Language Journal Entries

16 creative works found

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• speaking in tongues
  by bellmusker

  I’ve recently been asked by Red Bubble to choose my favourite writing, and so I poured the honey vodka, put on some slide guitar, and spe…

  I’ve recently been asked by Red Bubble to choose my favourite writing, and so I poured the honey vodka, put on some slide guitar, and spent longer than was good for me floating through the writing and journals here. And I need to ask – where are the languages?! Yes, I know English is the lingua franca of the world and the best way to get your writing noticed. I sympathise with this, I do, but I ache for the beauty of expressing yourself in another tongue. When we force our focus away from our mother tongue, we embrace the world in a whole new manner, and see shades of incandescence and identity that may otherwise be denied us. When I read or write in Dutch, in German, in French, the words don’t come easily and so I strive for them more, turn them over in my head and my heart, and notice their shades and subtleties in ways I simply wouldn’t in English. It’s not easy; I know this. I make mistakes, and hesitate when I write in other tongues in case I trip over verb tenses, mangle my syntax or accidentally call someone a piece of fruit when I intended to be seductive (don’t ask). But it’s just so delicious to read…… Who can read or write in other languages, and if so, do you actively seek these languages out on Red Bubble? For those with other mother tongues, do you put stories up in English out of necessity or desire? Ik wil in het Nederlands lezen…. Je veux lire en français… Ich will auf Deutsch lesen. Or at least try. And after two years of Irish lessons, I would love to read in that amazing language but alas, all I can do is insult someone, and order a whiskey. But at least I haven’t compared my lovers to summer fruit in that language…..or have I?!

• Inventing a Language that 'Fits'
  by JenniferB

  I don’t swear, I simply modify socially acceptable words… seriassly… fantesticle…

  I don’t swear, I simply modify socially acceptable words… seriassly… fantesticle…

• Sometimes I sit and wonder...(sometimes I just sit)
  by awoni

  On hearing ‘Soon Forgotten’ by Deep Purple last night, I actually started wondering what it was that I was wondering about most. It’s a c…

  On hearing ‘Soon Forgotten’ by Deep Purple last night, I actually started wondering what it was that I was wondering about most. It’s a circle of thoughts, almost like a picture within a picture within a picture… / But still, I couldn’t help but wondering… Firstly, I’m always wondering what other people are thinking… when observing a group in a conversation, I try to observe the body language and other clues of the person who is speaking. Why I do this, I do not know, but I do know I do it anyway. Is it a lack of trust in people? Is it a genetically transferred interest in basic psychology? Secondly, the big question: what happens when we die? It almost seems pointless to think about it, because we will never know the answer…until we actually die (how’s this for light reading…) although, every time I see someone die on TV, I can’t help but wonder… Of course, I would like to believe that there is some form of reincarnation. Although, reincarnation- theorists claim that you never know who or what you were in a past life and that there is no way of knowing what you will be in a next one. I think though, that a talent is something which might be an evidence of reincarnation. For example: if I am a very good runner, which might be because I used to be a leopard in a previous life. This brings me to my third most-wondered- about topic: talents. Sometime ago, I spoke to my aunt (who is a child- psychologist) about talents. Her opinion was that every person is born with a certain amount of talents; it’s just a matter of developing then right and at the right time. I think that my main talent would be my ability to learn new languages. Why would that be? Genetically, I have a very varied pool of talents: from my grandparents I could have inherited a sense of music, a feeling of language, medical knowledge and ability or diplomatic skills. Do I have any of those? I feel I have a very basic range of skills in all areas mentioned, although it might be that the linguistic feeling helps me in learning new languages, and so is therefore more present than the other ones. From my parents I should have gotten great mathematical skills and an analytic mind…Right, nothing so far… Eventually, I keep wondering whether in a previous life, I might have been a tradeswoman, who had many connection all over the world and who had to know all those languages to beat the competition and therefore to be able to import the best from all corners of the world… And now, I’m wondering what you are thinking when you read this… / I have come full circle…again…time to stop wondering and just sit…

• I've been meaning to ask.
  by Patricia L. Ballard

  Australians, what is the exact definition of the term “Going walk about”?

  Australians, what is the exact definition of the term “Going walk about”?

• Calling all Gaels and Scottish speaking bubblers ~ HELP!!! :o)
  by adgray

  Thank you for coming to see what I’m getting myself into :o) I have stupidly decided that one of my characters needed to be a Scott a…

  Thank you for coming to see what I’m getting myself into :o) I have stupidly decided that one of my characters needed to be a Scott and again stupidly I have put him in the late eighteen hundreds as opposed to the more infiltrated contemporary time. / But I want to explore the language differences: / Scottish vs Australian/English & 1800s vs current. It would be a great thing for the character to read like a guttural Scottish highlander – a Scottish version of Heathcliff or Oliver Reed, Orson Wells, Russel Crow? [ lol :o) ] / BUT with all you wonderful Scottish bubblers in here I do not want to offend with my pathetic attempt at sounding Scottish, I really would like it to read true. [I know the pain of badly pronounced iconic sayings – / “Good daoiy mate” = “Ach it’s a brood licht moon licht nicht te nigcht!” / <$ eeeeeegggggggghhhhhhh!!!! <$ / [a thousand apologies but you see what I mean -jean {Cringing again} Sorry ] So I guess I’m asking for someone to assist me in teaching me a good crash course of Scottish language dialogue writing. I know it is always best to write what you know … but how will I ever learn anything new to write about if I don’t ask for help learning? So please is there someone out there in bonnie bubble land that could help me write up my Scottish character’s dialogue to sound right? / [and yes he needs to be Scottish – the character is loosely based on an important person in our Victorian history who was a really great Scottish pioneer.] Please let me know so I can move on with this book clogging up my head :o) Keep Happy everybody ! ~ adg xox

• Looking back....
  by Ozcloggie

  While searching for something else, I came across my letter to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, published Wednesday, November 198…

  While searching for something else, I came across my letter to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, published Wednesday, November 1987. / Gosh! Is that really twenty years ago? A week or two ago, I was reminded. I was sitting at the back of the room, in the offices of the Consulate-General of the Netherlands, attending the A.G.m., of the D.A.C.C.. Just in front of me sat the Hon. Treasurer of the D.A.C.C. and chairperson of the Federation of Netherlands Societies NSW. / Beside me a lady of Italian background who is advising the D.A.C.C., on fund-raising. When the Hon. treasurer / chairperson Fed. of Neth. Soc., heard that the lady was of Italian background, he asked her if she knew Pino Bosi. She had heard of him (and the daughter Pina, who has written so much for the Sydney Morning herald). Hon. Treasurer of the D.A.C.C. and chairperson of the Federation of Netherlands Societies NSW, explained that he’d known Pino all that time ago when SBS RAdio 2EA first started broadcasting in all those ethnic languages, because he’d been the co-ordinator of the Dutch Language program. So much water under the bridge. They were good days! Being a broadcaster!! Albeit to a very small, critical, Dutch-speaking radio audience. When I responded some years later to an advertisement for new broadcasters for the SBS Radio Dutch program, the Hon. Treasurer of the D.A.C.C. and chairperson of the Federation of Netherlands Societies NSW., was one of two people (The other the SBS Radio person in charge of the programming.) who interviewed me. I did not get the position (back). No doubt there were better candidates who had more recently come from the Netherlands. Spoke better Dutch and had more professional experience in radio. Water under the bridge but I liked being a radio star! Briefly. —-—- / In recent days I have received an email from a Dutch-Australian, Jan (Jon) Herman Kaub, who, like me, arrived in Australia, when he was 12 (but a few years earlier). He proves that issues that were hot when we first started the Dutch language programs via 2EA, are still so. In part, the email says: Shaun Brown / Managing Director / SBS My concerns like others, are also very much about SBS’s current Commercialisation and Anglicisation SBS “is” dumbing down > what apt phraseology!!! / Re: > SMH, 30th August 2007 [Jonathan Pearlman] / 29/1188067191776.html?sssdmh=dm16.276435 / The Australian, 6th October 2007 [David King] / Points of Dispute/Bone of Contention The SBS Charter, provided in the SBS Act, sets out the principal / functions of SBS and a number of duties it has to fulfil. The Charter, / contained in Section 6 of the Special Broadcasting Services Act 1991, / states: / The principal function of SBS is to provide “multilingual and multicultural” / radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all / Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia’s multicultural society. Government agreed to allow advertising on SBS Television and Radio / under a new Charter [June 1991]. Five minutes of advertising or sponsorship / per hour to be allowed, only between programs or in natural program breaks. / Guidelines covering the form, content and placement of advertisements to be / set by the SBS Board after public consultations. Mary Kostakidis’ humiliation and bullying is also contemptable > she / began as presenter of week day editions of World News [April 1988]. These “recent” policy approaches/directions must be “reversed” Awaiting your response. Regards Jan (Jon) Herman Kaub / / 2515 Roland Road / PARKERVILLE WA 6081 / (08) 9295-4446 [home phone] / 0421-33-4906 [mobile phone] / jongil@optusnet.com.au [email / address] / WHY DO “I” LISTEN and WATCH SBS PROGRAMS / My Profile: > Parents Migrated to Aust 2nd week January 1951 Parents Nationality Dutch > from the Netherlands Born Dutch East Indies/Indonesia My Age @ Arrival 12yrs 4mths Current Age 69yrs [Yes > just an “old” geezer – so / what!!!] Citizenship “Dual” Nationality > both Dutch & / Australian Language/s spoken English, Dutch, French & Bahasa / Indonesian Our Children 4 Sons Their Spouces (sic) /Partners Swiss French, French, English, Japanese “ End of quote from emailed message. / —-— / Good to see that there are still people who care!! (Right or wrong!)

• English within English ruminations (?)
  by montdragon

  Dear Journal: / When you have a conversation do you say “period” at the end of a sentence. Or use bracket marks [{(brackets or braces)}], ...

  Dear Journal: / When you have a conversation do you say “period” at the end of a sentence. Or use bracket marks [{(brackets or braces)}], question marks?, exclamation marks! And quotation marks ‘ ” quotations marks OMG….just too confusing. I love words like confusable “there or their” and “to,too,two,2, ewe (just kidding u ewe)” and there are some really sneaky ones “weather whether wither.” I have that mad madness of dyslexia fun and funny I can spell dyslexic ten times out of ten, I think because it just looks wrong and dyslexia is very personal (personal personnel). / Children can be cruel but never as cruel as adults who should know better and choose to be cruel, kids’ learn from adults. I did not learn to read until I was twelve all the alphabet just “things” and words blocks of things a scramble, one day I remember it vividly the letters that were (we’re were where) words….were just that WORDS! Imagine that, I read everything that I could read most of the time three and four times I had no choice….wow not bad for an idiot…children are cruel but not as cruel as adults, like cold hearted teachers who could not teach or adults who are so smug with their ability to speak or write but have no ideas and never will. / English is the new Latin, it really is beautiful elegant infused with loan words growing and expanding new words invented and words welcomed to facilitate expedite and just making English in its variations the lingua franca supreme, I adore American-English. My first language was Spanish and Basque with some French and German a hodgepodge milieu a virtual Babel. What am I trying to say (?)…hey this is my journal so I can ruminate and meander with no rhyme or reason or give a hoot about grammar or structure just rant. OK nothing pisses me off more than when native English speakers demand that immigrants speak “English” usually by those that haven’t a clue about English (?) American-English, Canadian-English, and Australian-English it goes on….English within English varies and some words spelled the same may have a different meaning or use. Imagine an immigrant trying to master English and failing miserable a little bit like dyslexia. Daunting is an understatement letters words just don’t seem to make sense at all. And trying to speak English for some it is very difficult some do try and succeed others may never be able to speak English publicly. Reminds me of the time I was in Saudi Arabia of course they speak English publicly….how is your Arabic? Mine sucks. / Just a note I was born in the United States, California to be exact my forbearer’s arrived in the western hemisphere with the Spanish invasion of the Americas. I am still dyslexic and do my best to speak American-English and try not to misuse or slaughter the English language Oy Vey….ha ha! Tolerance patience (patient the Doctor will see you now) and being human not mano-a-mano…OMG another manifesto about mano-a-mano another time, words why they are all confusable in any language.

• English as a 2nd language
  by Lois Romer

  Seems I no longer understand english, even though it is the only language i know. / Maybe I need new glasses or an interpretor. Maybe …

  Seems I no longer understand english, even though it is the only language i know. / Maybe I need new glasses or an interpretor. Maybe I just stop reading then I can’t get it wrong.

• language understanding for DUMMIES
  by Sandy Viktor Nys

  My introduction text for Art of Erotic Visions was written in tongue in cheek language , served with lots of irony. Some people still …

  My introduction text for Art of Erotic Visions was written in tongue in cheek language , served with lots of irony. Some people still do not seems to understand this…. Sandy Viktor Nys

• Those were the days, my friend....
  by Faith Puleston

  Like all great tunes, the one my title words were set to lingers on. I’m really a classical musician, but I no longer know what that is o…

  Like all great tunes, the one my title words were set to lingers on. I’m really a classical musician, but I no longer know what that is or what being one actually means. I used to know. Since leaving the theatre for the “real” world, much of the relationship to classical music has gone. That may not be a bad thing. Being in a box is quite boring, really. Depending on my mood I go from Beethoven to Bartok to Schostakowitsch, from Mendelssohn to Ravel, from Rock to Pop, from Jazz to Silence. I think the older we get, the harder it gets to define ourselves. We stick labels on others, but what is on our label? What is on my label? I remember my school report stating that “she tries hard” after a winter term of ankle and knuckle bashing on the hockey field. I was too timid, too scared of bashing my hands and not being able to practise my beloved piano. Last August I smashed my wrist and have gone though a pretty tortuous time regaining most – but not all – of the use of my left hand. Strangely, I am philosophical about it. In the half a century or so between the hockey and now, I must have learnt something. Another week has slipped beyond reach. Every moment we live is already past time. When I teach English, I try to explain the complexities of the English verb system to my students. They are invariably German and not at all happy about the rules. They have a hard time understanding them and an even harder one using them! In part it has to do with the nominal nature of the German language, which – in normal everyday situations – gets by on exactly two verb forms, with a third thrown in for good measure but frequently incorrectly used. The continuous form, our constant consort, does not exist in German and is replaced by other less efficient mechanisms. And yet, most Germans put a disparaging label on the English language. It is considered “easy”. You don’t have to learn it. It’s there waiting to be picked up somehow. Unfortunately, English has a universality which is gradually reducing its usage to the lowest common denominator. On the internet, linguistic exchange is sometimes all but unrecognizable as English and there is genuine anxiety among language experts that the bad English will eventually outsmart the good. I hope they are wrong. / Things aren’t improved by the German education system. Junior school kids now have to learn English. The teachers go for a short training period and are let loose on the “victims”. The results are bad, bad, bad. I was told by one grammar school teacher that these children had only been exposed to kiddies’ songs (Old MacDonald….) and guidebook phrases (Where is the station?), but no basic grammar. Later, after only 5 years of grammar (often without any attempt at joined-up learning), the students (now 16-17 years of age) have finished with all that stuff and analyse difficult books and poetry instead. They believe they have learnt all they need to know. Thinking about it makes me want to scream…... Let me tell you about the first watercolour workshop I went on. It was in Derbyshire, given by an artist who could paint truly delightful – if dinky – little landscapes, often as miniatures. There were ten of us. If I had thought I was a beginner, well, I had to think again. The majority in that small room, sitting round a table with obligatory 11”x14” Bockingford pads propped up on homemade table easels, had never had a paintbursh in their hand. Contrary to the description of the course, most of the time was spent doing the most elementary things to cater for the angels rushing in, and – disappointingly – the artist pinned his paper to an easel and painted dry on dry. His own palette was in a disgusting state. I remember that. I know oil paints can get out of hand, but how are you supposed to paint transparent when your watercolours are all sludged in together? When I asked when the promised wet-on-wet would be taught (and that was what I had come for), I was told to come again next time. Needless to say, I didn’t go there again. I did learn one useful thing, though. When painting a tree, always leave unpainted spaces so that the little birds can breathe…... The next few workshops were here in Germany, and the artist was actually very inventive, had lived in France for years, painted bright, merry abstracts in acrylics and was a jolly old soul into the bargain. Unfortunately he was working through the adult education centre, and on my third one-day workout a year later I discovered that half the places were taken by mentally challenged people, some of whom were really good at painting, whilst others were merely disruptive. From being in a sheltered environment with enough carers to make sure they were OK, they were in a huge studio full of cans of paint, glue, knives, scissors etc. It was a really scary day. Next week I’ll tell you about two more crackpot workshops. I need to get them out of my system, too…... Why not tell me about your experiences? I’ll look forward to hearing from you. Cheers Faith PS I think I found all the typing errors!

• Things That Drive Me Nuts
  by George Yesthal

  The other day I was watching the History channel. I think it was Modern Marvels or Engineering Disasters or some such and one of the engi…

  The other day I was watching the History channel. I think it was Modern Marvels or Engineering Disasters or some such and one of the engineers was describing metal fatigue and used the word “denseness”. While there is such a word as denseness, it is one that has come into being with the advent of the laxity of decorum in the English language of late. Hitherto the correct word was density. / On another program an L.A. police dispatcher was telling how she was on the radio with a downed officer and explained that she RESIDED herself to staying with him until help arrived. If this is the level of intelligence of someone in a position where lucidity (not lucidness)is required I’d think the public would benefit from her RESIDING her position. / Now I am the furthest thing from an English professor and I don’t claim to have their grasp or command of the language. But there are some fundamentals that even I know and it surprises me to hear people in certain fields that require at least a rudimentary sense of elocution making unforgivable faux pas’ in grammar. / Here are just a few: / Calvary is the site where Christ was crucified, not men on horses. / Normality is the word that was always used before some politician turned it into n-o-r-m-a-l-c-y. / And when even the president of the good old USofA says neucYOOlar instead of neuclear, what kind of message is that sending to his vaunted education plan? I know, I know. Some would say I’m being too rigid and that the language is bound to morph with the evolution of such things as ebonics (which I deplore), but there is a reason that these things have been termed “bastardizations”. I champion the black plight but in any race there is a constituency of ignorance. Ebonics is the bastard child of same. Martin Luther King and Malcom X would be livid. They were nothing if not eloquent and abhorred ignorance. This is in no way peculiar to the black people’s fight for education. We of all races struggle with it. / There is a place for such language when describing a cultural take on the language but that is indicative of the intention of the writer. And of course there is rock’n’roll, which I love. But to hear people like news anchors and politicians make these mistakes… / Well, I guess I’m ranting. GUT night, y’all.

• That which we call a rose foul fowl language…hit and duck smells the same.
  by montdragon

  Dear Journal: / Expletive vulgarities are much antiquated sounding like dry slivers of breaking wind; you hear them and sadly read them he…

  Dear Journal: / Expletive vulgarities are much antiquated sounding like dry slivers of breaking wind; you hear them and sadly read them here and there, with limp impact by inarticulate particulate matter of flatulent chatter chattering chatterers. Fucking more like a quack quacking of fucking shit bags gagging over their giggle, just haranguing for a cheap bang bang of chirp, more humorously uttered udders milked by the sexes out of context, guys’ sound very dildo macho and girls just sound like silly cows. / Me thinks the Bard could screw with expletive vulgarities in a very Shakespearian way to strut the stuff upon a stage to shut the fuck up guffawing audiences. Pray yea knaves of both sexes conjugate conjugal mind intercourse, exploded like dry and dead whoring whores not worth the sweat to get the shaft up and rub it gently, why be gentle ram it and jam jamming betwixt the furry bush best to finger fingering the bush than to speak of such intimacies less intimate than explicative…oh howl from cheek to cheek jowl dropping….nay nay just bad manners…and so two star crossed lovers: / Julie Captivating: / ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; / Thou art thyself, though not a Vagina. / What’s Vagina? it is nor hand, nor foot, / Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part / Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! / What’s in a name? that which we call a fuck / By any other name would smell as sweet; / So Fuckhead would, were he not Fuckhead call’d, / Retain that dear perfection which he owes / Without that title. Fuckhead, doff thy name, / And for that name which is no part of thee / Take all myself. / I am not a prude and expletive vulgarities in context are very effective in relationship to the subject matter like pornography, standup comedy delivered in toilets, people with low self esteem articulating their lack of esteem and juvenile children testing their rite of passage. Fortunately most but not all see and hear how inane expletive vulgarities can and are immature…yup free speech is freedom when spoken elegantly to the best of one’s ability to engage in dialogue or express their heart mind and soul…I is still trying because I is ignorant. Like I said I am not a prude and usually not offended with expletive vulgarities in context but the profuse use of expletives does get nauseating when used gratuitously and thoughtlessly….WTF anyway…I can smile and even laugh at and with expletive vulgarities in context sometimes, but thoughtless ejaculations are just that ejaculations. / My humble apologies to the Bard, perhaps the greatest writer of them all, elegant with the fledging English language of his time…English now the New Latin to the world, embracing loaned borrowed words inventing new words the strength and vivacity, the joy de vivre of English. / Shit I feel so much fucking better having gotten that fucking piece of shit off my chest and out of my mind….just an earwig load of fucking shit screwing with my fucking brain….hum context.

• Language
  by izzybeth

  “All the fun’s in how you say a thing.” Robert Frost

  “All the fun’s in how you say a thing.” Robert Frost

• Cattle
  by L.A. Gilbertson

  Language is a tool / Easily wielded by any fool, with a mouth / With a pen, you could raise an army of men and be the next Napolean / Langua…

  Language is a tool / Easily wielded by any fool, with a mouth / With a pen, you could raise an army of men and be the next Napolean / Language is powerful / don’t fuck around / Whether prophetic, insipid, cliche, or profound / It’s here for a purpose and we’re letting it drown / Cause we talk alot, but verbose, man, we’re not / we recount our stories with the same tired plots / “Oh, how was your day dear?” / “Oh, fine how was yours?” / “Oh, mine was just fine, would you please pass the corn?” / the extent of our dinner conversation should warn us / Let’s ask better questions / Let’s have some discourse / But please remember passion need not cause remorse / infuse your speech, with all your beliefs / but you must not, take it personally / when i don’t agree / cause i think for myself / and so do you too / and everyone else / but we’re becoming the same / stereotyped by the massed / our identities change / to fit into classes / and though it’s cliche / Cattle / is what we’ll be / If you don’t believe me / Just ask your TV.

• Hajimemashite
  by SinisterDexter

  Hello, everybody. I’m new. And pretty glad to be here. I stumbled across RB totally randomly, but it’s nice to see something so beauty- (...

  Hello, everybody. I’m new. And pretty glad to be here. I stumbled across RB totally randomly, but it’s nice to see something so beauty- (and therefore life-)affirming. For my part, I’m a writer, mostly of poetry. Everbody should click through to my stuff and leave comments rife with scathing criticism. (RB is not ideal for text formatting, as I’m sure other writers have discovered, so I beg leniency on that front.) I’m just shy of 24 at the moment. I was born in the USSR but now live in California. I hold a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Killing some time before graduate school. Studying some Japanese to add to my list of broken languages (which currently includes Hebrew, Arabic, and German). That’s about it, for now. It looks to me like RB is a really cool community and I look forward to participating in it. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

• Bored? Learn a new language!
  by CassieW

  That is exactly what I am doing! / I complain I am bored a lot…mostly because I have no life (jokingly), but seriously, I wanted a const…

  That is exactly what I am doing! / I complain I am bored a lot…mostly because I have no life (jokingly), but seriously, I wanted a constructive way to curve my boredom. So, I went into my garage and found a self-teaching book on how to speak German. / I happen to like German, so I opened up the book and I’ve already learned 100 words tonight and I know how to put them into sentences, too. / If I can pull this off, I’ll buy a CD and see if I can put my skills to the test! Then maybe, one day I will be able to go to German and speak their language! Does anyone speak a second language?