Saturday, February 20, 2010
LEMME AKS YOU ABOUT COMMUNICATION
Ya know, with a generation of people texting to hell, all day, everyday, everywhere, you'd think that the population might have become a little more literate.
Educators were beaming a few years ago during the Golden Days of computers (about a 3 week period of time during early December 1995), saying that for the first time in ages, people were starting to actually read again. All to no avail.
Now, in order to get a real glimpse at how English Departments across this great land have failed and are failing, just go to any newspaper's "comments section" in their internet division on your computer and try to make some sense of the verbiage that is attempting to perpetuate itself as language!!
People are so interested in being heard that they arent paying attention to the most important part of communication: being understood!! If all you say means nothing because it cant be interpreted in any intelligible manner, then you may as well just turn on the "web ding" (or similar font) as you're typing and have at it!! (This btw is 'kiss my ass' in webdings font: - pretty difficult to comprehend, eh??)
Here's something that caught my eye about a year ago which touches on another pet peeve: people wasting time at work like its going outta freakin style. One of my first jobs was with a tyrant whose mantra was "save steps" He has contributed in large part to my total inability to get anything done AT ALL as a result of multitasking on a grand scale. I'm reading 25 books right now, to give you a glimpse at a small corner of the mania. But I digress....
Here is a photo that should be the poster-child-pic adjoining the dictionary definition of the word: total-waste-of-fucking-time (I think that's a word??):
But language and communication remain complicated parts of civilized life and I cant help but be amused by how people use and abuse it. One of the typical juvenile non-p.c. ways to mock Asians' attempting to speak English is to substitute the letter "r" for the letter "l" in a word. Example: Crab claws, which would convert into Crab cRaws. Amusingly enough, at one of my favorite Thai restaurants we noticed on the menu that one of those annoying juvenile non-p.c. people had obviously infiltrated the printing company and commandeered the printing press. Here is a photo of the deed in black and white from a portion of the menu:
For all intents and purposes, in order to be totally correct in mispronouncing Crab Claws one would have to not only exchange the 'R' for the 'L', but also exchange the "L" for the "R". Then, in true juvenile style, crab claws would be pronounced cLab cRaws...
Of course it's one thing to look at kids who are bemusedly imitating people's foreign accents but its another to realize that the people in the restaurant who sat down and put together the menu were not doing it as a bit of humor (altho it would be really funny if they had!!) It's apparent that their misuse of the English language isnt just a misunderstanding of the sound of the letters, it's actually an evolved process where, having heard the word mispronounced so often, it has become the de facto pronunciation they've come to understand. Here in southern Louisiana I've heard, and almost across the entire socio-economic strata, what would be referred to up north as the "ebonic" pronunciation of "ask" - that pronunciation being "aks" or "axe".
I chuckle with incredulity when I come across educated people saying that too, and am waiting to see that one on a menu somewhere - and I KNOW someday I will!!
Educators were beaming a few years ago during the Golden Days of computers (about a 3 week period of time during early December 1995), saying that for the first time in ages, people were starting to actually read again. All to no avail.Now, in order to get a real glimpse at how English Departments across this great land have failed and are failing, just go to any newspaper's "comments section" in their internet division on your computer and try to make some sense of the verbiage that is attempting to perpetuate itself as language!!
People are so interested in being heard that they arent paying attention to the most important part of communication: being understood!! If all you say means nothing because it cant be interpreted in any intelligible manner, then you may as well just turn on the "web ding" (or similar font) as you're typing and have at it!! (This btw is 'kiss my ass' in webdings font: - pretty difficult to comprehend, eh??)
Here's something that caught my eye about a year ago which touches on another pet peeve: people wasting time at work like its going outta freakin style. One of my first jobs was with a tyrant whose mantra was "save steps" He has contributed in large part to my total inability to get anything done AT ALL as a result of multitasking on a grand scale. I'm reading 25 books right now, to give you a glimpse at a small corner of the mania. But I digress....
Here is a photo that should be the poster-child-pic adjoining the dictionary definition of the word: total-waste-of-fucking-time (I think that's a word??):
But language and communication remain complicated parts of civilized life and I cant help but be amused by how people use and abuse it. One of the typical juvenile non-p.c. ways to mock Asians' attempting to speak English is to substitute the letter "r" for the letter "l" in a word. Example: Crab claws, which would convert into Crab cRaws. Amusingly enough, at one of my favorite Thai restaurants we noticed on the menu that one of those annoying juvenile non-p.c. people had obviously infiltrated the printing company and commandeered the printing press. Here is a photo of the deed in black and white from a portion of the menu:
For all intents and purposes, in order to be totally correct in mispronouncing Crab Claws one would have to not only exchange the 'R' for the 'L', but also exchange the "L" for the "R". Then, in true juvenile style, crab claws would be pronounced cLab cRaws...Of course it's one thing to look at kids who are bemusedly imitating people's foreign accents but its another to realize that the people in the restaurant who sat down and put together the menu were not doing it as a bit of humor (altho it would be really funny if they had!!) It's apparent that their misuse of the English language isnt just a misunderstanding of the sound of the letters, it's actually an evolved process where, having heard the word mispronounced so often, it has become the de facto pronunciation they've come to understand. Here in southern Louisiana I've heard, and almost across the entire socio-economic strata, what would be referred to up north as the "ebonic" pronunciation of "ask" - that pronunciation being "aks" or "axe".
I chuckle with incredulity when I come across educated people saying that too, and am waiting to see that one on a menu somewhere - and I KNOW someday I will!!
Monday, February 08, 2010
WHO DAT!?! HELUVA WEEKEND!!
Oh my God, the Saints won the superbowl!!
I'll tell you, there was emotion dripping in the air throughout New Orleans yesterday - as thick as the humidity in July: joy, fear, anticipation, love, optimism, glee, pride, bliss, enthusiasm, and of course apprehension, nervousness, and tension. Tension enough to make stomachs tight and throats, although eventually hoarse, very dry. Alcohol does help - not only w/the dry, but also w/the unrelenting tension.
To put this game into perspective: 2 other MAJOR events were taking place this weekend:
1. the mayoral election
2. the beginning of Mardi Gras
As a segue from my last post, it would seem appropriate that the city would be passionately enthusiastic in attempting to find a suitable successor to Mr Nagin - he's been the subject of MANY heated discussions with acres of stickers on legions of bumpers/back windshields depicting the specific date of his last day in office. The need to elect someone to office to accomplish the still critical work required to re-establishing the city after 4 years of relative ineptitude, is not a small charge.
But.....
Not when the Saints - the truly, incredibly beloved Saints - are in the Superbowl...
I have never heard as few election advertisements on the radio, which I listen to all day at work, as I encountered this season. (thank God - they're 99% BS anyway!) The Who Dat Nation was busy trying to "stand up and get crunk" - absorbing and simultaneously providing the passion that we share with, as well as receive, from our team. We, as the Who Dat Nation, along with the boys in black and gold, do not take our jobs lightly. But amazingly, the election was so dwarfed by the huge events taking place, that even people I am associated with who are oriented to arguing vociferously at the drop of a political hat, were somehow caught up in the thrill of potential, and then eventual victory.
As it turns out, the mayoral race was neatly tied up with no need for a run-off election with Mitch Landrieu, the favored candidate, winning in an outstanding tour de force. No racial divide - the first white mayor in over 30 years. People voted to have a man substantially connected get the job done.
Now one of the largest attractions to dear NOLA, and by far the biggest party of each year is, of course, Mardi Gras. The reaction to this annual event is generally staggering and after Katrina, there was a prospect that it would not roll which was construed as a potential national, cultural, calamity. When it did run, that first post-apocalyptical year, it was the symbolic, proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, which gave the city hope and a degree of faith that the city would indeed rebuild and rebound.
But that was not a Saints Superbowl year. And that was not a Saints Superbowl week. But THIS year IS indeed Superbowl year, and Mardi Gras has been largely eclipsed by a power that has promised the faithful an attraction which will create even greater goodwill for the city. And the faithful were provided for last night. The Saints and Colts were viewed by the largest audience ever on TV. The Who Dat Nation was expanded many fold (joined by a new large segment of Saints lovers across the land) and Mardi Gras paled this week in comparison. But New Orleanians, ever the finest party people of the land had devised a way to incorporate football and Mardi Gras. The winners will be heading the krewes/floats as they parade through the streets of the city. And although the fun and madness will visit the streets of New Orleans, the overwhelming joy of so many fans who waited 43 years for a superbowl trip (and unbelievably, victory!!) has been THE defining moment right here in the midst of Mardi Gras season. Grown men weeping all over the place?!?!?!
No, Carnival, as loved as it is, couldnt compete with the thrilling emotion the Saints provided this year. The Saints victory parade brought an estimated 1 million people in one day - the estimate for the entire 2009 season and those folks, by and large, and vastly unlike Mardi Gras, were essentially "local" - gulf coast people driven far and wide by the devastation of Katrina and now all brought together by the unselfish love of a team for it's fans.
Rumor has it that eleven people showed up to greet the Colts when they returned after losing the Superbowl. That never would have happened here!! The connection between the team and the people is real. Real love - real fun - real people!
Friday, February 05, 2010
Boo received an invitation to Mayor Nagin's Christmas party, and although I'm less than enamored of him and his abysmal record of accomplishments since Hurricane Katrina, hey! a party's a party! I had a suspicion it would be politics as usual, but apparently, being surrounded only by friends and associates who had made his personal invitation list, he spoke genuinely and downright humorously. 
What a refreshing non-sound-byte tone!! His political comments regarding the upcoming election were cutting, funny, and enough to have his wife drag him by the ear off the stage!! He is a lame duck mayor so he could get away with not having to pander to anyone. He should consider being a political comedian.
A good time was had by all except maybe Boo's boss who was not as fortunate as Ray Ray, who knows he isnt going to have to answer to anyone soon. Boss-man was mizzable. But of course he was in the midst of arranging a marriage the next weekend for which no-one even close to him had been made aware of. He looked like someone had thrown him under the bus.....
What a refreshing non-sound-byte tone!! His political comments regarding the upcoming election were cutting, funny, and enough to have his wife drag him by the ear off the stage!! He is a lame duck mayor so he could get away with not having to pander to anyone. He should consider being a political comedian.A good time was had by all except maybe Boo's boss who was not as fortunate as Ray Ray, who knows he isnt going to have to answer to anyone soon. Boss-man was mizzable. But of course he was in the midst of arranging a marriage the next weekend for which no-one even close to him had been made aware of. He looked like someone had thrown him under the bus.....
