Showing posts with label william safire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label william safire. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
On Language
When we were little, my brother Markie sat at the end of the kitchen table during dinner underneath the rotary phone that was mounted on the wall. Almost nightly the phone would ring, it would be for him (most likely a call from Dave next door), Mark would answer and respond, "Reetin."
Definition: I can't talk with you right now, we're eating.
Today, Son #2 is filled with such linguistic slurrings such as "Q," "Shy" and "Ki."
Definition of Q: A request being made of my time/attention/money
Usage: Q play basketball with me? Q buy this book for me?
Definition of shy: A request for assistance in reasoning
Usage: Shy go ride my bike? What shy do?
Definition of Ki: A request for permission
Usage: Ki have a sleepover? Ki go to the playground with Connor?
I've also been noticing lately that my coworker Jennifer truncates the "g" off most of her words: workin, eatin, sleepin. And my boss says comp'ny.
What do I do? Apparently, when I don't hear someone fully, instead of asking him/her to restate it politely as in, "pardon?" I ask, "Hey?" Drives the hubby crazy! You should try it sometime.
Definition: I can't talk with you right now, we're eating.
Today, Son #2 is filled with such linguistic slurrings such as "Q," "Shy" and "Ki."
Definition of Q: A request being made of my time/attention/money
Usage: Q play basketball with me? Q buy this book for me?
Definition of shy: A request for assistance in reasoning
Usage: Shy go ride my bike? What shy do?
Definition of Ki: A request for permission
Usage: Ki have a sleepover? Ki go to the playground with Connor?
I've also been noticing lately that my coworker Jennifer truncates the "g" off most of her words: workin, eatin, sleepin. And my boss says comp'ny.
What do I do? Apparently, when I don't hear someone fully, instead of asking him/her to restate it politely as in, "pardon?" I ask, "Hey?" Drives the hubby crazy! You should try it sometime.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Our Bon Vivant
Son #2 has been wearing his new robe from Target so much that we've begun calling him "Hef."
In return, in his typical style, he's been unexpectedly peppering us with unique colloquialisms as only a seven year old can deliver. "What the hef are you doing?" or "Hey, what the hef is going on around here?"
William Safire would be proud. As would Hef methinks.
In return, in his typical style, he's been unexpectedly peppering us with unique colloquialisms as only a seven year old can deliver. "What the hef are you doing?" or "Hey, what the hef is going on around here?"
William Safire would be proud. As would Hef methinks.
Friday, December 28, 2007
My Favorite Word
One of my brother's best friends, Tony, is British. I've heard a number of hilarious stories about this guy since he and my brother met but the following observation (paraphrased below) has not only far surpassed all of the interesting tidbits that I've gleaned from William Safire's On Language over the years but also helped me to define my favorite word.
"The English language has so many beautiful plural nouns like a gaggle of geese, a pack of wolves, a litter of kittens, and a yoke of oxen but you Americans have synthesized them all into one comprehensive word. 'Honey, look! There's a sh*tload of deer in the yard.' "
"The English language has so many beautiful plural nouns like a gaggle of geese, a pack of wolves, a litter of kittens, and a yoke of oxen but you Americans have synthesized them all into one comprehensive word. 'Honey, look! There's a sh*tload of deer in the yard.' "
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