What's the Most Complicated Thing You Ever Did?

@Joe Nation,

Jeez, and in the OP I thought this was going to be a friendly thread about sharing something that you felt accomplishment about.

Just goes to show how wrong a person can be.

1 Reply

@gungasnake,

gungasnake wrote:

A couple of secretaries walked in once and asked me what was going on and I told them I had an invisible rabbit like Jimmy Stewart and the rabbit was practicing typing....

That would be Harvey.

1 Reply

@Joe Nation,

Quote:

You should write this book, my friend, we've watched you puff and preen for years without taking any real notice.

The watching is what matters Joe. I would be mortified if anybody took any notice. The sheer responsibility of such a thing is too much for me.

Quote:

Yes, I have worked in jobs where my hands, face, feet and clothes got filthy every day)

Refereeing women's nude mud wrestling? Heavyweight Division.

2 Replies

@JTT,

A well bred writer, JT, does not signify ironies or sarcasms.

If the book is not in such a vein it is not worth the bother. Only physicians like Dick van Dyke are allowed to be serious.

Perhaps that's why you don't care for Fowler.

1 Reply

@chai2,

Quote:

Jeez, and in the OP I thought this was going to be a friendly thread about sharing something that you felt accomplishment about.

Just goes to show how wrong a person can be.

There is nothing, chai, in this whole, wide world of weary woe, which some people say is round, more friendly than witty repartee. It seeks to cure dickheads.

There is nothing friendly about refusing to join in.

1 Reply

@spendius,

spendius wrote:

There is nothing, chai, in this whole, wide world of weary woe, which some people say is round, more friendly than witty repartee. It seeks to cure dickheads.

ok, just let me know when the witty repartee starts.

1 Reply

@chai2,

One simply does not do explanations of such things. One ought never to alert the company that one is about to engage in witty repartee. A stiff upper lip is more satisfying I have been informed.

0 Replies

@chai2,

But, if I remember correctly, Mr. Dow (Jimmy Stewart) told somebody that Harvey was not a rabbit, but a pooka.

Joe(being picky)Nation

2 Replies

@spendius,

Quote:

Refereeing women's nude mud wrestling? Heavyweight Division.

Who has been exposing my fantasies to you?

Joe(Refereeing those matches would be complicated.)Nation

0 Replies

@JTT,

Doubtful, I'm only about third of the way through it, irregular verb structure and that sort of thing. Do you like Pinker? I read or listened to his book on how the mind works.
I'll check it out Chapter Nine and elsewhere, JTT, though I may have to go get an actual copy of it. Right now I'm listening to it while I run.

Do you run?

Joe(That's not complicated)Nation

2 Replies

@Joe Nation,

Joe Nation wrote:

But, if I remember correctly, Mr. Dow (Jimmy Stewart) told somebody that Harvey was not a rabbit, but a pooka.

Joe(being picky)Nation

You are correct sir.

0 Replies

@Joe Nation,

Joe: The only clue I can find is that single quotes are used in linguistics to indicate a particular use of a word.

--------------

That is usually italics, but certainly single quotes can be used as can double quotes. (The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language)

0 Replies

@Joe Nation,

Joe: I've asked you twice whether you think using the marks the way I have described leads to better clarity ... .

I was waiting for your sources. I wanted to see whether it was a style manual prescription or another Joe(I pulled it out of my ass)Nation distraction.

That's a favorite meme of prescriptivists - the clarity meme. No, it is of little to no help. That's the reason language science finds that either can be used.

2 Replies

@spendius,

Spendi: Perhaps that's why you don't care for Fowler.

I don't have the time to waste with Fowler. It's a bit of pertinent information mixed with loads of twaddle. It's perfect for folks who don't know about language and how it works but want to make pretense that they do.

1 Reply

@JTT,

Proust mentions this matter JT. I have a vague idea where it is. I'll see if I can find it and if it looks to be of interest I'll post it.

It is likely in the Verdurin salon scenes which are, incidentally, quite amusing.

0 Replies

@JTT,

It's the twaddle, JT, that counts. Not a feminist are you?

0 Replies

@JTT,

Quote:

She says "I am a vegetarian." usually with her mouth full of 'vegetarian' pepperoni pizza.

Quote:

She says "I am a vegetarian." usually with her mouth full of "vegetarian" pepperoni pizza.

The second one seems to have two uses for the same symbol. The first use is obviously speech, the second could be a number of things to an ESL reader.
The first uses two different symbols, one to indicate speech, the other to indicate sarcasm. Simple.

Joe(But I see what you mean. No biggie. )Nation

PS I got the PDF of The Language Instinct. I hope you are not sending me on another wild goose chase like you did before. Cheers.

1 Reply

@Joe Nation,

Joe: though I may have to go get an actual copy of it. Right now I'm listening to it while I run.

I encourage you to do that. Especially for chapter 9.

Joe: Do you run?

Only to avoid having to face difficult issues that I have raised. Smile

0 Replies

@Joe Nation,

Joe: The second one seems to have two uses for the same symbol. The first use is obviously speech, the second could be a number of things to an ESL reader.
------------

It is only a problem to ESLs when and if they have been given the twaddle that Spendius mistakenly thinks is important.

But that should illustrate to you a truly important point about language and how it really works. We don't learn language from these silly rules. These silly rules have no effect on native speakers because they are, you'll hear or read this soon, alien to the workings of language.

The only ones who know these are those who read Fowler and others like him and even they can't remember to follow these silly rules, because, again, they are alien to the natural rules of English.

If they were real, ie. natural, people wouldn't break them and they never would have to be taught. But sorry for telling you the ending. Smile

2 Replies

@JTT,

I believe jtt is an idiot who refuses to understand anything.

2 Replies

What's the Most Complicated Thing You Ever Did?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know