Comments on: Depends on What the Meaning of “Saw” Is http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:52:36 +0000 hourly 1 By: joeblough http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98690 joeblough Sun, 23 Dec 2007 17:53:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98690 <p>The degradation of language, specifically English, was noticed and extensively commented on by Orwell.</p> <p>It's on display all around us.</p> <p>I will admit that sometimes, <i>just sometimes</i>, clear thinking people fumble over words and get their grammar or pronunciation screwed around.</p> <p>But normally, messed up speech and/or writing is a symptom of messed up thinking, or even a generally messed up mind.</p> <p>The trick is figuring out which you are seeing. Sometimes obvious. Sometimes not.</p> <p>=================</p> <p>Somewhat OT.</p> <p>My company has just recently conducted a sort of unintentional experiment in the writing of marketing materials and tech manuals.</p> <p>Most writing for those purposes is rather dumbed down. Simple vocabulary. Simple ideas. Simple phrasing. Few if any literary references or constructions.</p> <p>Not to say that that is <i>always</i> a bad thing. Indeed, sometimes it's the best approach.</p> <p>Anyway we've just issued a series of publications (all very private and technical, nothing you've seen) written to a very different set of standards.</p> <p>They are conversational but quite formal, very precise in their wording and fairly literary and a bit complex by current standards.</p> <p>The shocker is that people, ordinary techies and business people, seem to like them <i>better</i>.</p> <p>Go figure.</p> The degradation of language, specifically English, was noticed and extensively commented on by Orwell.

It’s on display all around us.

I will admit that sometimes, just sometimes, clear thinking people fumble over words and get their grammar or pronunciation screwed around.

But normally, messed up speech and/or writing is a symptom of messed up thinking, or even a generally messed up mind.

The trick is figuring out which you are seeing. Sometimes obvious. Sometimes not.

=================

Somewhat OT.

My company has just recently conducted a sort of unintentional experiment in the writing of marketing materials and tech manuals.

Most writing for those purposes is rather dumbed down. Simple vocabulary. Simple ideas. Simple phrasing. Few if any literary references or constructions.

Not to say that that is always a bad thing. Indeed, sometimes it’s the best approach.

Anyway we’ve just issued a series of publications (all very private and technical, nothing you’ve seen) written to a very different set of standards.

They are conversational but quite formal, very precise in their wording and fairly literary and a bit complex by current standards.

The shocker is that people, ordinary techies and business people, seem to like them better.

Go figure.

]]> By: Axe50 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98689 Axe50 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 07:34:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98689 <p>Not sure I can get to where this group is. At what point do we take a stand with any of these politicians? Not a great cast of players to be sure however, I can only say this; I have worked for a company that Bain Capital turned around. I saw what kind of a leader Mr. Romney was. I saw first hand the thousands of jobs saved because of his leadership! I did not in reality see ALL of the thousands, but because of the effect it had on me,I SAW happy families all around this country grateful that their jobs did not go over seas. Good paying high end jobs! Stop all the wordsmithing and look at the end game. Who else in the either party can step up and show bottom line results?</p> Not sure I can get to where this group is. At what point do we take a stand with any of these politicians? Not a great cast of players to be sure however, I can only say this; I have worked for a company that Bain Capital turned around. I saw what kind of a leader Mr. Romney was. I saw first hand the thousands of jobs saved because of his leadership! I did not in reality see ALL of the thousands, but because of the effect it had on me,I SAW happy families all around this country grateful that their jobs did not go over seas. Good paying high end jobs! Stop all the wordsmithing and look at the end game. Who else in the either party can step up and show bottom line results?

]]> By: Ruth Anne http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98688 Ruth Anne Sun, 23 Dec 2007 03:41:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98688 <p>Dave J: <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/Learn-About-Mitt/Mittxs_Biography" rel="nofollow">According to Romney's own bio,</a> his undergraduate degree is from BYU and his joint degree from Harvard is a JD/MBA. He <i>is</i> a lawyer. </p> Dave J: According to Romney’s own bio, his undergraduate degree is from BYU and his joint degree from Harvard is a JD/MBA. He is a lawyer.

]]> By: Ripper http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98687 Ripper Sun, 23 Dec 2007 02:41:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98687 <p>There is something so patently insincere about Mitt Romney that gives me the creeps.</p> There is something so patently insincere about Mitt Romney that gives me the creeps.

]]> By: davenp35 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98686 davenp35 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:25:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98686 <p>Multiple witnesses say they saw George Romney march with MLK. Waiting for the apologies from the MSM and blogs...still waiting...</p> <p>[Uh, two people say they saw him, mulitple others say a march didn't even happen.--ed.]</p> Multiple witnesses say they saw George Romney march with MLK. Waiting for the apologies from the MSM and blogs…still waiting…

[Uh, two people say they saw him, mulitple others say a march didn't even happen.--ed.]

]]> By: Dave J http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98685 Dave J Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:10:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98685 <p>"Romney wouldn't be a lawyer by chance would he?"</p> <p>Actually, no. He is, of course, double-barreled Hahvahd, but it's BA/MBA.</p> “Romney wouldn’t be a lawyer by chance would he?”

Actually, no. He is, of course, double-barreled Hahvahd, but it’s BA/MBA.

]]> By: Jack Bauer http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98684 Jack Bauer Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:58:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98684 <p>But in a way -- didn't we all march with Dr. King. And weren't we all sitting alongside Rosa Parks on that bus. I know I was, right next to Bill Clinton.</p> <p>Can't we all just get along?</p> But in a way — didn’t we all march with Dr. King. And weren’t we all sitting alongside Rosa Parks on that bus. I know I was, right next to Bill Clinton.

Can’t we all just get along?

]]> By: Rich B http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98683 Rich B Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:21:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98683 <p>Romney wouldn't be a lawyer by chance would he? The statement he made reminded me of the one Bill Cliton made several years ago about African-American churches being burned in Arkansas. It turned out to be a big fat lie too. Politicians. You gotta love em. Hee hee hee...</p> Romney wouldn’t be a lawyer by chance would he? The statement he made reminded me of the one Bill Cliton made several years ago about African-American churches being burned in Arkansas. It turned out to be a big fat lie too. Politicians. You gotta love em. Hee hee hee…

]]> By: HawaiiBob http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98682 HawaiiBob Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:32:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98682 <p>I just read an article linked from Instapundit of at least two witnesses who not only saw Governor Romney march, but joined in with him. I hope if their recollections are factual, we'll see some apologies, but I won't be holding my breath though. Only bloggers and others on the right offer an apology when proven wrong.</p> <p>[There are some reports George Romney did join a civil right march in Detroit, but not with MLK. That's the issue.--ed.]</p> I just read an article linked from Instapundit of at least two witnesses who not only saw Governor Romney march, but joined in with him. I hope if their recollections are factual, we’ll see some apologies, but I won’t be holding my breath though. Only bloggers and others on the right offer an apology when proven wrong.

[There are some reports George Romney did join a civil right march in Detroit, but not with MLK. That's the issue.--ed.]

]]> By: Dave J http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends_on_what_the_meaning_of.html#comment-98681 Dave J Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:29:00 +0000 http://tammybruce.com/2007/12/depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-saw-is/#comment-98681 <p>Romney is a slippery manipulator with a Clintonian disregard for the truth. As a Massachusetts Republican in exile, it boggles my mind how so many people could have been taken in by his act. Much like Bill Clinton, he has no real principles beyond his own personal advancement.</p> Romney is a slippery manipulator with a Clintonian disregard for the truth. As a Massachusetts Republican in exile, it boggles my mind how so many people could have been taken in by his act. Much like Bill Clinton, he has no real principles beyond his own personal advancement.

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