Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6
B
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
B
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6
I enjoyed this week's theme, but couldn't help feeling it would have been more appropriate several weeks ago, when the election campaigns were at their height here in the USA. We were bombarded with multiple, egregious examples of all of this week's words, along with obfuscation, vitriolic hyperbole, misstatements, verbal contortions, and just general (vulgar expression unsuitable for this forum).

A relevant quote: "English is the perfect language for politicians; one can talk for three hours without saying a flippin' thing." I don't know the author of this one, but any help in finding him or her would be appreciated.


Murf
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
perhaps it was a variation on this theme:

English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.
- Garrison Keillor

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
A relevant quote: "English is the perfect language for politicians; one can talk for three hours without saying a flippin' thing." I don't know the author of this one, but any help in finding him or her would be appreciated.

Not sure about the quotation. A googling (link) reveals that Garrison Keillor said something similar.

I'd think any language is capable of being used in the pursuit of saying nothing. I am reminded of a quotation (without citation) of a French grammarian revealing how French syntax exactly mapped the sequence of thoughts in the human brain.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>A googling (link) reveals that Garrison Keillor said something similar.

jus call me Mikey Mantled! < g >

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
ooh, haven't had a good mantling in a long while!


formerly known as etaoin...
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
jus call me Mikey Mantled! < g >

I was in medias googling when you did, too. But if you want to call it a mantle, it's okay with me.

-- zmj (Ole King Kohelmann)


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Better to say that tsuwm pipped Nuncle Z.

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Originally Posted By: Blacksmith


A relevant quote: "English is the perfect language for politicians; one can talk for three hours without saying a flippin' thing."


Politicians, Preachers and Lawyers are guilty of this!

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Politicians, Preachers and Lawyers are guilty of this!

And they can all do it in any language spoken.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Originally Posted By: Faldage
Better to say that tsuwm pipped Nuncle Z.


by 11 minutes?! that's applying 'to pip' with quite a broad brush.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5