The Overlook Hotel

Someone told me off the other day for not using an é when quoting a French word, and explained to me in simple terms the difference between e and é in French.

I responded to him in French.

FTR Les Misérables carries an acute accent because it sounds more like the vowel in English they than either vowel in English miser. — tchrist 23 hours ago

@tchrist Oh, je sais, mais j'etais trop paresseux pour l'ajouter :-) — Rand al'Thor 23 hours ago

humn

Language meets lingue.

I'd like to ice dance with you, so to speak, Rand al'xel.

I do like to ice dance with you, so to type, Rand al'xel.

Rand al'Thor

12:44 PM

Where skating is wordplay?

Is that not what we do all the time?

humn

It can beautiful. Or a coxxyscal trip to the emergency room. Take your choice.

I'd choose beautiful.

And you did. I recognize that. Just couldn't resist trying to show off.

Rand al'Thor

humn

Yeah, some medical terms haven't made it to the lexicon. One of these days.

Until then, another repeat:

One Of These Days

►

Why do so many of my favorite pieces of music have dark tones?

(Also, until a dictionary comes around to mark spellings into stone, it's all hands/fingers onboard.)

Think I mentioned how I edit others' writing as if lives were in the balance.

Others' professional careers, that is, and, when medical, others' actual lives.

What a romp to write when not so.

Pehaps that's the essence of S/F (Suomi/Finnish) literature as well, come to think of it. From deep concerns can spring some light bounds.

Looks so simplistic in English. Perhaps a lot of literature qualifies as such.

Rand al'Thor

1:09 PM

What I saw of the Kalevala looks very poetic and beautifully written.

Someone has done a good job of translating it, although I'm sure one can only fully appreciate it by reading it in the original language.

Or, even better, hearing it recited by a trained bard.

humn

You are brave al'thor.

My native tongue only sounds good from one who loves you.

When read dramatically, oooooooooooooooo.

(Not in the good sense of "oooooooooooooooooo.")

Doesn't matter a whole lot in any case. It's time to write new sagas.

Almost every time I step on another thorn I meet another new person with another new story.

Makes me feel like Sharizad (spelling optional)

... okay. Manhattan, New York, was an exciting place once. (Haven't visited lately but hear its not so exciting nowadays.)

I knew I could outrun any trouble so I went looking for it.

One person asked me for a match and rolling papers.

Rand al'Thor

1:30 PM

@humn I wondered if you meant Scheherezade!

Thought it would be impolite to ask.

humn

Spelling optional.

Rand al'Thor

Since you tend to take care over your spelling.

humn

That one had too many options.

Rand al'Thor

You think that's bad?

Try Tchaikovsky.

In fact, try Chebyshev.

humn

Right!

Rand al'Thor

1:31 PM

Left!

humn

I can barely spell polynomial.

Rand al'Thor

Polynomial (n): a hungry parrot.

"polly no meal"

Politics (n): a clockwork parrot.

humn

Now I want a slice.

Rand al'Thor

It even has a left wing and a right wing.

I tried to persuade Politics.SE to rename their main chatroom "The Clockwork Parrot".

Alas, my pun was underappreciated.

Punderappreciated, one might say.

humn

Far as I can tell, every attempt is appreciated and ignored.

Perhaps that's just me.

Appreciated and ignored.

Could be worse....

Could be deprecated and abhorred.

Really, though, my every entreaty to SE overlords has been welcomed.

And cast away.

They must have day jobs that don't allow.

Makes it fun to try nonetheless.

... just remembered, you're an overlord too, @Rand al'over, but you make it look easy.

Rand al'Thor

1:41 PM

"SE overlords" meaning mods or CMs?

Oh, that clarifies it.

Well, some of us are more understanding than others ;-)

humn

Work on some others!.... actually, I have a warm feeling that almost everyone is trying their best.

Actually I haven't met one who isn't trying their best.

Here or on the streets.

Rand al'Thor

Most probably.

But some make mistakes in misguided attempts.

And some are jaded and have less patience.

humn

Only way to learn. . . . Oh patience . . . I got tired of fistfighing before learning patience.

. .. that's not a made up story . . . I really did tire from being quicker than the draw . . . now I enjoy seeing everyone else who hasn't jaded yet.

(Truly yucko. No one needs to see that. Just that every now and then I can't believe that I've been left standing.)

If you are like most whom I've known, you won't be left standing either. Share it while it lasts!

Rand al'Thor

2:02 PM

Left standing?

confused

humn

Left standing? Righstanding? That dress? Distress? What's the difference. If I can't emote a sentence here, then where?

Rand al'Thor

> That dress? Distress?

Nice.

+1 to you, sir.

humn

Always worth a try, @Rand al'Thor, and you really make it worth the effort.

Rand al'Thor

I'm an avid consumer and appreciator as well as composer and aggregator of wordplay.

humn

What is the combination of gourmet and gourmand when it comes to words?

Verband?

Verbalet?

Rand al'Thor

2:17 PM

Riddler.

humn

(my browser is just sweating bullets to look up the full meaning of that)

Rand al'Thor

What need to look up?

A riddler is one who riddles.

Like it says on my profile: "writer and solver of riddles".

humn

That simple?

Rand al'Thor

The concept is simple, the implementation not.

humn

(Browser found a pretty cool provenance beyond that)

Rand al'Thor

2:22 PM

Riddling can be a very involved skill.

humn

I've onlly officially solved two riddles. Neither by the intended method.

That's why the score is -2.... probably should move that to Sphinx's Lair

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