I would really like watching those bonus materials/features on the DVDs we buy if it weren't for the ubiquitous flattery with which they are encased. Every actor, every director is a genius, brilliant, the best they ever worked with--please!
The blurbs for works produced by Christians are sadly not much better. I'm currently reading a book that sounded exciting, especially as it involved pirates (Christian pirates? Do you know, my husband actually saw a booth at one book show called Christian Pirates? Jumping on the bandwagon until it's in splinters is one thing; touting godly stealing is entirely another. Christian keelhauling...). It didn't take but a page or two to sigh over another poorly wordsmithed project but I'm gamely plowing on with an eye on its possibly salvageable story line, though currently it's beginning to sound like National Treasure on steroids.
And how many times have I read a book or movie blurb which included the word "hilarious" and which have subsequently given me perhaps one half-smile throughout, and more likely made me cringe? Like the cheapening of the word "awesome", every superlative has been devalued. Words, which can be so powerful, are no longer used for their meanings but instead for their impact on you.
Maybe I'm among the last to bemoan its pervasiveness; maybe to most others even a gum wrapper is suspect by now. But that's not the real problem those writing them face. The real problem is, when these people come face to face with something truly brilliant, truly genius, what are they going to call it?
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Best Superlative Ever!!!
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11 comments:
I'd have to agree. People tend to go overboard, leaving nothing in reserve. That being said, this is the best blog post ever on the subject! :)
I wonder myself sometimes how the English language is going to sound in a few decades. My daughter, for instance, often puts chat-room acronyms in her hand-written papers for school. What? With that, and all the other horrible grammar out there ("give it to I" - you wouldn't say that, so why say, "give it to her or i"?), we're setting a poor stage for the future of the English language.
Oh, sorry, slightly off-topic there. I have often found that, as far as movie critics and "oscar award winning movies" that often they don't captivate (amuse, enlighten, entertain, whatever they're supposed to do) me the way that some lower rated movies do. Some of my all-time favorites are things I chanced across on a movie shelf (such as Noises Off), or that never got a rave review (such as Raising Arizona, although I notice that one got pretty good fan reviews on IMDB). The "highly rated" films often make no sense, or aren't nearly as funny as they are supposed to be.
Anyway, words are often our weapons of choice in modern society - wield yours carefully, eloquently, and (as the original blogger mentioned) keep a reserve for those times when the truly superlative really does need exposition.
I hope a lot of people read your blog post... and perhaps that someone will act upon and benefit from its wisdom.
Clever. :)
Actually, I usually enjoy critics' reviews (as I mention in an earlier post) and often find them quite apt, although I can disagree with their total assessment quite regularly. (I rarely bother to read users' reviews, who, if they like the actors in the film, it's terrific and don't you dare say a word against it, and vice versa.)
Re: today's grammar -- ARRGH!! My first post on here is about that. Punctuation, actually.
And to your last paragraph, goodness. Thank you.
p.s. After writing the comment I followed your link to "Noises Off" and it sounds like something I can't wait to see. I only hope I can find it somewhere out here.
Hey, you just stole my hobby horse and rode it into the sunset.
Richard Burton used to rant about the abuse of the English language, and he did it SOOOO eloquently. He maintained that the only curses that should be allowed were the Shakespearean ones, as they were so delightful.
I adore those Shakespearean curses.
I do hope you'll pardon me for stealing -- no, borrowing, of course -- your hobby horse.
I'll probably link to your post in my own blog, so another reader (I think I have a reader) can perhaps wander over here and be enlightened by your words on this subject (English, etc.).
As for Noises Off, I hope you can find it - it really is hilarious (I think, anyway). If you've younger children, I'd suggest you preview it first before allowing them to watch, but that's probably a good idea with most modern movies.
Oh, and I just noticed your comments on "The Princess Bride" in your profile - again, an excellent movie. We have it on VHS, but I received the 20th anniversary collector's edition DVD as a Christmas present - cool case, and a reversible book of the story inside. Need to pop that in my DVD player and watch it again (assuming it'll play it... it's been really finicky recently, skipping on just-opened movies, and I may have to play it on my PS2 or computer instead).
Thank you again.
You do have this sporadic reader; I should add you to my links so I read it more regularly. I'm afraid I don't read any blogs with real regularity, not even my husband's ('cause he never posts anything!). That's how I found yours, btw; you commented on his and made his day, for which you have my eternal gratitude. :) He tells me all this great stuff that should go on there but he never gets around to putting it up.
I actually added the "Princess Bride" ditty to my profile just this morning, 'cause I had just watched it a few days ago and had to remark on its delights. I have a post brewing that will mention it yet again...(warning: improper use of an ellipsis)
Woohoo! Two readers of my blog! :)
Which is your husband's blog? I see several on your links list, but am not quite sure which it is (Pith and Vinegar, perhaps? It's at the top, has few posts, and I've commented on it).
Nice deduction. You're correct. Btw, he's a long-time Redskins fan. And we used to be rabid geocachers.
Redskins - I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. (Which, honestly, may not be that far back, but still, as long as I can recall.) Hopefully they'll pull off an upset against the Cowboys on Sunday (I unfortunately have a cousin in Texas, so he and his family are all Cowboys fans).
So... "used to be" for geocaching? I must admit, I've not been rabid as a geocacher, but I enjoy the sport. It's a fun family thing we can do together (you know, memories like my wife's sprained ankle in a nearly-dried riverbed bank; ticks from caching in the woods; those sorts of things :). It's been a while since my last find, though, back in early December.
Ah, well...
I saw Redskins on your blog somewhere, hence the mention. Ditto for geocaching.
We used to live in West Texas, and contrary to the unofficial slogan of the area, "Which mesquite tree should we put it under this time, dear?", we found a lot of places to hide them. We were really into hiding more than finding by the time we moved out here; we planted some elaborate ones. Unfortunately a lot of them have had to be archived.
This is really off-topic (not that that bothers me). But maybe any possible continued discussion should re-route to a sort-of blog I sort of idly started.
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