Sunday, March 29, 2009

TRAGEDY: Judge Marcus Einfeld (Australia)

Having seen a marvellous production of Lear last night at the Young Vic,
it was all the more poignant to be reminded by Clive James on Radio 4’s
“Comment” this a.m. of the key elements of tragedy - viz. a fall from
lofty grace, as a result of a specific human failing.

He told the amazing story of the above-captioned, septuagenarian,
previously revered member of the judiciary, who now faces two years in
jail without parole for telling porkies - three laughably leaky alibis
in succession - about a speeding infraction (6 mph over the limit),
which ultimately resulted in a perjury conviction. I had somehow missed
this story in the course of my recent travels.

This is the first of a new series by Clive J., who as a Cantabrigian of
1960s vintage is always top value.

Podcast can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 . Listen and weep.

Posted by Dej on 29 Mar around 7pm

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Monday, March 16, 2009

RE: Heard on Oxford St., London W1 - “La Classe” (cc. www.brothersabroad.com)

Fine point, sir…which might explain why there was no discernible reaction from the herd!

I was actually so struck by the use of the verb ‘accelerer’ that I rather overlooked the diffidence of the construction, given that road signs/directions (for example) are always so much more polite in French than in English.

________________________________

From: Omotunde

The exhortation - stricto sensu, the question, seems absurdly diffident. Plus précisément, “est-ce que” feels like an inappropriate substitute for the peremptory inverted form of the interrogative that the context demands.  As for the terminal S.V.P. ..!

Dej Mahoney wrote:

“Est-ce que vous pouvez accelerer, s’il vous plait?” - French teacher attempting to herd her ruck-sacked pupils, who were dragging their heels in the middle of the pavement.

This request struck me as being in marked contrast to the “hurry up!” or “keep together and move along!” which one might have anticipated hearing from her English counterpart!

Of course, it could be argued that this is merely a symptom of the French being restricted (or liberated?) by so many fewer words in their vocabulary.

Posted by Dej on 16 Mar around 8am

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

Heard on Oxford St., London W1 - “La Classe” (cc. www.brothersabroad.com)

“Est-ce que vous pouvez accelerer, s’il vous plait?” - French teacher
attempting to herd her ruck-sacked pupils, who were dragging their heels
in the middle of the pavement.

This request struck me as being in marked contrast to the “hurry up!” or
“keep together and move along!” which one might have anticipated hearing
from her English counterpart!

Of course, it could be argued that this is merely a symptom of the
French being restricted (or liberated?) by so many fewer words in their
vocabulary.

Posted by Dej on 15 Mar around 1pm

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Monday, November 17, 2008

Top Simile - courtesy Radio 4 (“Berlin Diary” by Christopher Isherwood)

Just heard:

“He lay crookedly in the corner, like an abandoned sack…”

Stephen King would scorn the use of the adverb, but I felt that its
arguable awkwardness fitted the context rather nicely.

Posted by Dej on 17 Nov around 6pm

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Radio 4’s Pick of the Week/‘Outlook’ BBC World Service - Churai (sp?) Incense (Senegal)

“Pick of the Week” last night featured the importance of churai in
‘Senegalese’ marriage, as underscored by musical accompaniment ~

Isatou Somebody: “churai strengthens love…even if your husband is
weak…”

There was also a reference to the belt of beads worn around the woman’s
waist and their aphrodisiac rattle - “we call them weapons of
destruction”!

Out.

Posted by Dej on 19 May around 10am

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