esrosedotblog

I have talked about this before.

We moved from the ultra-anglo bah-stun accent, which I never adopted nor my kids, to a place that has a mixed language base so rich that one must admire the extent to which everyone understands each other completely.

I encountered this early. We had a gardener. We went shopping. We had, for god's sake, neighbors who spoke in dialects that were totally new to us.

That is all in the back wash now but I was reminded of our acculturation in this article today.

The Rolled R’s of Vanessa Ruiz

Now, I do not watch teevee so I do not know who Vanessa Ruiz might be (her name alone is a compression of two cultures) but I know what they are talking about.

For me, the whole latin heritage is very attractive. As a total germanic I am warmed by the sun of the Mexican language (I still say the x. Sorry, the aitch sound is so alien to me that I feel a fake).

And I will not adopt the bogus use of fake spanish words to mask my own heritage.

But it is interesting. A whole lot more than to think about the origins and practice of the Boston lingo.

It certainly took less than two seconds to understand this t-shirt.

Labels: language

I was 65 years old before I ever heard the word "homeland" except in a connection with immigrants.

As in "my great grand parents' homeland was Germany".

In that sense, I have never thought about the United States as "my homeland". But now, more and more, people are saying this. I think that it reeks of xenophobia. The hatred of other countries. Inappropriate national pride.

But, I guess, I am in a minority.

I thought that I was the only one who noticed this sudden use of the H word. But I guess not.

How ‘Homeland’ Became Part of Our American Lexicon

Well, not my lexicon. I don't and won't ever use this word.

Maybe because it seems that it started with George W. Bush. But, more than that, it is the sort of old fashioned "my country right or wrong" thinking.

To me it connotes bullying. I know. It is what I am putting on it.

I am glad someone wrote this article. I felt alone.

I always associated this word with dictatorships and oppression.

Since Georgie boy started it the word has become a department which makes the kind of nationalistic flourish a formal reality.

I guess I just see it as a way of flaunting our power in the world. More penis waving. Which is definitely not needed if it ever was.

Labels: language, words

LEXICON

I have never said "fucking stochastic" although I have thought it. I just didn't know I could use that word for "random".

But maybe all the others. Even "fucking ineffable". In my more airy fairy years. Artsy fartsy. Light in the loafers.

Labels: fun, language

BUS STOP

You know that, every once in a while, I have to rant on some overused figure of speech.

The blogs and news media get on a roll and everyone uses a phrase or a piece of slang or an unusual word so that it wears out like an old tire.

So to speak.

This one involves tires, kinda.

Let's stop "throwing people under the bus".

It is everywhere.

Today GOP Reps Ryan and Cantor "threw Boehner under the bus" by disavowing the "budget" that the three of them stood behind yesterday.

Obama had challenged the GOoPers to come up with a budget if they didn't like his and so they got this 19 page pamphlet out with no numbers and called it their budget.

The mockery began. Even in the main stream media!

Ryan and Cantor saw it coming and quickly jumped out of the way before the bus----oh. No. Stop the bus.

Labels: language

OFF BRAND

The latest most overused word is suddenly 'brand'.

Superman is a brand.

Well, we knew that.

But Hillary?

And almost anything else that has a 'niche'. They quit using that.

A movie star is now a 'brand'.

This is all shop talk that has slopped over into sloppy reporting.

It was once a bit innovative to use it. Now it is a cliché.

The cliché, niche, brand.

Labels: culture, language

CLICHE WATCH

OK. It is time to put the skids to the word 'embolden' and any of its forms.

In this WaPo piece, it is used three times (including the sidebar).

Democrats to Widen Conflict With Bush

I see it everywhere.

I think that they like it because it is a verb and sounds new.

To me it sounds like a made up word.

It is not but it sounds plastic. Particularly when used over and over.

How about animate, cheer (on), encourage, inspire, inspirit, motivate.

How about changing the sentence so the focus gets changed?

As for the headline and article, it is great to see them animated instead of passive.

I cheer them on!

They have been encouraged by their success and they should pursue it as far as they can and even further. They can afford to lose a few.

Steny Hoyer says as much in this article.

While he is inspired to pursue the bushies bullshit, he knows there will be backlash and it does not bother him.

He is motivated by the tug of war that is going on.

I, too, am greatly encouraged to see this pro-active role for the Demos.

Ooops.

I wanted to ban the word 'pro-active' not too long ago.

Labels: Democrats, language