "I know what you mean," her brother said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lerangis/you-should-climb-around-inside-my-brain-dan-it-s-like-this-dark-room/) [Peter Lerangis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lerangis/) > [Following the Noble Path is like entering a dark room with a light in the hand; the darkness will all be cleared away, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/following-the-noble-path-is-like-entering-a-dark-room-with-a-light-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Death is staring too long into the burning sun and the relief of entering a cool, dark room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/death-is-staring-too-long-into-the-burning-sun-and-the-relief-of/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [“Like children in a dark room, like wayfarers passing a graveyard at night, the four men in the canoe filled the surrounding darkness with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/like-children-in-a-dark-room-like-wayfarers-passing-a-graveyard-at/) [Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/) > [“All right. You want to know about Nigel. I’ll tell you about Nigel. He’s come a long way since that so-called accident, Jon. Heck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-corey/all-right-you-want-to-know-about-nigel-i-ll-tell-you-about-nigel-he-s/) Shawn Corey > [People go to the movies instead of moving. Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/people-go-to-the-movies-instead-of-moving-hollywood-characters-are/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“And suddenly there came a second, when somehow for the first time I saw (as if a door had opened from a dark room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seraphim-rose/and-suddenly-there-came-a-second-when-somehow-for-the-first-time-i/) [Seraphim Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seraphim-rose/) > [“Deepest of all in her personality was the golden radiance that she diffused around her. As an open fire in a dark room throws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/deepest-of-all-in-her-personality-was-the-golden-radiance-that-she/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“…dreaming backwards can carry a man through some dark rooms where the walls seem lined with razor blades.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-bragg/dreaming-backwards-can-carry-a-man-through-some-dark-rooms-where-the/) [Rick Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-bragg/) > [Beautiful pictures are developed from negatives in a dark room. So any time you see darkness in your life. It means God is developing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/beautiful-pictures-are-developed-from-negatives-in-a-dark-room-so-any/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I do my music, I don't even go to the studio. It's just me and my engineer in a dark room somewhere, recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/when-i-do-my-music-i-don-t-even-go-to-the-studio-it-s-just-me-and-my/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [“Healing is to be in the light of our own consciousness. Healing is an inner light, which exist as a natural radiance around a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-dhyan-giten/healing-is-to-be-in-the-light-of-our-own-consciousness-healing-is-an/) [Swami Dhyan Giten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-dhyan-giten/) > [ God does not play dice \[with the universe\]. \[Ger., Gott wurfelt nicht.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/god-does-not-play-dice-with-the-universe-ger-gott-wurfelt-nicht/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“He was a failure, he repeated. Well, look then, feel then. Flashing her needles, glancing round about her, out of the window, into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/he-was-a-failure-he-repeated-well-look-then-feel-then-flashing-her/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Browse all 307 Dark room quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-room/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Er, why do you need to work in a dark room, though?\" he said. \"The imps don't need it, do they?\" \"Ah, zis is for my experiment,\" said Otto proudly. \"You know zat another term for an iconographer would be 'photographer'? 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