October 5, 2009
I’m not sure who the announcer was yesterday during the simulated Marine attack (replete with explosives) during the annual Miramar Air Show, but he was definitely in combat mode. He talked of how Marines "drink their enemy’s blood" after eliminating them and how they use air power to "rain hell from above."
Those are just two of the phrases that I remember, but he was definitely not faint about the use of American military power–or in his descriptions of a simulated air-land assault.
FYI: The Miramar Air Show is held each year at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Miramar, Calif. just outside San Diego. It features spectacular aerial demonstrations, including the Navy Blue Eagles, the Canadian Snowbirds, the Army Golden Eagles (parachutists), the F-16 Falcon soaring into the heavens and also a couple of hundred feet off the ground, Fat Albert (you have to look this one up), the vertical take-off and hover-capable Harrier, and much more.
One last thing: Though the Marine announcer was graphic and martial in his descriptions, he had a sense of humor. After speaking of drinking the enemy’s blood, for instance, he would add, "For further information, visit Marines.com."
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
The Slippery Slope of Trying to Sound Different
L.A. Times Fakes Objectivity, Throws (Liberalism) Long
A New Look, Again
Japan’s Use of English Raises Some Questions
The O’Reilly Factor: Disputatiousness at Work?
September 24, 2009
Frugalista is a term that came about in response to our currently challenged and challenging economy. In fact, it’s widely used by bloggers, but now comes word from TechDirt that one blogger has sought to trademark the word (long after its initial invention) and her lawyer is sending other bloggers who use Frugalista letters to cease and desist.
Okay, I’m waiting for my letter!
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
Charles Lamb on Retirement
Dennis Kneale Is Right, Except in His English Usage
D-Day: Back When Things Made Sense
Letter Writing a Lost Art
AP Takes on the Blogosphere
September 22, 2009
Leave it to the government and its worshipping at the altar or George Orwell DoubleSpeak to come up with this one.
After Judge Joan Lefkow ordered a new trial for four convicted drug traffickers when she determined a government witness had lied, federal prosecutors have asked her to reconsider since the witness’s testimony was actually "truthful, but innacurate."
Try that the next time a judge accuses you of false testimony.
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
Welcome to the New World of Abbreviated SubSpeak
Group Anoints ‘Subprime’ Word of the Year
Whither the English Language?
Bureaucratizing Good English
‘Ginormous’ Now a Word: Give Me a Break
September 10, 2009
Michael Masnick of TechDirt.com has been blogging on and off about how the use of text speak (txt spk) on Twitter and other social media outlets is actually improving young Americans’ writing and use of English. He further maintains that, for the most part, the txt spk generation knows when to write Twitterlish and when to use more formal English, though he admits that his contemporaries blow it sometimes.
I’d like to believe the studies he’s posted, but I taught English at the university level for almost 12 years, and I found precious few who knew how to correctly construct sentences, paragraphs and essays–the majority of whom could’ve cared less that they were butchering English and making themselves un-understandable.
Anyway, I guess the debate will continue, but as Masnick points out, with the advent of the Internet (which he consistently misspells by not capitalizing) and the social media, at least young people have a reason to write.
Thank heavens for little favors, eh?
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
A Life Isn’t Worth a Full Sentence?
Ten Reasons Why Lists Suck
Heard on the Radio
Readability Scales and Writing
NewsSpeak: ‘Sucky’ Supplants Normal Terms
August 28, 2009
The Japanese, as shown in my last post, have developed ingenious ways of using English properly to mask their true intention (recruiting for the Self-Defense Forces).
In China, however, authorities are worried about their public displays of English translations (example shown), especially since the world came to the Forbidden City for the 2008 Olympics.
The BBC on its Web site has done a cute job of aggregating some examples. Go take a look.
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
Beijing Cleans Up Its English Act
Don’t Leave Home Without It
Web World Words
Wording of the Second Amendment Examined
Welcome to the New World of Abbreviated SubSpeak
August 21, 2009
Here’s a smiling young Japanese woman, and on her t-shirt (partially obscured by some overprint) are the words "Peace People Japan."
Now, I’m not sure if they intended for viewers to add punctuation, so that it would read, "Peace, People, Japan"–three different words, or whether it was more like "Peace People for Japan."
When I tell you what the poster is advertising, you’ll get a better idea.
Any guesses on what this is all about?
Sorry, but you’ll have to scroll to the continuation page for the answer.
Continue reading “Japan’s Use of English Raises Some Questions” »
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
ChingLish: More Strange Uses of English in the Far East
Grammar Questions Will Be Answered
Story So Good, ‘Times’ Runs It Twice
The Oft-Forgot Second Comma
Building Blocks of English: Part II
August 12, 2009
I stumbled upon a report by someone named Deborah Amos, who was returning to visit Baghdad for the first time in four years.
While the details were revealing in that the mainstream media report only the gory details to discredit Bush–and now only successes to burnish Obama–what really struck me was Ms. Amos’s discussion of everyday life in the Iraqi capital. Here:
The word makku unites Sunnis and Shiite alike. It means "there isn’t any." This was the first Iraqi Arabic word I learned back in 2003 and is still uttered in almost every discussion. Makku jobs, makku water, makku electricity. These complaints have only gotten stronger in my four-year absence.
Here in America, we can say, "Makku money, makku jobs, makku future."
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
The Most Important Read of Your Life
Infant Videos Not the Brain Steroids Some Hoped
Added a New feature
Come On, Commish–Palaver?
Language, Civility and Upbringing
August 10, 2009
From the city of Belvedere, Calif.:
City Council order reads: “No dog shall be in a public place without its master on a leash."
Now, I realize it often seems like my dog is pulling me while I’m walking him, but the leash is on his neck, not mine. I’d never make it in Belvedere.
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
Nothing Like a Stiff Drink and a Quick Trim
Building Blocks of English VI: Modifiers Part II
Heard at Lunch Too Many Times: ‘Dude’
Abbreviations Gone Wild
June 16, Bloomsday: James Joyce Fans Celebrate in Dublin and Everywhere
August 7, 2009
Okay, so SubSpeak doesn’t really describe what’s happening to the English language in the new world of instant electronic communication, but I was (vainly) trying to come up with a variation on George Orwell’s famed DoubleSpeak (the language politicians use). I mean, if we went around talking in text abbreviations, then SubSpeak might apply, but TextSpeak might even be better.
However, my whole point in creating SubSpeak was to castigate the texting phenomenon as something sub-human, or at least as sub-human communication–a sign of 1) irreversible decay in interpersonal relationships and 2) the imminent demise of the English language and people who know how to use it to beautiful effect.
Anyway, I got on this topic after reading an article in today’s Wall Street Journal entitled "Quick! Tell Us What KUTGW Means." Through the course of the article, I learned many abbreviations, but being someone who sees no purpose in texting and uses cell phones only for emergency calls, I was definitely a parvenue to SubSpeak (which I intend to remain).
Anyway, KUTGW means "keep up the good work."
Gee, I’d really love to see that as a subject line in an e-mail after working my butt off on a project for six weeks. How about coming over and telling me in person?
Here’s my contribution to the subject: URE.
Translation: Use Real English. (Another: CIP, Communicate In Person.)
(The article must’ve been widely read. It mentioned a site where one could find translations of electronic abbreviations, and each time I went there, NetLingo.com was not operating. It might’ve crashed from the sudden onslaught of visitors. Another site, dtxtr.com, allows you to enter either the abbreviation for a translation or the full English for an accepted abbreviation.)
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
UR What U Rite, or ur what u rite
‘Ginormous’ Now a Word: Give Me a Break
Ten Reasons Why Lists Suck
D-Day: Back When Things Made Sense
Essential v. Quintessential: Does Anyone Know the Difference?
August 5, 2009
I wonder if anybody at the Los Angeles Times realizes that today the newspaper ran an article twice.
Well, not exactly, the articles were written by different people, but both the Calendar (page D4) and the Business (B3) sections featured articles on a new Web site called RunPee.com that alerts moviegoers to appropriate spots in films to run to the bathroom and not miss anything.
As for RunPee.com and moviegoers, I’ve got a better idea–don’t bother wasting your money on the movies Hollywood wastes your time on. Try reading a book instead.
Print This Post
You Might Also Like:
Required Reading for Our Times: ‘The Great Crash 1929′
Must Reading: ‘Short History of Financial Euphoria’
The Most Important Read of Your Life
AP Takes on the Blogosphere
Happy Holiday Musings
