Tag Archives: language

Ambiguous Headline of the Day

Posted on July 17, 2018 by JMN

“Putin Is Running a Destructive Cybercrime Syndicate Out of Russia” (NYTimes). Hmmm… I run a raccoon out of my wood shop now and then. (c) 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rabbits restrained.

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Non-natives 3, Natives 1

Posted on July 16, 2018 by JMN

“English is a global language with many native and nonnative varieties. Worldwide, nonnative speakers of English outnumber natives by a ratio of three to one. Even in the United States, which has the largest population of native English speakers, there … Continue reading →

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Mono a Mono — Exegesis and Hermeneutics

Posted on July 16, 2018 by JMN

My theology chops are modest at best. One monotheism has been dinged by another as being slightly quasi-mono because of the Trinity and the saints and mariolatry. The dinging party severely prescribes oneness (one God, one Messenger), whereas the dinged … Continue reading →

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Directions

Posted on July 9, 2018 by JMN

<— Je Ne Sais Cove Brigand Dunes —> <— Grotto Blotto Dog Platitudes —> <— New Deli Donny Brook —> <— Post Hockish <— Ergo —> Propter Hockish—> <— Center For Customer Insights (New Haven, CT) Academy of Combative Warrior … Continue reading →

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Ouch!

Posted on July 9, 2018 by JMN

“I don’t like country music, but I don’t denigrate people who do. And for people who like it, ‘denigrate’ means ‘put down.’ ” (Bob Newhart) (Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)

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How a bespoke Suit works

Posted on July 7, 2018 by JMN

“A Savile Row suit ‘rarely looks new in the conventional sense.’ Its magic ‘is that it enhances your real self into heightened fantasy, then presents this fantasy as your real self.’ “ (Lance Richardson, “House of Nutter,” reviewed by Matthew … Continue reading →

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Juicy Mystery

Posted on July 6, 2018 by JMN

My local newspaper has a regular feature entitled “Food Service Inspections for Week Ending <date>.” I scan it devotedly. Food purveyors from all around are assigned demerits, from zero to one hundred. My newspaper clarifies, helpfully, that “Zero” is the … Continue reading →

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Sundry Maundering

Posted on July 2, 2018 by JMN

THE BOOK OF JOB The Job is hard. Do the Job. PERMUTATIONS I don’t pretend to know how you don’t understand me. I don’t understand how you pretend not to know me. I don’t know how you pretend not to … Continue reading →

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Signage

Posted on July 2, 2018 by JMN

Not: Serious —> <— Kidding Really —> <— Ever Now —> <— Likely Hardly –> Context/Favor/Fashion/Office/Sight: In —> <— Out Of Skinless —> <— Skinned Boneless —> <— Boned Dead Start —> <— Small Finish Smoothies —> <— Roughies Rapids … Continue reading →

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I don’t follow “football,” but…

Posted on June 29, 2018 by JMN

“When football club directors are in a bind all they want is someone to lie to them offering a version of events that is optimistic and irrefutable, based on “scientific” evidence. (Speech marks are vitally important every time the word … Continue reading →

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