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#22846 03/18/01 12:46 PM
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Carpal Tunnel
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I'm hot on the trail... here's the scoop so far bzzt tsuwm has been found pfzzzt Museum of Questionable zaatz imposters abound ziitz the secret code word is zuutz over and plonk


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journeyman
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To Bridget (Cara Dea) and others - - AWADers, much more likely than many others, are very aware of words and hence are often keen on proof-reading, though fondly forgiving, within the friendly intimacy of the Board, of errors of our colleagues. This topic provides an opportunity to make the stronest recommendation to all of you about a MUST-READ book. It has a wonderful chapter on proof-reading and the incurable condition of those of us (as this topic evidences)whose eyes are automatically riveted to errors, egregious or nominal, on the printed page.
The book is EX LIBRIS, Confessions of a Common Reader, by Anne Fadiman (Clifton Fadiman's daughter, I would mention, just as I would note that Joanna Trollope is Antony's lineal descendant, with due credit to all!) It is so easy to make a careless recommendation of a book, but this one is special, esp for this audience. AWADers, I'm beginning to think I know a bit about some of you - by your posts, you are known) This book is for you! Has anyone read it? Anyone know it? Agree w/ me? Comments? Here endth my rant for the day.


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Carpal Tunnel
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scribbler, I'm convinced -- you're practicing for the Bulwer-Lytton [bum] competition.


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enthusiast
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Scribbler>AWADers, I'm beginning to think I know a bit about some of you - by your posts, you are known

This should make for an interesting new thread. It might even make Jackie post.

>This book is for you! Has anyone read it? Anyone know it? Agree w/ me? Comments?

I have not read the book but judging from your description, it is one that I would surely look for the next time I am at the library or a bookstore. I will comment.

chronist

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Pooh-Bah
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ha ha! I get it... non-words, also know as nonce-words.
not to be confused with nun-words, or nonun-words.


tsuwm,

Question: private language is impossible, but what of words used once, are oncewords words if they had meaning, as these did, for just one other person? And then, are once words words at all, or were they words but once?

(There's a tiny word decapitation for you).


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wwh Offline
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"private language is impossible"

How about the man who talked to himself out loud, because he enjoyed an intelligent audience?


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Pooh-Bah
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How about the man who talked to himself out loud, because he enjoyed an intelligent audience?

Clever man! Who knew?!

***

An established language can't be private, but the speech of speaker alone can be.


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Pooh-Bah
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What about words like "Vietcong," coined for effect, not for meaning?


#22854 03/19/01 01:16 AM
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Pooh-Bah
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And, with the persistent perversity of this board, this nonword thread is now demonstrably a word-related thread.


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wwh Offline
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How could linguaphiles love nonwords? And I find the kaleidoscopic changes in the threads an additional source of challenge and enjoyment.


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