Tag Archives: language

Apr7

mo, mo, spaghetto.

Posted on April 7, 2024 by beth

If you go into an italian restaurant and order spaghetto, chances are you’ll leave hungry. That’s because “spaghetto” refers to just a lone pasta strand; it’s the singular form of the plural “spaghetti.” Other beloved Italian foods share this same disinction— one cannoli is a “cannolo,” and it’s a single cheese-filled “raviolo” or “panino” sandwich. Italian language rules state that a word ending in -i means it’s plural, whereas an -o or -a suffix, denotes singularity. As for the term for the beloved pasta dish itself, “spaghetti” was inspired by the Italian word ‘spago,’ which means “twine” or “string.”

i highly doubt that i will ever be using this term, as i would have to order many spaghetto to be happy, so it’s back to spaghetti for me.

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“everything you see i owe to spaghetti.”

-sophia loren

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credits: interesting facts, google image

Apr2

allo…

Posted on April 2, 2024 by beth

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when speaking to someone with an accent

i accidentally/empathetically pick it up

without even realizing it

maybe kind of trying to meet them halfway

but it doesn’t sound like the real accent

i find myself kind of stuck in an in-between zone.

when i was in austraila

many people guessed that i was canadian

my accent had become a mashup

of american english blended with an aussie-ish sound and a bit of slang thrown in.

people have told me for years

when i answer my phone

that i have a lilting accent

with some sort of an undefined european sound to it

‘allo…’

they are sometimes taken aback for a minute

‘is this beth?’

‘oui, why do you ask?’

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“i subconsciously mimic whomever I’m talking to,

so I’ve been mistaken for a canadian, a south american, and somebody from the west country.”

-chloe pirrie, scottish actress

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photo credit: ruby lane

Feb22

the language of hands.

Posted on February 22, 2024 by beth

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“look, i made a map! and it goes right to my house!”

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‘the most expressive part of the body when it comes to art.

for a child, their hands often become their voice.’

-the art of creativity

Feb15

how do you begin?

Posted on February 15, 2024 by beth

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how interesting to see how different cultures/languages might start their books. the last one is pure fun.

how do stories start in your culture/language?

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how some have responded:

Hungarian tales mix a lot of them, but my favourite is like: “Once upon a time, where it wasn’t, far beyond the glass mountain, where the short-tailed piglet roams, there lived a(n)….”

My mother used to say “When Donkeys wore high hats and Hyde Park was a flower pot “

Romanian : “There was once, as if never, because if it weren’t, the story wouldn’t be told”

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“we are the storytelling animal. “

-salman rushdie

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source credits: StoreyBook reviews, erma bombeck writers workshop

Jan28

tiny grass is dreaming.

Posted on January 28, 2024 by beth

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小草休扈请勿扛搅

inaccurate translation:

DO NOT DISTURB. / TINY GRASS IS DREAMING.

while the image of blades of grass sleeping soundly is undeniably adorable,

the chinese public lawn sign posted near the grass was actually meant to read,

accurate translation:

GRASS IS RESTING. DO NOT DISTURB.

i personally prefer the first.

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“every act of communication is a miracle of translation.”
― ken liu, the paper menagerie and other stories

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photo credit: university animal clinic

Jan10

word nerd.

Posted on January 10, 2024 by beth

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artist: graham gillmore, ploy.

now this is a holiday made for me! i love words of all kinds and am a proud word nerd.

We celebrate National Word Nerd Day on January 9, (missed it by one day), by enthusing about our favorite words and the importance of language in our culture. Whether you always know what to say, or you often end up with your foot in your mouth, words are essential to our success and progress. National Word Nerd Day gives us the chance to learn some new words, use some old ones, and maybe even borrow them from someone else!

HISTORY OF NATIONAL WORD NERD DAY

Humans have communicated since we first walked on Earth, though our early language was nowhere near as complex as the systems of words we use today. Once, our basic vocabulary range was no different from that of great apes, but as we advanced, so did our language.

With developments in our lifestyle, we needed to be able to name things, communicate ideas, and express ourselves to aid our advancement. Words and language became increasingly important, yet it took many centuries until they were considered important enough to document.

During the medieval period, the written word was considered a luxury, with only the rich or the anointed able to read and write in a sophisticated way. As such, the majority was only able to enjoy words through oral storytelling. Shakespeare and other great wordsmiths used their love of words to delight audiences in the theatres, even inventing words for use in their work.

But by the mid-18th century, reading and writing were more widely taught and accessible to a greater range of people. It became necessary to produce a comprehensive list of words and their meanings in the English language, a task embarked upon by Dr. Samuel Johnson, who was paid the sum of 1,500 guineas (approximately $325,000 in today’s money) for its completion. After seven years of toil, his dictionary was published in 1755 and is still widely regarded as one of the most influential texts of the English language.

Today, we celebrate National Word Nerd Day to mark the importance of words in our history and civilization, giving us an excuse to geek out on our favorites!