A Walk in the WoRds

Writing, Writing, Writing

2016-01-20T11:37:00.001-05:00

Sorry I have not written any posts lately. I have taken a new job as a marketing specialist which allows me to write on a very regular basis. I write marketing materials (from print ads to radio ads and more), and I manage, curate and write for social media accounts.

It's hard to believe that my love of language has led me to an exciting job in marketing for an independently-owned office supply business. If you happen to live nearby in Gaylord, Michigan, stop on in. If you don't, check out the website and online ordering options. We do ship anywhere in the U.S.

Dunn's Business Solutions

Travel Industry Job Titles

2015-03-10T08:54:00.001-04:00

"I’ve been doing a lot of flying recently, which has me thinking about the term flight attendant. It is undeniably clunky. And yet here it is—an odd little success story in the larger narrative of nonsexist language reform."

Excerpted from Anne Curzan's Attending to Gender. Read the rest of this fascinating post at Lingua Franca.

Use the IPA to Learn Foreign Language Pronunciations

2015-03-05T08:53:00.001-05:00

Geoffrey Pullum has an excellent post about the International Phonetic Alphabet at Lingua Franca today. You can read it at this link.

Following are the official IPA charts for those who are curious about the difference between alphabet letters and IPA letters (symbols for sounds). An interactive IPA chart can be found here.

The study of sounds truly is fascinating.

Traveling Dialects

2015-01-22T08:26:00.002-05:00

“I’m so New Orleans, when I go out of town people ask me if I’m Canadian.”

A joke, right? No, it seems that, contrary to all expectations, a certain Canadian pronunciation is beginning to emerge in the Big Easy.

This is an excerpt from an interesting Lingua Franca piece by Allan Metcalf. Check out O Canada! in New Orleans to read the rest.

Travel Language

2015-01-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting post on Language Log about the following image.

Literally

2013-11-29T07:31:00.000-05:00

"The face of a child can say it all.

Especially the mouth part of the face."

- Jack Handey

No Interruptions, Please

2013-11-02T10:39:00.002-04:00

Hilarious. I came across this video while doing research for a reading class I am teaching.

2013-10-18T09:41:00.000-04:00

I am definitely hiring this guy to write the ad if I ever sell a car on Craigslist.

1997 Jeep Cherokee (XJ)

220K Miles
4.0 L in-line 6
4WD
AUTOMATIC Transmission
Bright Red
Straight Stock
Crank Windows, no cruise, no tilt, no delay wiper, no nonsense
POWER MIRRORS! Woo Hoo!

$1750

Here's the deal, kids:
This is a Jeep Cherokee. This is not a luxury SUV, or a maintenance-free disposable import. It has solid front axles, wind noise, and character.
It's a Jeep. It rides like a Jeep. It drives like a Jeep. All of these are GOOD things.
It is not new, it is not pristine, it is used. This will be apparent in the pictures.

If you do not own a toolbox, have never changed your own oil, and are scared of firearms: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you have been posting on facebook all about how excited you are for pumpkin latte season: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you get offended easy and often, whine to your co-workers, and bitch a lot: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you feel you are owed anything in the world & have a bullshit job where you fail to produce: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you own a bieber album, white oakleys, affliction t-shirts, or those candy-assed stitched-pocket jeans: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you consider the 2nd Amendment an anachronistic relic and have never owned a firearm: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.

If, however, you have BALLS OF STEEL and consider adverse weather an excuse to do stupid shit: THIS IS YOUR JEEP.
Do you laugh at danger, and tempt fate?
Have you ever uttered the words, "Hold my beer and watch this ..."?
While bored at work do you pick targets at random and think, "I could hit that from here with the .22 ..."?
Have any of your friends quit hanging out because you were too much fun?
Do you have the number of a friend with cash memorized for bail?
When you pass an abandoned flatbed farm truck along a fenceline do you consider taking on another project?
Is your ol' lady really sick of the random piles of parts, greasy footprints, and empty beer bottles in the garage?
    -could you not care less?
Do you have Jalopnik saved on your laptop AND smartphone?
Do you own a service manual for every vehicle you ever owned?
Do you still miss your first ride?
Can you carry on a two hour conversation discussing tools, scars, and hi-lift jacks?
Remember when tool companies had the balls to put half-naked beauty queens on their calendars?
Do you consider the Prius an abominable affront to the Gods of displacement, torque, and All Mighty Internal Combustion?

If you answered in the affirmative to the preceding: THIS IS YOUR JEEP.

DETAILS:
-I am the second owner. First owner barely got it dirty and engaged the front axles once.
-I have remedied this excessive caretaking with muddy roads and a pile of fun.
-The motor uses a little oil. How much? I don't know, I'm not collecting statistical analysis points.
    I check the oil, I fill the oil, I drive. Not enough to bother me.
-It leaks a little oil. How much? Not enough for me to care. It has 220,000 miles, Poindexter!
    If you have a vehicle with 220K NOT leaking or burning oil, it's empty!
-Rear bumper has a big-ass crease in it. I dented it backing into a concrete pole. Sober.
    We drove away giggling, for the record. Haven't fixed it.
-Driver's side door was caught by the wind, whipped forward, got into the LF quarter panel.
-Radiator has a small leak. Pinhole. I can replace the radiator or you can. Really doesn't matter
    A new radiator and hoses will run $145. If you don't want to replace them I will.
    Add $250 to the price of vehicle. This includes radiator, hoses, and labor (beer). A freaking bargain.
-The badass little 4.0L bullet-proof in-line six starts and runs like the proverbial champ.
-Tranny and 4WD operate perfectly
-Tires will need replaced in a couple thousand miles. I haven't upgraded because I had plans:
    Had planned a small lift, upgrade to 17" Wrangler wheels, and more aggressive tires.
    Life got in the way - it ain't happening.
-Zombie stickers on the right rear window stay. My daughter's idea, take it up with her.
-Flogging Molly sticker stays as well. They kick ass, so there.

QUESTIONS:
-Why are you selling?
    I can't justify owning it anymore. Motorsickles, kiddos, work, travel, and beer have consumed my time and money.
    Someone else needs to appreciate the Jeep for what it is: awesome mechanical artistry.

-What's wrong with it?
    Radiator. Small oil leaks. Driver's side door cosmetic issues.
    And it's pissed it has been neglected and parked. It needs rescued.

-Does the 4WD work?
    Hell yes. Like a Dickensian Orphan.

-Will you sell me the [engine / tranny / rear door / axle / etc.]?
    No. I'm not in the salvage business. Buy the Jeep. Love the Jeep. Give the Jeep a home.

-Will you take [insert ridiculously stupid low number here]?
    No. If I wanted [ridiculously low number] I would have asked [ridiculously low number]
    Want a cheap car? Get your kid that lowered tuner piece of shit honda project down the road.
    I think I'm plenty cheap for this bad mofo.

-Why is it still stock?
    Because I bought it for a daily driver with the intention of turning it into a project.
    I haven't had the time to do so. So I am selling it.

-Can I put a 6" lift and giant tires on it?
    I don't give a shit. But be sure to use quality components and for God's sake - get it aligned after a lift!

-Would this make a good car for my daughter?
    Hell. Yes. Not only a good car, a learning experience. Introduction to vehicular maintenance.
    Additionally, there isn't really enough room in the back for that little bastard she's dating to try anything.

-Can you deliver?
    Within reason. I'd drive it a hundred miles or so. But really, you should come get it. Look it over. Have a beer. Etc.

-Will you take a check / cashier's check / Western Union Transfer / Nigerian Promissory Note?
    Would you take a ball pein hammer to the forehead?
    No. I'll take Cash. Period. Bring cash or don't show.

-Will you ship to -?
    No. See above.

-No, really, all I have is [lowball dollar amount]?
    That's great, I don't give a shit. Unicef ain't running this deal, and until they do I want $1750.
    Why? Because I don't HAVE to sell this little beauty. Truth be known, I'd rather keep it.
    But if it's going to a good home - I will sell. Unless you're an asshole - then no sale.

-Why are you such a dick?
    Everything is relative; you should see my friends.

Any other questions, feel free to reply to this email and ask.

Via Craigslist

I want to pass you and URNDWAY

2013-10-11T13:16:00.002-04:00

While the contradiction itself is humorous, this photo also would have been a perfect photo to go with last Friday's post.

Image via 22 Words.

WAY FUИИY

2013-10-04T13:02:00.000-04:00

My first thought upon seeing this plate from a distance was, "underway, cute and appropriate."
As I got closer, I noticed I had mixed up the order of the letters initially. When I realized what it was intended to say, I had a good laugh. However, it would be much more appropriate on the front of a vehicle, though the letters would have to be mirrored for the plate to be effective.

UЯИᗡWAY

I might have to have one of these made for my freeway drives to tell the drivers in the left lane who aren't passing that they are ИᗡWAY.

A Variation on a Homonym

2013-10-03T17:33:00.000-04:00

It's not a homonym; it is a drawmonym.

From one of my favorite cartoonists, John Atkinson at Wrong Hands.

A visual homonym: drawings that look the same but have different meanings.

The Heron Ate the Herring

2013-09-19T10:27:00.000-04:00

Where did the red herring go? The red heron wasn't distracted by it; I believe the red heron ate it.

The substitution of red heron for red herring is called an eggcorn. I came across this eggcorn in the wild yesterday on the geocaching website in response to one of my tricky geocache hides.

Linguist Geoffrey Pullum coined the term that is defined as the mistaken substitution of one word or phrase for another word or phrase that sounds similar or identical. The speaker or writer of an eggcorn is generally not aware of the blunder.

From what I can tell, other than the St. Julian wine, there is no such thing as a red heron.

Eggcorn image via Boston.com
Red herring image via Politichicks.tv
Red heron image via redheronlampeter.blogspot.com

Astounded, Shocked, Astonished, Confounded and Stupefied

2013-09-18T15:41:00.000-04:00

That is how I felt when I learned that a Yahoo survey found one of the top ten most searched terms for 18- to 35-year-olds is:

What is a synonym?

Survey info via The Week magazine, September 13, 2013

Image credit: bogglesworldesl.com

Subway's Poor Portmanteau Choice

2013-08-07T15:07:00.001-04:00

Am I the only one who has a problem with the name of Subway's new menu item?

There are just too many options for the phonetic realization of the neologism.

To start with, where are the syllable breaks? Is it fla/ti/za or flat/iz/a? Which syllable should be stressed? Also, if it is made to rhyme with pizza, it sounds like either fla/teets/a or flat/eets/a, depending on the syllable break.

I get that it is a portmanteau of flatbread + pizza. But it sure is a phonetically problematic portmanteau.

SpecGram Essential Guide to Linguistics - A Book Review

2013-08-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

No ... Click here.

I recently had the excruciating pleasure of reading an advance copy of The Speculative Grammarian's Essential Guide to Linguistics. For the rare few who are unfamiliar with Speculative Grammarian, it is, and I quote, "the premier scholarly journal featuring research in the neglected field of satirical linguistics."

While I don't know that I would call the book "essential", I will tell you that it is essentially absurd and all-encompassing. At a brief 360 pages, it conquers such important topics as cartoon theories of linguistics, linguistic love poetry and mytholingual creatures, not to mention the standard fare of syntax, semantics, phonetics, phonology and morphology. There are many impressive diagrams and illustrations that really shed light on the more difficult topics (they also add to the aesthetically pleasing nature of the book). I do believe that his book is an overwhelming indulgence that should not be avoided.

Retronymic Tea

2013-07-26T13:43:00.000-04:00

A retronym is a term consisting of a noun and a modifier which specifies the original meaning of the noun.

Examples include: black and white television, acoustic guitar, cloth diaper, and bar soap.

Semantic Choices

2013-07-16T10:24:00.000-04:00

Pick one or the other.

A recent Wrong Hands comic that I enjoyed.

Noisy Humor

2013-06-27T11:46:00.001-04:00

Via Argyle Sweater

Stinky Portmanteaus

2013-06-07T09:59:00.001-04:00

A semantically spot-on portmanteau -

Spotted on If Companies Had Realistic Slogans at BuzzFeed.

For the Love of Math and Language

2013-06-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

A mathematical limerick by Leigh Mercer -

To be read as:

A dozen, a gross, and a score
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Is nine squared and not a bit more.

Mercer is most well known for creating the classic palindrome “A man, a plan, a canal — Panama!”.

Spotted at Futility Closet.

Mass and Count Nouns - brought to you by Meijer

2013-05-29T17:48:00.000-04:00

This is one of two themed billboards that has been peppering Michigan expressways this spring.

The other looks almost identical, save for the final noun phrase which replaces fewer stops with less run-around.

I don't think it is any coincidence that the two separate billboards always seem to appear within a few miles of each other. Meijer's advertising agency copywriters certainly know the difference between mass and count nouns. Funny thing is, I am not a frequent Meijer shopper, so I can't recall whether their check-out lanes are labeled X number items or less, or X number items or fewer.

Apostroph'

2013-05-24T08:05:00.000-04:00

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article by Barry Newman titled Theres a Question Mark Hanging Over the Apostrophes Future. My aunt sent me an email copy of the article as she knew I would enjoy it. And I did enjoy the article; however, my favorite part of the email was her subject line which read: Apostroph'. Thanks for creatively amusing me. I am also still chuckling over the intentionally humorous aspect of the title.*

* In case anyone didn't notice, there are missing apostrophes.

Comic via Funny-Fun-Fun by Scott Hilburn.

Duck Dynasty's Linguist

2013-05-21T07:56:00.000-04:00

Who would have ever thunk that a linguist would be among the characters of a rural reality show? Not me, that's for sure. So imagine my surprise when Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson gave Katie Couric a lesson in articulatory phonetics during the Rural Reality Showdown: Duck Dynasty vs. Swamp People.

Here is a clip from the show that features this lesson.

I have never watched Duck Dynasty, Swamp People or Katie Couric, so I was glad I paid partial attention as my son watched the show. He is a Duck Dynasty fan and I am tempted to buy him a duck call now that I know it can be used as a tool for teaching articulatory phonetics.

More Fun with Anaphora

2013-05-20T12:27:00.000-04:00

This humorous image reminded me of the recent post, 6 Cartons of Anaphora.

In this instance, the pronoun it is meant to refer to the noun poo, the semantically logical antecedent. Syntactically, it is also more logical to start the process of anaphora resolution by looking to the noun phrase in the sentence which is closest to the pronoun.

Note: I received the above image in an email and was unable to determine where it originated as it has made its way all around the internet.

Yo - Ve, Xe, Ze, Zhe

2013-05-16T14:37:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but the above attempts at creating gender-neutral, singular pronouns give me the heebee jeebees.

Here are some more of the ridiculous constructs:
.

Ann Curzan, an English professor at the University of Michigan, recently wrote about the subject of singular they at Lingua Franca. Here are some excerpts from her post:

"I tell students that they are welcome to use singular they in writing for my class, but they should footnote it the first time they use it and in the footnote explain their rationale for using singular they."

"This footnote accomplishes at least three things: It shows readers that the author is consciously making a choice to use singular they; it informs readers about legitimate reasons for using singular they, even if they disagree with its use in this context; and most importantly, it asks students to be careful, self-conscious writers, reflecting on and explaining their choices in their writing."

Curzan's approach to singular they is commendable. Please pass it on.

Image credit

Chart via Wikipedia