Tag Archives: language

Guide by the Perplexed — Concerning Idiots

Posted on June 20, 2019 by JMN

In exposition, where precision is of the essence is in the tight spots — there where you least want ambiguity to clog the flow; where first teachings reside, upon which further teachings helplessly depend. Yet there ambiguity supervenes, often as … Continue reading →

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Guide by the Perplexed — Triad Tirade

Posted on June 18, 2019 by JMN

“A triad is a simultaneous combination of three notes.” (Ralph Denyer, “The Guitar Handbook,” Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006) The introductory sentence to the “Triads” section of this useful guide distracts me from triads. I’m drawn off the mark … Continue reading →

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Little Fresh Meat

Posted on June 15, 2019 by JMN

It’s diverting to see how evolving styles of masculinity in China can flummox the patriarchy. Redolent translations bubble up from the fascinating goo of rhetoric around the matter. … “little fresh meat,” a nickname, coined by fans, for young, delicate-featured, … Continue reading →

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Prophecy Fire

Posted on June 9, 2019 by JMN

Paul Theroux traveled in China in 1986 and 1987 for his book “Riding the Iron Rooster” published in 1988. He described police assaults on pro-democracy demonstrators that he witnessed. The book was dismissed by some reviewers “as alarmist and Sinophobic.” … Continue reading →

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Mistakes Were Made

Posted on June 8, 2019 by JMN

I’m haunted by that sentence in Lincoln’s second inaugural: “And the war came.” (David Brooks, “The Racial Reckoning Comes,” NYTimes, 6-6-19) David Brooks is well haunted. Lincoln could make words punch above their weight. His mastery lends killing clout to … Continue reading →

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Vindication of Stuttering

Posted on June 8, 2019 by JMN

The battle with speech impediment can equip persons like Darcey Steinke with fascinating insights into language. It was around this time [in elementary school] that I started separating the alphabet into good letters, V as well as M, and bad … Continue reading →

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Didn’t Speak English

Posted on June 7, 2019 by JMN

The Catholic leader changed the phrase “lead us not into temptation” to “do not let us fall into temptation”… Francis explained… “It’s Satan who leads us into temptation, that’s his department.” Fox News religion correspondent, Jonathan Morris, told Martha MacCallum … Continue reading →

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Guide by the Perplexed — More Inconvenience

Posted on June 6, 2019 by JMN

“It seems I am choosing words that will stand, and you are in them, but if I blunder, it doesn’t matter — I must persist in my errors. (Boris Pasternak, “For Anna Akmatova,” translated by Robert Lowell in “Imitations”) The … Continue reading →

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More Jesus for Me

Posted on June 4, 2019 by JMN

Reading this interview with Stephen Colbert gave my day a good start. … I work very hard not to proselytize. I would never want anybody to think I was trying to convince them of my point of view. Because, hey, … Continue reading →

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Language As Landscape

Posted on June 4, 2019 by JMN

“Deadwood” (HBO, 2004-2006) created by David Milch, repelled and astounded me when I caught it adventitiously in re-run several years ago. I couldn’t look away from it as I kept thinking, “What the hell is this? It’s amazing!” I told … Continue reading →

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