Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Language update for summer
Professor Polistra did a special update for Asiana earlier this month, and now returns with the usual load of linguistic shit. Some widespread misuses, some one-off malapropisms.
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Underscoring:
"The hunger strike at Guantanamo continues. Activists say the government is UNDERSCORING the number of prisoners involved."
Sort of logical. Scoring means enumerating or evaluating, so underscoring could mean undervaluing. Except it doesn't.
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Nuevo riche:
"The exploding ranks of the Chinese nuevo riche sip tea and speak in hushed tones as they play at baccarat,"
Interesting transfer of the same word from French to Spanish.
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Coordinate:
"People in the area immediately coordinate off the area, and started yelling to people to get back."
Rather odd malaprop, with wrong tense. Might be a product of bad voice-recognition.
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Wiccaleaks:
Common but inexplicable. The second i should obviously be /i/, not /ĘŚ/.
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Bern[e][a][o][n]ke:
Also common but inexplicable. The spelling is straightforward. Despite that, most people omit the second N and say either Bernekke, Bernakke, or Bernokke. (Second syllable rhymes with neck, knack, or knock.)
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Scion:
Originally meant an heir to a title or fortune. The heir aspect has disappeared, and now it simply means a rich or powerful man. Semantic shift probably assisted by the Toyota brand.
"Unemployment was at record levels and some of the former scions of Wall Street, their fortunes laid waste, deprived the country of their presence by jumping from tall buildings."
Consummation devoutly etc.
Professor Polistra did a special update for Asiana earlier this month, and now returns with the usual load of linguistic shit. Some widespread misuses, some one-off malapropisms.
= = = = =
Underscoring:
"The hunger strike at Guantanamo continues. Activists say the government is UNDERSCORING the number of prisoners involved."
Sort of logical. Scoring means enumerating or evaluating, so underscoring could mean undervaluing. Except it doesn't.
= = = = =
Nuevo riche:
"The exploding ranks of the Chinese nuevo riche sip tea and speak in hushed tones as they play at baccarat,"
Interesting transfer of the same word from French to Spanish.
= = = = =
Coordinate:
"People in the area immediately coordinate off the area, and started yelling to people to get back."
Rather odd malaprop, with wrong tense. Might be a product of bad voice-recognition.
= = = = =
Wiccaleaks:
Common but inexplicable. The second i should obviously be /i/, not /ĘŚ/.
= = = = =
Bern[e][a][o][n]ke:
Also common but inexplicable. The spelling is straightforward. Despite that, most people omit the second N and say either Bernekke, Bernakke, or Bernokke. (Second syllable rhymes with neck, knack, or knock.)
= = = = =
Scion:
Originally meant an heir to a title or fortune. The heir aspect has disappeared, and now it simply means a rich or powerful man. Semantic shift probably assisted by the Toyota brand.
"Unemployment was at record levels and some of the former scions of Wall Street, their fortunes laid waste, deprived the country of their presence by jumping from tall buildings."
Consummation devoutly etc.
Labels: Language update
¶ 4:50 AM
