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Author Archives: JMN
Start with the ‘Z’s?
“I think some of you might decide that this place isn’t for you, and that self-selection is OK with me… Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be here.” (Meta CEO Zuckerberg’s message to … Continue reading
Rabid Robed Revanchism
BROKEN NEWS: CONSTITUTION HELD CONTRARY TO CONTRACEPTION The collective of putative originalists of the Chambered Bastion holds supreme and solely licit the celebration of procreative congress in the conventional way, minus obstruction of semen, at sanctioned intervals, between gender-pairs held … Continue reading
‘Little Fat, Lazy, Old Woman’
I have a cartoon figure on each shoulder; one whispers “you aren’t” in my ear and the other whispers “you’re not” in my ear. I don’t know which is the devil. If you aren’t swayed by this contrived tease, you’re … Continue reading
Posted in Anthology, Commentary
Tagged Arabic, grammar, language, lexicon, linguistics, semantics, translation
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“The Psicologo” from Las Palabras de Javier
“The Psicologo” by Javier Sánchez https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/59634996/posts/4099865441 I share a post by Javier Sánchez for the enjoyment of a real friend, and imaginary ones, who, along with me, study Spanish. Javier takes wicked potshots at moving targets in his zany, deadpan, … Continue reading
Posted in Anthology, Quotations
Tagged blogging, humor, language, satire, Spanish-English, style, translation, writing
2 Comments
The F-Word Is Spawning
When words turn flammable we call them “f-words.” They’re too hot to utter. F***. — The granddaddy of f-words. All f-words trace their ancestry to this one. It’s unsafe for print and held flammable by stare decisis until Alito. In … Continue reading
Hacer de Tripas Corazón
Facts don’t speak for themselves. They’re spoke by the folks that make ‘em up. (Marjorie Lauren Zayphod-Beeblebroxx, “When Your Gut Talks to Ya,” Podex Press, 2022) “Marjorie Lauren” is a made-up person (cap doff to Douglas Adams). Don’t take her … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary
Tagged Branded Figments, journalism, language, rhetoric, Spanish, style, translation, writing
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Lone Star Statecraft in Action
The scaffolding that supports the letter of the edifice of the law erected for the citizenry by the solons of the state of the land of the brave in which we live is the prepositional phrase. In May, 2022, Texans … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Quotations
Tagged grammar, language, miscellaneous, rhetoric, style, syntax, Texas, writing
2 Comments
Is There an Exception Rule for ‘a Anti-abortion’?
The pro-life movement is inevitably bound to some kind of conservatism, insofar as a anti-abortion ethic is hard to separate from a conservative ethic around sex, monogamy and marriage. [The bolding is mine. —JMN] (Ross Douthat, “The End of Roe … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Quotations
Tagged grammar, journalism, language, rhetoric, style, writing
2 Comments
Allez-y, Braves Gens! — French Lesson
British LBC radio presenter Nick Abbott explains the Tory lock on governance in the UK like this: During elections, factions on the Left wrestle each other to the ground in feuds over ideological purity. Meanwhile, the monolithic Right, comprised of … Continue reading
July Fourth Is All Year Long
His mother graced me with this son on a fine Spring day. I salute him now, a Navy nurse coming off 5 years of service abroad to this land, his and yours and mine. Welcome home, Lieutenant! (c) 2022 JMN … Continue reading →