why you ask?
I was scanning the news today, and see that the top news stories are:
"The DaVinci Code is about God and sex--mostly sex"
"Apple countersues Creative over iPod interface"
"Senate declares English to be the official language"
well, I am heartened to some extent that the media is able to recognize the truly earth shattering events that affect us, and strive to deliver these, above the fold, as the saying goes.
I think that these things are reported on because most of the other things one might wish to read about are way over our heads. In some cases, we may understand particular incidents, but not how they fold into the ebb and flow of politics, economics, science or whatever. The result is, we simply put these issues aside and wait for someone to deliver tem up in a small, digestible sound-bite.
As for Apple and Creative Labs, come on guys, the issue is not who stole who's technology or concepts, it is the fact that your product is manufactured in China, where everything is stolen.
As for the 'DaVinci Code', it is, first and foremost, a movie. Why don't we have a huge debate with an accompanying uproar by conservationists, ecologists, sportsmen and gun manufacturers over 'Bambi'.
And then there is the U.S. Senate. Thank God for those people! And here I was afraid that I might have to learn French or Italian to get a bite at a classy restaurant. It occurs to me though, that this brave act of legislative chutzpah might have a few unintended consequences, related in a general way to the question "who is the final arbiter of the use of the language?". Will laws be overturned or contracts voided over a dangling participle? What will the ramifications of using the term "what's up?" be? Will a traffic cop be forced into using excruciatingly correct grammar instead of "license and registration please", and if he/she does not use the corrrect verbiage, what are the ramifications of ignoring them?
This might be fun for a while. Be sure to follow the campaigns and speeches of Senators ruiing for something, (and that is all of them), if you dare, peg them on the correct use of the language.
"The DaVinci Code is about God and sex--mostly sex"
"Apple countersues Creative over iPod interface"
"Senate declares English to be the official language"
well, I am heartened to some extent that the media is able to recognize the truly earth shattering events that affect us, and strive to deliver these, above the fold, as the saying goes.
I think that these things are reported on because most of the other things one might wish to read about are way over our heads. In some cases, we may understand particular incidents, but not how they fold into the ebb and flow of politics, economics, science or whatever. The result is, we simply put these issues aside and wait for someone to deliver tem up in a small, digestible sound-bite.
As for Apple and Creative Labs, come on guys, the issue is not who stole who's technology or concepts, it is the fact that your product is manufactured in China, where everything is stolen.
As for the 'DaVinci Code', it is, first and foremost, a movie. Why don't we have a huge debate with an accompanying uproar by conservationists, ecologists, sportsmen and gun manufacturers over 'Bambi'.
And then there is the U.S. Senate. Thank God for those people! And here I was afraid that I might have to learn French or Italian to get a bite at a classy restaurant. It occurs to me though, that this brave act of legislative chutzpah might have a few unintended consequences, related in a general way to the question "who is the final arbiter of the use of the language?". Will laws be overturned or contracts voided over a dangling participle? What will the ramifications of using the term "what's up?" be? Will a traffic cop be forced into using excruciatingly correct grammar instead of "license and registration please", and if he/she does not use the corrrect verbiage, what are the ramifications of ignoring them?
This might be fun for a while. Be sure to follow the campaigns and speeches of Senators ruiing for something, (and that is all of them), if you dare, peg them on the correct use of the language.
posted by eccentric recluse at 6:43 AM
1 Comments:
Uh oh. Not very many people in this country speak English well enough for official communication. In fact, I just read a headline on CNN's web site that the Pope is visiting his "successor's" homeland. Poland. Apparently the Pope is in some sort of time-flux situation where the Pope before him is his successor, or the CNN copy writer is in some sort of twirling situation. Or a little of both.
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