Author Topic: In the New Yorker...  (Read 1921771 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1280 on: September 28, 2015, 06:50:13 pm »
As a writer, I've had trouble from time to time with "fisherman." The gender-neutral equivalent is supposed to be "angler," but who says that in ordinary conversation??

Of course, the big question in the gender-language challenge in English is pronouns for indeterminate people nouns. Like, is it the traditional "When a student finishes his classwork" or "When a student finishes his or her classwork ..." or do you alternate back and forth, or do you go with "their/they/them"? The last is my personally preferred approach (though I don't use it in professional writing) -- I think we should just bite the bullet and adopt it, but it makes some people shudder.

I know it's difficult and time consuming and certainly sometimes impossible, but I'm still stickin' with rewriting to work around the problem.

Waitron? Hey there, Mr. Roboto. ...  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline southendmd

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1281 on: September 28, 2015, 06:52:35 pm »
Yes, Katherine, Italian is full of irregularities, like English.

In fact, in your example, the plural of sporka should be sporke (feminine plural).

So, the word for man is uomo.  Logically, the plural should be uomi, but it's actually uomini.  Go figure.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1282 on: September 30, 2015, 12:18:17 am »
I know it's difficult and time consuming and certainly sometimes impossible, but I'm still stickin' with rewriting to work around the problem.

Sayeth what thee will, English hath never been a static tongue.

But verily, making the subject plural usually works in those situations.



Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1283 on: October 02, 2015, 08:10:38 pm »
At the risk of being a spoiler, the part I liked best about Adam Gopnik's article about cities and books about cities (Oct. 5) comes at the very end, where he discusses a little book about New York City's poop scoop law.  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1284 on: October 02, 2015, 09:55:15 pm »
Have we discussed the David Sedaris piece in, I think, the second to latest issue about the Supreme Court's marriage equality decision? I thought it was hilarious as usual -- especially the lines comparing the right to marry with things like the right to wear Dockers to the Olive Garden -- and poignant without being sentimental, as always. He's brilliant that way. Still, I was sort of oddly disappointed that he and Hugh did not decide to tie the knot (despite the fiscal advantages!). Not that I care if anyone gets married or not; maybe I just thought ending with a marriage would give it that extra charge of poignancy.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1285 on: October 02, 2015, 10:41:59 pm »
Have we discussed the David Sedaris piece in, I think, the second to latest issue about the Supreme Court's marriage equality decision? I thought it was hilarious as usual -- especially the lines comparing the right to marry with things like the right to wear Dockers to the Olive Garden -- and poignant without being sentimental, as always. He's brilliant that way. Still, I was sort of oddly disappointed that he and Hugh did not decide to tie the knot (despite the fiscal advantages!). Not that I care if anyone gets married or not; maybe I just thought ending with a marriage would give it that extra charge of poignancy.

The Sedaris piece was good, as usual. I thought he and his partner would marry--maybe they will, eventually--but somehow I feel it would have been, I don't know--a cop out?--if this article would have ended with their marriage. I thought the best line was that Sedaris was all for the marriage struggle "because it so irritated the fundamentalists." And something that he said about having the right to marry but not acting on it somehow resonates with me. But maybe that's because tomorrow morning I have to sit through a gay wedding, something Sedaris said gay people didn't force others to do.  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1286 on: October 03, 2015, 12:10:20 pm »
I also liked the Sedaris article and thought it struck just the right note.

Enjoyed "Love and War" about the Broadway production of An American in Paris. Joan Acocella talked a lot about the movie and it brought back good memories. AAIP is one of the few movies that I own on CD. The soundtrack by George Gershwin is worth the price alone.
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1287 on: October 03, 2015, 04:08:37 pm »
But maybe that's because tomorrow morning I have to sit through a gay wedding, something Sedaris said gay people didn't force others to do.  ;D

Well, see, I love weddings. I appreciated Sedaris' jokes about them being dorky, but I usually find them fun.

I hate to say this, but I've never been to a gay wedding. So if anyone out there reading this decides to get married and is gay, please invite me! I promise to bring a nice gift.  :D



Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1288 on: October 03, 2015, 06:27:15 pm »
Well, see, I love weddings. I appreciated Sedaris' jokes about them being dorky, but I usually find them fun.

I hate to say this, but I've never been to a gay wedding. So if anyone out there reading this decides to get married and is gay, please invite me! I promise to bring a nice gift.  :D

Is liking weddings "a girl thing"? At least, I've never met a woman who didn't like weddings.  ???
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #1289 on: October 03, 2015, 11:27:54 pm »
Is liking weddings "a girl thing"? At least, I've never met a woman who didn't like weddings.  ???

Maybe, but for me it has little to do with romanticism. I just like the music and dancing and free meal and open bar.  ;D