Re: CHAT: Ebonic Xmass

Christophe Grandsire wrote:

> The biggest problem I
> generally have is when people complain that something "is not pronounced as
> it is written" as if a language was first a written thing that was to be
> pronounced, whereas it's in fact the contrary. And when I try to explain
> that it's the word that is not written as it is pronounced, and not the
> contrary, and that the written part is only a representation of the spoken
> language and thus can be imperfect, they look at me as if I had insulted
> them...
Well, hey, your compatriots have been brainwashed into believing that
if they write so much as a grocery list without observing every convention
of formal standard written French as laid down in the 17th century, they
are Bad Dog, No Doggy Biscuit!  Breaking free from that attitude must be
a lifelong effort....

--

Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis vom dies! || John Cowan <jcowan@...>
Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau,  || http://www.reutershealth.com
Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau,           || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.            -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)