Apr 24, 2008
Language is a complementary, moist, lemon-scented cleansing square.
I recommend watching Fry and Laurie’s discussion of the “flexibility of language” and whether English is “capable of sustaining demagoguery.”
True linguistics!
* * * * *
Well, it’s certainly capable of sustaining a leveret…
I found this so amusing! Several times a week one of my professors engages us in some sort of conversation similar to this! I can see how ridiculous we sound, but we do love language.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. My mom was my English teacher at my high school. (if Laurie reads this you remember the dramatic readings of Shakespeare we used to do!!) small school.
anyhoo.. i recently sent my mom this link. She adores this series.
[...] 22 Words Dropped in: General around 11:49 [...]
Jocular raillery indeed.
“I believe that would be “complimentary.”
Grrr.
I suppose you’re right. (But taken out of context, it could be either.)
Now I’m trying to think just what would be most complemented by a moist, lemon-scented lemon square.
Okay, homeschooling came to a complete stop. We all gathered ’round and laughed and laughed and laughed. Thanks!
I’m glad to hear it, Daisy.
Some bloggers judge success by number of links or subscribers.
But me? I’m perfectly happy if I can just disrupt a perfectly good school day.
And, Abraham, I bet you’re feeling relieved now that Daisy changed the subject for you.
One of my daughters forwarded this to me about a month ago. Part of why it’s so funny is because there is just enough truth in it to realistically spoof the discipline.
I think showing this video as a pre-requisite to taking any college-level Linguistics classes would save me a lot of time and effort in doling out grades with the wisdom of Solomon.
The protocol is simple: Play the video on the first day of class and carefully observe those students who nod off, those who use the time to text, those who appear puzzled, and finally, those who laugh openly.
My hypothesis is that you could predict the final grade of your classroom of students by their initial reactions to said video:
Those who nodded off earn a “D” in the class, those who spend the time texting earn a “C”, those who were puzzled earn a “B” and those who laugh openly end up earning an “A.”
Those who post it to their blogs…?
Total nerds. A +
i forgot to watch the video when i first saw you posted it the other day. i think that linguists are among the world’s greatest people because, like the guy in the video, they are always in it to win it. and i realize, too, how little sense we make.
i am totally posting this on my blog.
[...] HT to AP at 22Words [...]
One of my favorite bits.
If you’ve never watched a Bit of Fry and Laurie, put it on your Netflix que … or watch all the ones posted to YouTube.
[...] relates Fry and Laurie’s linguistic confabulation to Kauflin’s clip, “Why Christians [...]