Art is a thought experiment
Art is a thought experiment communicated through some physical means to other people.
Fragments
An apparent typological anomaly
Thinking more about the work of linguist Simon Kirby, featured in the New York Times book review that I wrote about a couple days ago, so I Googled him. That led me to the rich vein of glorious word ore that is Linguistic Typology, an academic journal about, well, linguistic typology, stupid.
The LT website features an index of all the articles and book reviews published in the journal’s ten-year history. Here is a mashup list of titles from this page — beginning with good old Simon Kirby, who leads off this list with a jaw-dropping title from 1997: (more…)
The first word
Interesting review in the New York times today of a new book that attempts to unravel the mystery of how language came to be: THE FIRST WORD — The Search for the Origins of Language, by Christine Kenneally.
This it what turned me on the most (italics mine): (more…)
Oranges now! And hurry up the cakes!
From a recent column in the SF Chronicle by John Flinn, Culture shock still souvenir of Japan, comes the following excellent examples of Japanese T-shirt English, which I have made bold:
About the only place I saw English used consistently was on T-shirts worn by young people, and (as Japanophiles here are well aware) this was a weird, jabberwocky form of English. “Don’t mess with juicy,” read one shirt. “Hurry up the cakes,” read another.
After a while, I began to collect these slogans in my journal. They were, I thought, a peculiarly addictive form of poetry:
“Why waste lucky?”
“Oh my goodness. Don’t scully me.”
“Mischievous blue rabbit skunk.”
“Oranges now!”
(My guess is that if a Japanese speaker saw the kanji characters tattooed on ankles and shoulder blades all over America, he’d find them equally nonsensical.)
Waiting to skewer badgers on sticks
Leo Kottke’s liner notes on the back of his 1979 album, Balance: (more…)
Hello, I Must Be Going
Groucho Marx, as Captain Jeffrey Spaulding, in Animal Crackers (1930):
Spalding (speaks): Well I’m certainly grateful for this magnificent washout, eh, turnout, and, eh,
now I’d like to say a few words…
(sings) Hello, I must be going.
I cannot stay, I came to say I must be going.
I’m glad I came, but just the same I must be going. (more…)
Croatian Advertising Leaflet
A funny bit from a Croatian tourist leaflet in a Jon Carroll column in the San Francisco Chronicle from 1999, Strange Links; Stranger Prose:
IN OTHER NEWS: Reader Bill Coffin shared with me a lovely advertising leaflet from Croatia. It began with a quote from Alain Dover, a person known neither to Coffin nor me:
“During the day, into an incomparable marine scenery, which is a live and genuine ‘pastime’. When the stars come closer by, a sweet fragrance is gently touched by the saltish of the surrounding seawaters: ‘lovers do vibrate’ while the mermaids lull a song into this marvelous ancient sea.”
Almost Prufrockian, isn’t it? But there’s more:
“As the Alain Dover’s rhyme says (the artists wanted to stop at the legendary ‘Capri’ restaurant). An ambiance genuine plus full of life. Among the joyful people’s whispers, large and equipped rooms, verandah by the sea within restaurant, fragrances and flavours made of an enchanting cuisine and pizzeria . . . (Not to be forgotten, prices are contained toward rigorous quality, thanks to a smart management) . . .
“At the evening, a slender smooth music discreetly is played when the moonlight beams out. Saturday night ‘dance.’ Trustfully recognized under every profile.”
Slender music! Fragrant stars! I’m so there.
One can only imagine the ambiance of the joyful people’s whispers at the Saturday night “dance.”