Algernon_Asimov's recent activity
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Comment on There’dn’t’ve in ~humanities.languages
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Comment on There’dn’t’ve in ~humanities.languages
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentI've seen and heard 'tain't in use: "'Tain't my job to do that." I've even heard something like "'T's none of your business what I do in my free time." The Aussie dialect of English is great at...I've seen and heard 'tain't in use: "'Tain't my job to do that." I've even heard something like "'T's none of your business what I do in my free time."
The Aussie dialect of English is great at abbreviating, shortening, and eliding anything.
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Comment on There’dn’t’ve in ~humanities.languages
Algernon_Asimov Link Parent"t'" here is an abbreviation of "the", not "it" (t' versus 't). And the abbreviated "the" isn't joined with the noun following it. Therefore, it's not a clitic as described in the video.the stereotype of "going down t' pit" is quite common.
"t'" here is an abbreviation of "the", not "it" (t' versus 't). And the abbreviated "the" isn't joined with the noun following it. Therefore, it's not a clitic as described in the video.
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Comment on Bosses mean it this time: Return to the office or get a new job in ~life
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentThe Age is part of a stable of newspapers here in Australia, which also includes the Sydney Morning Herald. It's the only major newspaper chain in this country that isn't owned by NewsCorp. Until...If "theage.au" (whatever that is)
The Age is part of a stable of newspapers here in Australia, which also includes the Sydney Morning Herald. It's the only major newspaper chain in this country that isn't owned by NewsCorp.
Until its absorption into the Nine empire (Nine being Channel 9, a group of commercial television stations across the country) a few years ago, this newspaper group was highly respected. It's still respected, but seems to be changing direction somewhat under the new ownership.
These Nine newspapers have a content-sharing agreement with some international newspapers. If you read all the way at the bottom of this article, you'll notice a "The Washington Post" byline.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~news
Algernon_Asimov (edited )LinkI love how so many politicians and commentators are calling Hamas' attack "unprovoked". There might not have been a proximate trigger for this attack, but there have certainly been years, even...I love how so many politicians and commentators are calling Hamas' attack "unprovoked". There might not have been a proximate trigger for this attack, but there have certainly been years, even decades, of provocation. Look at what one journalist wrote in this very blog:
People in Gaza also have next to no freedom of movement, and healthcare, electricity, sanitation and other crucial infrastructure have all but collapsed since Israel imposed the blockade.
The people living in the Gaza strip are cornered and trapped. Like the proverbial cornered animal, they're finally biting back.
I'm not saying they're right to make a military attack on Israel, and kill people, and take others hostage. But let's not pretend that Israel is a totally innocent victim here. This is like someone repeatedly poking a bear, and then acting surprised & innocent when the bear suddenly turns vicious.
And, as if we needed further reminding of this culpability...
Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war,
(EDIT to clarify: The Yom Kippur War of 1973 was a response to the Israel-initiated Six-Day War of 1967; the Arab countries tried to get back some of the land that Israel invaded and occupied in 1967.)
Israel has a long history of being the culprit in that area, as well as a victim.
Again: I don't condone violence. And the many civilians who are being killed, injured, and dispossessed by this attack deserve sympathy. But I can't quite find it in me to condemn Hamas' motives in this situation.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentNo, I haven't watched them. And, after reading the Wikipedia pages about the Japanese animated movie and the Japanese animated series, I don't think I'll be watching them any time soon. But thanks...No, I haven't watched them. And, after reading the Wikipedia pages about the Japanese animated movie and the Japanese animated series, I don't think I'll be watching them any time soon. But thanks for the suggestion!
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Comment on Former US President Donald Trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with Australian billionaire businessman Anthony Pratt after leaving White House: Sources in ~society
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentI'm not saying Donald Trump shouldn't be held accountable. He might behave like a child, but he is a legally competent adult. I just don't think Trump considers his actions and their consequences...I'm not saying Donald Trump shouldn't be held accountable. He might behave like a child, but he is a legally competent adult.
I just don't think Trump considers his actions and their consequences in the way that the previous commenter implied.
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Comment on Former US President Donald Trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with Australian billionaire businessman Anthony Pratt after leaving White House: Sources in ~society
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentI don't think Trump puts that much thought into what he does. I don't think he considered the consequences of revealing security information after already being charged with potentially revealing...I don't think Trump puts that much thought into what he does. I don't think he considered the consequences of revealing security information after already being charged with potentially revealing security information.
I think he just can't keep his mouth shut, and doesn't care about anything apart from his own ego and reputation - such as when he gets to tell a fellow billionaire about the important things he knows.
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Former US President Donald Trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with Australian billionaire businessman Anthony Pratt after leaving White House: Sources
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Algernon_Asimov LinkMy main read is the novel The Death and Life of Superman by Roger Stern. I first bought and read this back in the 1990s, when it was first released. At the time, I had little idea about the comics...My main read is the novel The Death and Life of Superman by Roger Stern. I first bought and read this back in the 1990s, when it was first released. At the time, I had little idea about the comics that this story originated in. I was just caught by the title of the novel, being an inversion of "The life and death of X", and wanted to know more. I'm re-reading it now for the first time since then, after watching some YouTube videos about this big event in comics, when Superman died. The novel is quite good. And, after I've finished that, I'll watch the animated movies based on the same comics (The Death of Superman and The Reign of the Supermen).
And my light reading is yet another re-read of the Lensman series by E.E. "Doc" Smith... because I can.
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentWow. That's amazing! And scary. But amazing!Wow. That's amazing! And scary. But amazing!
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentHush, you! Stop giving away my secret!Hush, you! Stop giving away my secret!
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Comment on What are your scary, spooky, creepy and unexplained experiences? in ~talk
Algernon_Asimov LinkThis isn't scary or spooky - just unexplained. In my first month of high school, all the students in my year were going away for a 3-day orientation camp. To spread the load, half the students...This isn't scary or spooky - just unexplained.
In my first month of high school, all the students in my year were going away for a 3-day orientation camp. To spread the load, half the students went Monday to Wednesday, and half went Wednesday to Friday. I was in the Wed-Fri group.
On Wednesday morning (before I left for the camp), I woke up remembering a dream. In this dream, I was in a big crowd of students, gathered around some old wooden hall, out in the bush. I was near the back of the crowd. On a porch at the front of the hall, some teachers were speaking. There were lots of gum trees in the background (Australia). I saw a cyclone wire fence surrounding the area.
But then I woke up, and got ready for my first day of camp.
I'm sure the more astute readers already know where this is going, but I'll tell the rest of the story anyway.
I got to school. All we students got loaded onto buses, and we drove out to this campsite about an hour away.
Upon our arrival at the camp, we were told to assemble out the front of the main hall. I ended up near the back of the crowd of students. There was a cyclone wire fence surrounding the grounds of this camp site, and beyond that there were lots of gum trees.
Then some teachers got up on the porch in front of the hall, and start speaking.
Suddenly, I had a massive sense of déjà vu, and I remembered the dream I'd had that morning. The details were identical.
I had dreamed that scenario a few hours before arriving. (By the way: I'd never been to that place before.)
I have no idea how that happened.
I have had occasional similar bouts of déjà vu throughout my adult life, but they've become less frequent as the decades go by. Sometimes, when I'm experiencing that déjà vu, I can even remember the dream from days or weeks ago, wherein I dreamed the scenario I'm currently experiencing. This became a common enough feature of my life that, a few times, I've woken up from a dream and thought "I wonder when that will happen." A couple of times, I've realised what's happening while entering a scenario that shouldn't be familiar but is. However, as I said, this has become much less frequent over time. I can't remember the last time I had this type of déjà vu - certainly years ago, possibly more than a decade. But it used to happen a lot in my 20s, and then less often in my 30s.
This is one mystery I can't explain.
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentOh well. At least you've done it now! I am surprised at the number of people here who are seeing "bro" in your username. To me, it's always been "c _ fabbro", and that "fabbro" has been...Oh well. At least you've done it now!
I am surprised at the number of people here who are seeing "bro" in your username. To me, it's always been "c _ fabbro", and that "fabbro" has been indivisible.
If someone had ever mentioned it was an Italian surname, I might then have made the jump to the Latin word root "fabr-", as in "fabricate" and "fabric". When you tell us it's an Italian word meaning "smith", as in "blacksmith", the link to "fabricate" becomes obvious.
And I have just realised that your name is a cognate of the common English surname "Smith". You're an Italian "Smith"! How boooring... :P
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentThanks!Thanks!
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentLOL!I then promptly headcanoned the name, thinking of it as a Scandinavian sequel to Flowers for Algernon.
LOL!
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentPast tense in English is tricky. I don't know the formal terms, but there's past tense and then there's past past tense. Like... "Noone had used douchebag as a username until recently." "Noone had...Which is why I used past tense.
Past tense in English is tricky. I don't know the formal terms, but there's past tense and then there's past past tense.
Like...
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"Noone had used douchebag as a username until recently."
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"Noone had ever used douchebag as a username."
Without the qualifier, just a simple "no one had" can be interpreted multiple ways. And I obviously interpreted a different way than you intended. Sorry.
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov LinkI don't put too much thought into other people's usernames. If the origin or meaning is obvious to me, then that's cool. If it's not obvious to me, then I assume it's meaningful to the person who...I don't put too much thought into other people's usernames. If the origin or meaning is obvious to me, then that's cool. If it's not obvious to me, then I assume it's meaningful to the person who created the name and I move on with my day.
That said, there is one username here that frustrates me: mycketforvirrad. I want to know who "virrad" is, and why someone would give them "mycket"! I assume that's not how it works. I assume it's some Scandinavian reference that I will never figure out on my own. But that name looks like "mycket for virrad" to me.
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov Link ParentYou what? I assumed that everyone would look into the origins of their family name at least once during their life. (Although, maybe this is that once for you...)I've never actually looked into the etymology before,
You what? I assumed that everyone would look into the origins of their family name at least once during their life. (Although, maybe this is that once for you...)
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Comment on What do you think about other users' usernames? in ~tildes
Algernon_Asimov LinkObviously not enough to get his name right! :PI too love Flowers for Algernon and Isaac Asmiov.
Obviously not enough to get his name right! :P
Even if t' ("the") is a clitic, it's a different clitic to 't ("it"). So, when someone asks "can the 't appear in front of anything other than 'is' in these dialects", using "into t' pit" to prove that it does isn't the right approach.
Tom Scott did another video about words like "abso-fucking-lutely", and described these as infixes (as opposed to prefixes and suffixes).
I wonder if an endoclitic would be something like the "n" in "fish'n'chips" or "rock'n'roll". Or maybe endoclitics don't occur in English.