Some people are upset about how the English language has been bastardized due to overuse of abreviation and text messaging. But this "bastardization" is nothing new. It seems to me that since language is a human invention and thus changing along with humans that the old trope of the generation gap is the largest reason for such hostility. This all is pretty obvious. I can imagine someone who fancies themself some sort of autodidactical linguist likening misuse of words to grafitti on a masterwork. That's a bad analogy but you get the idea. I would imagine that real linguists would find any kind of transformation of language interesting. Besides, most of the people complaining about it are probably saying "like" every other word, or squeeking out a gee whiz after they're astonied, that's Olde English, for suprized. I find it very interesting to listen to someone, provided they're not a blathering fool, misread my work. Many artists are very protective of their art and insistant upon what it is about. I have witnessed on more than one occasion someone cry or get very defensive/argumentative about what they are "saying" by making the things they make. This is very selfish, naive, and closed minded to me. How can you say you own something just because you made or bought it? Does a parent own their children? That's slavery man! I suppose you have to care enough about the psychology of the person looking to try and see it through their eyes. Does that make me a humanitarian? These are just thoughts prefacing a project that has been soley an idea so far. I plan on using multiple translations to create a sort of entropic poetry based on wartime speaches or recorded conversations. I will translate the original text into the adversary language and back again etc. Google's translation tools can be useful in this way as some are still in beta and translate into strange phrasings. Let's try one:
A line from Churchill's famous speech: "Their Finest Hour" - June 18, 1940
Of this I am quite sure, that if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
trans. to German:
Von diesem, das ich, das, wenn wir einen Streit zwischen der Vergangenheit und dem Geschenk öffnen, wir ganz sicher bin, findet, daß wir die Zukunft verloren haben.
from German to French:
De celui-ci je qui, si nous ouvrons une polémique entre le passé et le cadeau, nous sommes tout à fait sûrs, trouve que que nous avons perdu l'avenir.
from French back to English:
Of this one I which, if we open a polemic between the past and the gift, we are completely sure, finds that that we lost the future.
This practice would be rooted in historical interactions between countries rather than a willy nilly free for all. Ohh time, are you on my side?
And here's a link to being able to understand all these bastardizing bastards:http://ssshotaru.homestead.com/files/aolertranslator.html
how are you? You look nice this morning. Is that your lint roller?
and the translation
HOW R U??!!? WTF LOL U LOK NIEC THES MORNNG!!!!!! OMG LOL SI TAHT UR LINT ROL3R???!!!? WTF
WTF indeed!
3 comments:
show me your balloon
look you its rubber
I think that i get upset about the bastadization of the english language only when i can't understand it. For instance this <: what does it mean? I'm assuming its a smiley face. Can you tell me? Which makes me think of the whole communication as art thing. What if i don't get it? I wouldnt say that it makes it any less art worthy But as a form of communication? Some things i don't understand therefore the message is lost on me.
I don't know what that symbol is, but it is an indication of a human system. Also, the attempt can produce misinterpretation which often provides interesting results. Whether one understands the message or not does not negate the fact that there is one.
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