Journal Entries
Notes toward "A The and the A -- Definitely Indefinite
Posted Nov 15, 2000
An article on articles (not to be confused with various other articles.)
While it is fairly easy to define the definite and indefinite articles as basically, "the definite and indefinite articles," I have never seen a grammar which discussed the effect or affect of vocal tension on the meanings of these two simple syllables. Which, of course, is what I intend to do here. Or part of it.
The process of communication, strictly through the use of the written word has, over the last twenty years plus a bit, come to be recognized as significantly deficient as a mode of casual, or not so casual, conversation. After the earliest pointless and unjustified flame wars, the first real method of coping with these issues was invented. The (smiley)1 and all her/his/its2 siblings allowed us to begin to express indications of emotion that would have been indicated in spoken conversation by tone of voice, stress, and body language.
Those of us sensitive to these lost vocal/physical gestures have tried to introduce other gestures into an area limited by a relatively small possibilities of keyboard accents. This is most clearly indicated by the antagonism to the person who logs on with his/her/its caps lock key engaged.
"Please, stop shouting," has become much less of the joke it started out as.
Just by analyzing that one comment about shouting, we can discover things about conversation on line as well verbal communication. Typing exclusively in caps suggests an elevation of tone. It's visual presence suggests volume at the expense of clarity. That this should be a good description of shouting is educational in and of itself.
I am reminded here of a comment from a director from the National Theatre of the Deaf. He told me that for someone who's 'spoken' language is American Sign Language, seeing someone sign while wearing lots of lace at the wrist (as in an historical drama) was similar to reading something set in an Old English font.
Again this is interesting on two levels. Firstly, because we tend to speak of 'reading' sign language; the anecdote refers to a printed effect and we are at first unable to think of an equivalent spoken effect which a deaf person would not be aware of. Secondly, because the way a person dresses does not necessarily change the way that we expect that person's conversation to sound.
What I'm getting at here folks is something that seems to have been forgotten in all those English Literature classes for long centuries now: The written language came after the spoken language. And, much more importantly, they are two different languages, the younger. a crude approximation of its elder.3
Yes, it did turn out that you could do things in writing that just weren't possible to spoken language -- like my not being here, speaking the words that you are reading. (Not that I would necessarily be using the same words if I were here and you weren't reading them.) In fact, there might be a substantial change in your understanding of what I meant when I wrote these words even if I were reading them aloud to you.
Here's where we come to "A The, the A, and the An ."
There are aspects of how we speak words that are not part of written language.4 They have been described as inflection, stress, vocal gestures, physical gestures (in a relatively few cases in English), and any number of other ways of saying, "It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it."
Before we deal with those aspects of speech, let's consider speaking the articles.
When do you pronounce the word 'the' as 'thee' and when do you pronunce it 'thuh'?
When do you pronunce the word 'a' as 'uh' and when do you prounce it as 'ay'?
Why do grammarians tell us that you use an 'an' before words that start with an 'h' when common spoken useage is to use the word 'a' before words that start with a consonant?
---
1. When I'm feeling optimistic, I like to speculate that the smiley was invented around 4:33 in the morning as someone lay nearly asleep at his/her/its keyboard having just accidentally typed a ')' after a ':.'
/"Aw! Ain't that cute!"/ I imagine this serendipitous inspired individual exclaiming.
Most of the time, however, I *don't* feel optimistic. (I've rather gotten into a rut in my invocation of Sturgeon's Law.)
Given the way we all got bored at our keyboards waiting for someone to show up in a chat room, the smiley's creation was probably somewhat more deliberate than might be imagined otherwise. We were constantly trying to jerk around the limitations and quirks of software -- grits and shiggles, you understand.
I have no idea who really came up with the first smiley, but I was there, in late night chat rooms, when everyone was busy inventing all the rest of the smiley race. I haven't looked at the list of prefabricated, hyper-cutified, no-longer-malleable smileys available here (nearly all of which, it seems, appeared in my welcome message.) I probably won't. I'll just use the ones I'm used to using, occasionally experimenting with others, being surprised when they turn into cute icons. 
Whatever works, works. What doesn't, gets dropped. (I'm an oooollllddd man. It really irks me when the neighborhood kids use this dern, modern, high-falootin' slang.)
2. Don't laugh, I'm sure the Spanish, Italian, German, French, /et al/ telecommunicators were devastated till they settled on the gender of each little smiley. (And let's mot even start with the smiley nose religious wars.)
3. Publishers of dictionaries and English teachers, please note: Spoken language is not written language. If written language is going to continue in its age-old game of follow-the-leader, it should run to catch up, not try to hang on the back of the wagon dragging its feet.
4. When I say 'language' anywhere in this article, you should understand that I am talking about English language unless I specifically mention some other language. I know a few things about a few other languages, but I don't speak5 any of them.
5. When I say 'speak' anywhere in this article, you should understand that I mean 'communicating a message.' The word 'write' means 'communicating a message by way of written symbols.'
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Nov 15, 2000
Notes toward "A The and the A -- Definitely Indefinite
Posted Nov 15, 2000
An article on articles (not to be confused with various other articles.)
While it is fairly easy to define the definite and indefinite articles as basically, "the definite and indefinite articles," I have never seen a grammar which discussed the effect or affect of vocal tension on the meanings of these two simple sylables. Which, of course, is what I intend to do here. Or part of it.
The process of communication, strictly through the use of the written word has, over the last twenty years plus a bit, come to be recognized as significantly deficient as a mode of casual, or not so casual, conversation. After the earliest pointless and unjustified flame wars, the first real method of coping with these issues was invented. The 
(smiley)1 and all her/his/its2 siblings allowed us to begin to express indications of emotion that would have been indicated in spoken conversation by tone of voice, stress, and body language.
Those of us sensitive to these lost vocal/physical gestures have tried to introduce other gestures into an area limited by a realtively small possibilities of keyboard accents. This is most clearly indicated by the antagonism to the person who logs on with his/her/its caps lock key engaged.
"Please, stop shouting," has become much less of the joke it started out as.
Just by analyzing that one comment about shouting, we can discover things about conversation on line as well verbal communication. Typing exclusively in caps suggests an elevation of tone. It's visual presence suggests volume at the expense of clarity. That this should be a good description of shouting is educational in and of itself.
I am reminded here of a comment from a director from the National Theatre of the Deaf. He told me that for someone who's 'spoken' language is American Sign Language, seeing someone sign while wearing lots of lace at the wrist (as in an historical drama) was similar to reading something set in an Old English font.
Again this is interesting on two levels. Firstly, because we tend to speak of 'reading' sign language; the anecdote refers to a printed effect and we are at first unable to think of an equivalent spoken effect which a deaf person would not be aware of. Secondly, because the way a person dresses does not necessarily change the way that we expect that person's conversation to sound.
What I getting at here folks is something that seems to have been forgotten in all those English Litereature classes for long centuries now: The written language came after the spoken language. And, much more importantly, they are two different languages, the younger. a crude approximation of its elder.3
---
1. When I'm feeling optimistic, I like to speculate that the smiley was invented around 4:33 in the morning as someone lay nearly asleep at his/her/its keyboard having just accidentally typed a ) after a :. "Aw! Ain't that cute!" I imagine this serendiptously inspired individual exclaiming. Most of the time, however, I don't feel optimistic. (I've rather gotten into a rut in my invokation of Sturgeon's Law.)
Given the way we all got bored at our keyboards waiting for someone to show up in a chat room, it was probably somewhat more deliberate might be imagined otherwise.
I have no idea who really came up with the first smiley, but I was there in late night chat rooms when everyone was busy inventing all the smiley race. I haven't looked at the list of prefabricated, hyper-cutified, no-longer-maleable smileys available here. I probably won't. I'll just use the ones I'm used to using and occasionally experiment with others. Whatever works, works. What doesn't gets dropped.
2. Don't laugh, I'm sure the Spanish, Italian, German, French and other telecommunicators were devistated till they settled on the gender of smileys.
3. Publishers of dictionaries and English teachers, please note: Spoken language is not written language. If written language is going to continue in its age-old game of follow-the-leader, it should run to catch up, not try to hang on the back of the wagon dragging its feet.
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Nov 15, 2000
Notes toward "A The and the A -- Definitely Indefinite"
Posted Nov 15, 2000
An article on articles (not to be confused with various other articles.)
While it is fairly easy to define the definite and indefinite articles as
basically, "the definite and indefinite articles," I have never seen a
grammar which discussed the effect or affect of vocal tension on the
meanings of these two simple sylables. Which, of course, is what I intend
to do here. Or part of it.
The process of communication, strictly through the use of the written word
has, over the last twenty years plus a bit, come to be recognized as
significantly deficient as a mode of casual, or not so casual,
conversation. After the earliest pointless and unjustified flame wars, the
first real method of coping with these issues was invented. The
(smiley)1 and all her/his/its2 siblings allowed us to begin to express
indications of emotion that would have been indicated in spoken
conversation by tone of voice, stress, and body language.
Those of us sensitive to these lost vocal/physical gestures have tried to
introduce other gestures into an area limited by a realtively small
possibilities of keyboard accents. This is most clearly indicated by the
antagonism to the person who logs on with his/her/its caps lock key
engaged.
"Please, stop shouting," has become much less of the joke it started out
as.
Just by analyzing that one comment about shouting, we can discover things
about conversation on line as well verbal communication. Typing
exclusively in caps suggests an elevation of tone. It's visual presence
suggests volume at the expense of clarity. That this should be a good
description of shouting is educational in and of itself.
I am reminded here of a comment from a director from the National Theatre
of the Deaf. He told me that for someone who's 'spoken' language is
American Sign Language, seeing someone sign while wearing lots of lace at
the wrist (as in an historical drama) was similar to reading something set
in an Old English font.
Again this is interesting on two levels. Firstly, because we tend to speak
of 'reading' sign language; the anecdote refers to a printed effect and
we are at first unable to think of an equivalent spoken effect which a deaf
person would not be aware of. Secondly, because the way a person dresses
does not necessarily change the way that we expect that person's conversation
to sound.
What I getting at here folks is something that seems to have been forgotten
in all those English Litereature classes for long centuries now: The
written language came after the spoken language. And, much more
importantly, they are two different languages, the younger. a crude
approximation of its elder.3
Spoken language going away?
---
1. When I'm feeling optimistic, I like to speculate that the smiley was
invented around 4:33 in the morning as someone lay nearly asleep at
his/her/its keyboard having just accidentally typed a ) after a :. "Aw!
Ain't that cute!" I imagine this serendiptously inspired individual
exclaiming. Most of the time, however, I don't feel optimistic. (I've
rather gotten into a rut in my invokation of Sturgeon's Law.)
Given the way we all got bored at our keyboards waiting for someone to show
up in a chat room, it was probably somewhat more deliberate might be
imagined otherwise.
I have no idea who really came up with the first smiley, but I was there in
late night chat rooms when everyone was busy inventing all the smiley race.
I haven't looked at the list of prefabricated, hyper-cutified,
no-longer-maleable smileys available here. I probably won't. I'll just
use the ones I'm used to using and occasionally experiment with others.
Whatever works, works. What doesn't gets dropped.
2. Don't laugh, I'm sure the Spanish, Italian, German, French and other
telecommunicators were devistated till they settled on the gender of
smileys.
3. Publishers of dictionaries and English teachers, please note: Spoken
language is not written language. If written language is going to continue
in its age-old game of follow-the-leader, it should run to catch up, not
try to hang on the back of the wagon dragging its feet.
Much more
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Nov 15, 2000
The beginning of notes for A The and The A -- Definitely Indefinite
Posted Nov 14, 2000
An article on articles (not to be confused with various other articles.)
While it is fairly easy to define the definite and indefinite articles as basically, "the definite and indefinite articles," I have never seen a grammar which discussed the effect or affect of vocal tension on the meanings of these two simple sylables.
The process of communication strictly through the use of the written word has, over the last twenty years plus a bit, come to be recognized as significantly deficient as a mode of casual conversation. After the earliest pointless and unjustified flame wars, the first real method of coping with these issues was invented. The (smiley) and all her/his/its (Don't laugh, I'm sure the Spanish, Italian, German, French and other telecommunicators were devestated till they settled on the gender of smileys.) siblings allowed us to begin to express indications of emotion that would have been indicated in spoken conversation by tone of voice, stress, and body language.
Those of us sensitive to these lost vocal/physical gestures have tried to introduce other gestures into an area limited by a realtively small possibilities of keyboard accents. This is most clearly indicated by the antagonism to the person who logs on with his/her/its caps lock key engaged. "Please, stop shouting," has become much less of the joke it started out as.
Just by analyzing that one comment about shouting, we can discover things about conversation on line as well verbal communication. Typing exclusively in caps suggests an elevation of tone. It's visual presence suggests volume at the expense of clarity. That this should be a good description of shouting is educational in and of itself.
I am reminded here of a comment from a director from the National Theatre of the Deaf. He told me that for someone who's 'spoken' language is American Sign Language, seeing some one sign while wearing lots of lace at the wrist (as in an historical drama) was similar to reading something set in an Old English font.
Again this is interesting on two levels. Firstly, because we tend to speak of 'reading' sign language and the anecdote refers to a printed effect and we are at first unable to think of an equivalent spoken effect which a deaf person would not be aware of. Secondly, because the way a person dresses does not necessarily change the way that person's conversation sounds.
Much more
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Nov 14, 2000
Newscasters, Politicians, & Teachers
Posted Nov 14, 2000
Check entries on above to see if
A) They exist
B) They are adequate
C) I should write about/add to them.
While I'm at it, check on
a) survival skills
b) good maners
c) respect
d) responsibility
e) Truth
f) Reality
g) Honesty
h) my hobby horse: Art and Artistic Content. The real issue is, is this a place for real issues?
Is there any such place?
Discuss this Journal entry [9]
Latest reply: Nov 14, 2000
Barton
Researcher U160070
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