Crisis of Faith - Dear John Letters

[anatess2]

25 minutes ago, Armin said:

Was Shakespeare such a good jokes teller...?

Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Toby.
Toby who?
Wait—sorry. Not Toby.
Make up your mind! Who’s there?
Toby or not Toby, that is the question.

[Blueskye2]

1 hour ago, Armin said:

Was Shakespeare such a good jokes teller...?

Superbly.

[The Folk Prophet]

1 hour ago, Armin said:

Was Shakespeare such a good jokes teller...?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare's_plays#Comedies

[zil]

41 minutes ago, Armin said:

I wonder how it might have sounded if Shakespeare had written a "Dear John Letter" ... or let's say a "Dear Elisabeth Letter"... tragically or with humour...?

I expect he could have written it as you like it.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Armin said:

I see. But we have the good old Autobahn, and an accident there results not often only in a whiplash...  Let me say to the joy of some insurance companies, as the probability of surviving an accident on the Autobahn is rather low. Quite frankly, Autobahn victims are seldom in the constitution to raise a claim any more...

"Whiplash" ... the German word is "Schleudertrauma", like "skidding trauma".

What would be the German term for "speed bump"?  I ask because it is an in-family joke to say "Ich bin eine bodenschwelle."  I hope I'm spelling that much correctly.  I'm just not certain that is the correct translation.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Guest

[Vort]

2 hours ago, Armin said:

"Whiplash" ... the German word is "Schleudertrauma", like "skidding trauma".

Snidely Schleudertrauma. I gotta say, that just doesn't have the same kick.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Armin said:

Was Shakespeare such a good jokes teller...?

He mostly told bawdy jokes.  But they were at least clever in their delivery.

2 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare's_plays#Comedies

Situational comedy is different than "telling a joke" IMHO.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

22 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

How does your tirade against those who you couldn't even be bothered to "care" about enough to look up their names, make you any less of an inciter of conflict or a desirer of discord?

OK.  Now you've done it.  You've called upon the Gods of My Little Pony to have me link to it.  (Much to @NeuroTypical's pleasure).

 

Edited May 9, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Armin said:

Bodenschwelle, or Strassenschwelle. Instead of "-Schwelle" also "Strassenwelle", because they are like waves. Nearly correct spelling, but better write "shwelle", as an equivalent of the German "sch".

I've read in the US they are called "Dead Cops"...

No, only in the most crude social circles will they be called "dead cops."

BTW, would it be ein, eine, or nothing at all (i.e. Ich bin bodenschwelle).

[Latter-Day Marriage]

4 hours ago, Armin said:

I wonder how it might have sounded if Shakespeare had written a "Dear John Letter" ... or let's say a "Dear Elisabeth Letter"... tragically or with humour...?

Seen Othello?

[Latter-Day Marriage]

3 hours ago, Carborendum said:

No, only in the most crude social circles will they be called "dead cops."

BTW, would it be ein, eine, or nothing at all (i.e. Ich bin bodenschwelle).

In England we called them sleeping policemen.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Latter-Day Marriage said:

In England we called them sleeping policemen.

That must be that English English.

[Jamie123]

9 hours ago, Latter-Day Marriage said:

In England we called them sleeping policemen.

It's so sexist! Why aren't some of them sleeping policewomen?

It's exactly the same in church. Always Amen, never Aladies.

And what about all the hymn books? Why not a few hyrr books too?

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Armin said:

Well, I would even go so far to say it is that typical British English English, isn't it?  I remember one course in Commercial English, and the specimen letters always started with "Dear Sirs, ..." or, more conservatively, "..., Esq., ..." I found the American form more progressive and elegant: "Gentlemen, ... or "Ladies and Gentlemen, ,,,"   (We had several teachers, i.e. one (male) in grammar from Hull, England, one (female) from the USA, and others. There were strong differences in pronunciation and style.)

Since I can't really tell if you're joking or not, I will go ahead and attempt a clarification post.

The term is often called "English English"

Quote

English English

When English people (specifically, people from England) talk using mostly English slang (again that slang mostly spoken only in England) it is near to impossible for people from other countries to understand.  Sometimes it can be misunderstood by English people.

When referring to the common dialect of common English spoken in England/Britain, we usually call it "British English."  I've never heard anyone say "British English English."

The English slang (English English) began as a theives' cant.  Eventually, it mainstreamed, especially among the lower quarters throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.  Due to widespread corruption, most of the poor ended up being crimminals.  From there, it evolved into much more than the theives' cant since it incorporated even more slang terms that were common among even the gentry.  Today we see the evolution of a language unhindered by standardization through writing or schooling.  It is unintelligible to any English speaker who has not specifically been taught or taken the time to learn.

Quote

Example:I wanted gone to the bowsing ken, but my old china knew I was telling pork pies in a bag of tripe when I said I was headed to the autem.  So I sat Billy no mates and glymmered my fag.

Translation: I wanted to go to the bar tonight, but my old lady (wife/girlfriend) knew I was lying when I said I was going to church.  So I sat at home alone and lit my cigarette.

I had to do a loose translation since my English English isn't so good.  But you get the idea.

As far as pronunciation and style, there is much more than simply England vs America.  There are probably a dozen or more common accents in the US and about as many common dialects.  In Britain, well, just between the English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish, you get a strong difference.  Then the local accents and dialects... Do we even speak the same language?  That doesn't even get into the Aussies and the Canucks.

The use of the term "Esquire" (abbv: Esq) has different meanings in England than in America.  In England, it is an address made to people of slightly higher social standing -- but not nobility.  In America, it is a title given to lawyers.  Although most people in America are not aware that is what it refers to.  Lawyers can use a variety of titles as a result of their passing the bar.  "Attorney-at-Law", "Esquire", "JD".  Although, the "JD" is only the citing of the "Juris Doctorate" degree obtained by graduating law school, it is often listed as part of the alphabet soup after an attorney's name.  Technically a JD is not required in some states.  There are some work arounds for it.  Therefore, those who cannot put the "JD" after their name may still use the "Esq" at the end of the name on a business card or stationery.

Edited May 10, 2017 by Guest

[zil]

13 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

crimminals

Is that English English?

[NeuroTypical]

19 hours ago, Carborendum said:

OK.  Now you've done it.  You've called upon the Gods of My Little Pony to have me link to it.  (Much to @NeuroTypical's pleasure).

Oh man - one of the classics from 2012!  I never really loved this song as all the other fans - the artist gets the soul of Discord all wrong.  Discord isn't evil or power hungry or mean, or even chaotic for chaos' sake.  There is both rhyme and reason with discord - there needs to be a note, a way, an existing order for which one will be discordant.  

It's the dictionary definition of the term, and the show's writers seemed to understand it pretty well.  All the fan songs about him, not so much. 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Oh man - one of the classics from 2012!  I never really loved this song as all the other fans - the artist gets the soul of Discord all wrong.  Discord isn't evil or power hungry or mean, or even chaotic for chaos' sake.  There is both rhyme and reason with discord - there needs to be a note, a way, an existing order for which one will be discordant.  

It's the dictionary definition of the term, and the show's writers seemed to understand it pretty well.  All the fan songs about him, not so much. 

Since I'm not a fan of the show, I wouldn't know.  But the song is really cool.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, zil said:

Is that English English?

Ya know, I always spell that word wrong.  I usually catch it because it is caught in a spell checker.  But I ALWAYS double the "m".  Why do I do that?

[Jamie123]

41 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

The English slang (English English) began as a theives' cant. 

I found this site on Thieves' Cant: it's quite informative http://www.pascalbonenfant.com/18c/cant/.

Quote

Example:I wanted gone to the bowsing ken, but my old china knew I was telling pork pies in a bag of tripe when I said I was headed to the autem.  So I sat Billy no mates and glymmered my fag.

Some of these words would be understood by nearly all English people: "fag" for cigarette fir example. "Billy no-mates" is quite common. "Pork Pies" (sometimes shortened to "Porkies") for lies is Cockney rhyming slang, as is "Me Old China" (china plate = mate) and "Bristol Cities" for....erm.....moving on.... 

41 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

The use of the term "Esquire" (abbv: Esq) has different meanings in England than in America.  In England, it is an address made to people of slightly higher social standing

An "esquire" (or "squire") was originally an aspirant to knighthood. Later it became a social rank between a knight and an ordinary gentleman. (Gentlemen who were not esquires would have Gent. after their name - you see it sometimes on old headstones.) But from the early 20th Century Esq. has been applied to any man as an alternative - and more respectful - form of "Mr.". (However, you should never append Esq. to your own name yourself....that is considered rather ignorant and presumptuous.)

Edited May 10, 2017 by Jamie123

[zil]

1 minute ago, Carborendum said:

Ya know, I always spell that word wrong.  I usually catch it because it is caught in a spell checker.  But I ALWAYS double the "m".  Why do I do that?

Good question.  There are certain words I always type wrong (e.g. those that start the same as my first name) and have to backspace to retype them, and another where I always double a letter, but I can't remember what it is right now.  But what word starts "crimm" that you use more frequently than "criminal" which are influencing your muscle memory?  Hmm:

• crimmer
• crimmy

...and that's the start and end of the "crimm" entries in the dictionary.

• rimmed
• rimmer
• rimming

...I don't think the dictionary is going to help us out much here.  Maybe you should see a therapist.

[Guest MormonGator]

20 minutes ago, zil said:

Maybe you should see a therapist.

Given your unhealthy obsession with fountain pens (that all of us here at the compound are deeply worried about) this is hypocrisy times 10. 

 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, MormonGator said:

Given your unhealthy obsession with fountain pens (that all of us here at the compound are deeply worried about) this is hypocrisy times 10. 

[zil]

1 minute ago, MormonGator said:

Given your unhealthy obsession with fountain pens (that all of us here at the compound are deeply worried about) this is hypocrisy times 10.

[Guest MormonGator]

3 minutes ago, zil said:

It's time for an intervention. There, I said it. Sorry @zil, but this is out of control. 

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, zil said:

Notice the reality disconnect.  @zil doesn't realize that the tag doesn't work via fountain pen.  This is getting serious.