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You know what I mean, don’t you? A Ted Talk by Erin McKean, lexicographer.

Erin Mckean is a lexicographer. She publishes her writings on language at the Boston Globe and on Wordnik.

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The writer’s house – The Boston Globe

JOAN WICKERSHAM

The writer’s house

What are we looking for when we visit?

The writer’s house – The Boston Globe.

and

Joan Wickeresham’s webpage

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A duck or a whale? That is the question.

And here is the quotation:

“Market value is market value. Stop letting the financial industry call a duck a whale,” stated an e-mail message signed by Diane Walser.

For more, here’s the source.

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What’s missing from your dictionary? or The power of not knowing.

By Erin McKean May 1, 2011 – Published in the Boston Globe:

Consider the slight but significant difference between these two sentences: “The word failure isn’t in the dictionary” and “The word failure isn’t in his dictionary.” With the first, the blame falls on the hapless dictionary editor (who works, of course, on what lexicographer Rosamund Moon has called the UAD — “the Unidentified Authorizing Dictionary”).

Here’s a link to the whole article. Enjoy it.

Erin McKean is a lexicographer and founder of Wordnik.com. E-mail her at erin@wordnik.com.

I didn’t hear you.

I didn’t hear you

I hear you.

Just one short verb to express so much. Hear. Pronounced just like its homonym: here.

I hear you. I understand what you’re saying …

and I’m paying attention to WHAT you’re saying. It has not only reached my ears … it’s reached my … reason. I’m taking what you’re saying into consideration.

Famous people have said this at some point in their political careers when they’re forced to listen!

Others might be … a little hard of hearing and say this:

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/ex18022a1.mp3|titles=I didn’t hear you]

and when it comes to the latest news … or gossip:

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/ex18022e1.mp3|titles=Have you heard]

and when we finally meet … one of us just might say :

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/ex18022c1.mp3|titles=I’ve heard so much about you]

Newsletter: 27 April, 2011

Who values life more than the French? Who else has an expression ingrained in the language which says: “Il n’y a pas mort d’homme.”

Literally, this could be translated as ‘No one died from it.” but it is most usually applied to put a situation in perspective and show that whatever happened, though not the positive, desired result, isn’t catastrophic.

In a world where there seems to be an immature tendency towards sensationalism, where the minor masquerades as the major and in which we are shocked numb by the repetition of history, this little expression which says “OK, we’ll get over it – It could have been worse” puts everything in its right perspective.

“Yes, it could have been worse.”

“Could have been better… Could have been worse.”

In any case, it wasn’t so serious that someone lost what was most precious; his or her life; the life of a loved, cherished one.

We tried … We didn’t succeed … but … so what? You’re still here and kicking, aren’t you? And so am I!

“Ce n’est pas grave.” It’s just not so serious. No need to get upset over it. No need to fret, to worry, to pout, to complain, to cry, to weep. It’s not the end of the the world.

And certainly no cause for mourning.

In French, there’s another saying that says:

“Il faut appeler un chat un chat.”