Re: Reactions to the secret vice (was: Steg's wonderful sig.)

Patrick Dunn wrote:

> > I'm in the publish or perish industry.  But it has some fairly strict
> > requirements and tolerances.  What's your flavor of academia?
>
> Modern and post-modern English and American literature, particularly
> poetry.  I've taken a good loooooong look at OE, and decided that --
> although I like it -- I cannot get much joy out of arguing whether hwile
> daeges means "in a space of a day" or "for part of a day" or "for an
> entire day."
Heh heh heh... there is that dimension to it!  I prefer arguing over
Old English phrases that yield richer fruit... like whether or not
"swifeth" in _swifeth me geond sweartne_ could possibly have meant
"fuck" to some Old English monk.  Riddle 12, Codex Exoniensis.  :D

> I too prefer to be published; that's one of the reasons I've already
> decided to publish my long poem Manifesto myself.  Sometimes, that's the
> only way to do it.
I'm afraid so.

> > Who the parro~ka are you, hon, ;-) ;-)
> Mmm, good word, parro~ka -- please tell me the "rr" is a uvular trill!  I
> love uvular trills.
If I could only do them!

> I was just teasing about the Latin; I am fond of it, of course, but I'm
> fully aware that many people just aren't.  And, I'm convinced, Church
> Latin is damned ugly -- classical Latin, on the other hand, is pretty.
Yeah, I know, I was pulling a werewolf on you.  To master Latin takes an
adult lifetime, and I've given most of that to other dead languages,
alas.
So I find it hard and hateful when it's not working and beautiful when
it
is.  I say, you're a singular one!  Latin, and conlanging, and
postmodern
literature????  If only all our own modernists had such an interest in
languages.

> > Actually, academics within academia are like any group that has to pay
> > attention to respected conventions.  Derelictions are punished.
> > Achievements
> > within the scope of the academic community are rewarded.  It depends on
> > how
> > much you want to (or can) stretch the envelope.  Hard row to hoe.  We'll
> > see
> > what they say in Texas.
>
> Does this mean I shouldn't shave my head and get a tattoo (my plans over
> winter break)?  Ah, well. . .
You can shave your head and adorn your body how ever much you like...
just
make sure that you publish in all the right journals, and never admit to
getting on lists with other model-railroad/doll-house/language
enthusiasts
unless you theorize it in some way.


> I think -- and I don't presume to argue with your awareness of your
> environment; I can only speak for my own -- that academia is the most
> permissive environment in which to engage in eccentricity.  It beats, at
> least, the factory.
Very true, as I said above: theorize your enthusiasm!

> Combined with my other eccentricities, my creation of artificial languages
> is practically a background issue.  And, although I was rejected to sit on
> the Freshman English Board (you know something is up when the head of the
> department doodles during your interview), they still let me mold young
> minds.
Well, I'd choose you for our Freshman English Board.  Especially if you
get all those tattoos.
============================================================
SALLY CAVES
scaves@frontiernet.net
http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves (bragpage)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves/teonaht.html (T. homepage)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves/contents.html (all else)
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Niffodyr tweluenrem lis teuim an.
"The gods have retractible claws."
                                from _The Gospel of Bastet_
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