Coraline — 23 of 122

Chapter of Phones

A phone is a kind of thing. Understand "phone" as a phone.

Calling it on is an action applying to one visible thing and one thing.

Check calling it on:

if the second noun is not a phone, say "[The second noun] is unlikely to be of much use in that respect." instead;

if the second noun is the noun, say "You get a busy signal." instead.

Carry out calling it on:

say "There is no reply."

Rule for supplying a missing second noun while calling something on:

assign a phone.

To assign a phone:

if the player can touch a phone (called the current phone):

say "(on [the current phone])[line break]";

now the second noun is the current phone;

otherwise:

say "You don't have a phone handy."

Understand "call [any person] on [something]" as calling it on.

Understand "call [any person]" as calling it on.

Understand the commands "dial" or "phone" or "telephone" as "call".

[

Telephoning is an action applying to one visible thing.

Understand "telephone [anybody]" as telephoning.

Understand the commands "dial" or "phone" as telephoning.

Check telephoning:

say "There is no telephone here."

]

[

Calling it by name on is an action applying to one visible thing and one thing.

Understand "call [any person]" as calling it by name on.

Understand "call [any person] on [something]" as calling it by name on.

Rule for supplying a missing second noun while calling something by name on:

assign a phone.

Check calling it by name on:

if the noun is in the location, say "[The noun] is right here." instead.

Carry out calling it by name on:

if the noun can touch a telephone (called the link), try calling the link on the second noun;

otherwise say "You can't reach [the noun]." instead.

[Before calling something on something:

say "(first ending your conversation)[command clarification break]";

end current conversation.

]

Hanging up is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "hang up [something]" as hanging up.

[Check hanging up:

if the noun is not a telephone, say "You can't hang up [the noun]." instead;

if the player does not reach someone, say "You're not on the line with anyone." instead.

]

[Carry out hanging up:

now the player does not reach anyone.

]

Report hanging up:

say "You put down [the noun], cutting the connection."

[Before going somewhere when the player reaches someone:

say "(first hanging up)[command clarification break]";

end current conversation. ]

]