as somebody who considered himself a sort of social outcast, I spent every moment in the local public libraries I possibly could. when I'd read everything I wanted to read in the kids' section, I sought (and of course received) "permission" to take out books from the "adult" section, where I discovered the Reference section and historica…
as somebody who considered himself a sort of social outcast, I spent every moment in the local public libraries I possibly could. when I'd read everything I wanted to read in the kids' section, I sought (and of course received) "permission" to take out books from the "adult" section, where I discovered the Reference section and historical novels in the fiction aisles.
the magic in a library, of course, isn't so much in finding the title you've searched out in the card catalog, but in the discoveries you make among the other books close-by.
now that libraries tend to have fewer and fewer physical books, I fear that this is an experience people just won't have. I feel sorry for them. and I have no idea what the final result is going to be, but I'm pretty sure it's gonna SUCK.
my best friend is an accomplished linguist and when I complain to him about the abominations I see and hear perpetrated on some of my favorite English words, he nods sagely and says "languages always change." my answer, which has become standard, is "yeah, and a lot of the time, they DEVOLVE." he doesn't disagree, and one piece of proof is that whenever someone on television uses the "I should have went" construction (increasingly common), we cringe in perfect simultaneity.
I have some real respect for John McWhorter (who is nothing like as "Conservative" as he's portrayed as being), but I saw him recently talk about how Shakespeare should be performed in everyday English if most people are going to find the plays amusing; his other option is that people PREPARE for seeing a play by Shakespeare. obviously, the latter point of view is correct. but what's the big fucking deal? so...you PREPARE. I've taken to watching a lot of Shakespeare on tv with closed captions, and I think it's probably the best way. but why is this considered so undesirable, this need to prepare? I don't get it. or, if I do, I prefer not to dwell on it.
so yeah, I get all of it.
and my social outcast status was the result of a stammer which itself is just the flagship symptom of my own neurodiversity. I can't skate either. that I learned to ride a bicycle still amazes me.
I agree 109% but I know two people who do the “I have went” thing (they were never on television, can’t imagine) and they are not ignoramuses. One skipped eighth grade years ago because she was so smart, the other was just so blatantly learning disabled. One loved school and learning, the other not so much. Still I cringe but dare not do more. As to Shakespeare being performed in everyday English, spare me. I prefer not to be so “amused.” Just requires more than a nanosecond second of attention…
as somebody who considered himself a sort of social outcast, I spent every moment in the local public libraries I possibly could. when I'd read everything I wanted to read in the kids' section, I sought (and of course received) "permission" to take out books from the "adult" section, where I discovered the Reference section and historical novels in the fiction aisles.
the magic in a library, of course, isn't so much in finding the title you've searched out in the card catalog, but in the discoveries you make among the other books close-by.
now that libraries tend to have fewer and fewer physical books, I fear that this is an experience people just won't have. I feel sorry for them. and I have no idea what the final result is going to be, but I'm pretty sure it's gonna SUCK.
my best friend is an accomplished linguist and when I complain to him about the abominations I see and hear perpetrated on some of my favorite English words, he nods sagely and says "languages always change." my answer, which has become standard, is "yeah, and a lot of the time, they DEVOLVE." he doesn't disagree, and one piece of proof is that whenever someone on television uses the "I should have went" construction (increasingly common), we cringe in perfect simultaneity.
I have some real respect for John McWhorter (who is nothing like as "Conservative" as he's portrayed as being), but I saw him recently talk about how Shakespeare should be performed in everyday English if most people are going to find the plays amusing; his other option is that people PREPARE for seeing a play by Shakespeare. obviously, the latter point of view is correct. but what's the big fucking deal? so...you PREPARE. I've taken to watching a lot of Shakespeare on tv with closed captions, and I think it's probably the best way. but why is this considered so undesirable, this need to prepare? I don't get it. or, if I do, I prefer not to dwell on it.
so yeah, I get all of it.
and my social outcast status was the result of a stammer which itself is just the flagship symptom of my own neurodiversity. I can't skate either. that I learned to ride a bicycle still amazes me.
I agree 109% but I know two people who do the “I have went” thing (they were never on television, can’t imagine) and they are not ignoramuses. One skipped eighth grade years ago because she was so smart, the other was just so blatantly learning disabled. One loved school and learning, the other not so much. Still I cringe but dare not do more. As to Shakespeare being performed in everyday English, spare me. I prefer not to be so “amused.” Just requires more than a nanosecond second of attention…
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Damn the lot and louts.