A Language Question For The Linguists

[Dr. Medulla]

An old prof once told me, "Save that semi-colon. You never know when you'll need one." I've come to use them more often in my own writing, but when editing for others I usually take them out. Which probably reflects an unconscious arrogance on my part that *I* know when they're appropriate or justified.

Samesies-ish. I like it for casual writing (like message boards and such) when it works well enough to just let me keep writing as I think, but I tend to remove them from more professional writing I have to do.

One of my favourite editing stories was when I was first starting out, copy editing for an academic journal. The author was positively addicted to semi-colons, which I mostly turned into separate sentences. Sent her the proofs for approval and she came back and said, "I have long, complex thoughts, so I need long, complex sentences." Meaning that me like shrt stoopid sentinsez. I occasionally see her book in used book stores and the memory amuses me every time.

[Flex]

One of my favourite editing stories was when I was first starting out, copy editing for an academic journal. The author was positively addicted to semi-colons, which I mostly turned into separate sentences. Sent her the proofs for approval and she came back and said, "I have long, complex thoughts, so I need long, complex sentences." Meaning that me like shrt stoopid sentinsez. I occasionally see her book in used book stores and the memory amuses me every time.

i've long ago accepted that the length of my thought is no reflection on its quality.

[Dr. Medulla]

One of my favourite editing stories was when I was first starting out, copy editing for an academic journal. The author was positively addicted to semi-colons, which I mostly turned into separate sentences. Sent her the proofs for approval and she came back and said, "I have long, complex thoughts, so I need long, complex sentences." Meaning that me like shrt stoopid sentinsez. I occasionally see her book in used book stores and the memory amuses me every time.

i've long ago accepted that the length of my thought is no reflection on its quality.

Ha! The other funny thing (to me) about my interaction with that author is that I have a tendency to write stupidly long sentences, but rather than use semi-colons, I have an unhealthy affection for em-dashes. When editing my own work, I've learned to look for em-dashes as probable sites for pruning and separating into new sentences.

[Dr. Medulla]

[Dr. Medulla]

I just lurned a new term: Schrodinger's Douchebag: An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... 0douchebag

[Marky Dread]

I just lurned a new term: Schrodinger's Douchebag: An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... 0douchebag

Bit of a mouthful. Can't we just say "Vince" instead?

[Dr. Medulla]

I just lurned a new term: Schrodinger's Douchebag: An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... 0douchebag

Bit of a mouthful. Can't we just say "Vince" instead?

Vince is the more common form of douchebag. Actually, he's an exemplar of the common douchebag (douchbagus bulletbeltus).

[Marky Dread]

I just lurned a new term: Schrodinger's Douchebag: An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... 0douchebag

Bit of a mouthful. Can't we just say "Vince" instead?

Vince is the more common form of douchebag. Actually, he's an exemplar of the common douchebag (douchbagus bulletbeltus).

[Flex]

I just lurned a new term: Schrodinger's Douchebag: An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... 0douchebag

Yeah, this definitely seems like sort of the default setting for at least a certain demographic. Maybe less prevalent now just because so many S.D.'s got extremely comfortable with dropping the pretense.

[Dr. Medulla]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

[BostonBeaneater]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

Welcome to the age of post-realism.

[Dr. Medulla]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

Welcome to the age of post-realism.

Moving to a cabin in the woods and pooping in a hole doesn't seem like the worst idea out there.

[revbob]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

Welcome to the age of post-realism.

Moving to a cabin in the woods and pooping in a hole doesn't seem like the worst idea out there.

That's the first step Ted.

[Dr. Medulla]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

Welcome to the age of post-realism.

Moving to a cabin in the woods and pooping in a hole doesn't seem like the worst idea out there.

That's the first step Ted.

The moral of that story is that family are a bunch of rat-bastards.

[Sparky]

Came across the term "reality personality" today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but it made me pause this time because it's such a weird coupling of words because of the speculative interpretations. Are there personalities who aren't real? AI personalities? Are actors not real? Aren't reality personalities acting anyway? I have no idea where I'm going with any of that, only that it's a bizarre term that seems rooted in a postmodern belief that our existence is tied to the media and so reality is something generated.

Welcome to the age of post-realism.

Moving to a cabin in the woods and pooping in a hole doesn't seem like the worst idea out there.

Rev & I will keep an eye out and let you know when it's listed on Zillow!

https://helenair.com/news/state-and-reg ... 58.html#18