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Show R0LL0-GLYPHICS R0LL0-GLYPHICS By Klien Rollo I couldn't help but relate the article written by Bob Gans for one of the . newspaper publications relative to the English language. Bob points out that the English language is a very puzzling instrument in-strument of communication. Coming as it does from original Anglo-Saxon Germanic derivatives, it has been added onto by the many waves of influences until it is a hodgepodge of many, many languages. English speaking peoples show a remarkable readiness to add on any likely sounding word and adapt it to its already confusing structure. As a result you will find words and phrases from the Danes, Romans (Latin), French, Spanish, Hebrew, German and many others. English language books of today show amazing differences from similar publications of years gone by. Bob suggests that what he likes most is the idiomatic phrases that say one thing and mean another. He sights several examples. For instance: in-stance: "How are you?" When someone says this to me, I start to explain my latest hurts and illnesses and always get a weird look for my trouble. "What's new?" Try explaining., what is really new and your friends will have you committed. "You must get a hold of yourself!" So I grabbed my neck and shoulders ...to no avail. "How is everything going?" I explain ex-plain that everything is standing still and only my washing machine is going. Oy vay! I have a few of my own that I could add to the list and I'm sure that you can to. For instance. How many times do people ask "what's up?" My stock reply to that is, the sky, which draws some frowns. One of. mv Det Deeves is thp phrase, "you know!" When someone' tells me that they heard this or that, "you know", my ansser is "no, I didn't know." It stops them everytime. Bob goes on to discuss some other clumsy way, out language attempts to designate the places where men and women perform certain necessary functions. The restroom-for resting? Wash room-to wash? Toilet-to toil? Lavatory-to lave? Bath room-to bathe? Powder room-to powder? Genuemen-wnere ao violent men go'' Why don't they tell the truth and say. "This is the place." We could go on and on about our funny language, but I must "take my leave" and bid you "fare-well" (eat good?). |