English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Johan Larsson

5:00 PM

@Mitch you really think kids appreciate puns? I doubt it, maybe they are just polite?

KitFox

@Mitch He's a robot, silly.

Mitch

@JohanLarsson ha ha! kids polite?

@KitFox Oh apolgies. If I were a robot and someone called me an alien I would be hurt.

@JohanLarsson well, the polite kids would just smile.

KitFox

@Mitch Don't apologize to me. gives Mitch Mom look

user19161

Aliens are everywhere, we just can't see them.

user19161

@KitFox Mitch is older than you.

Cerberus

5:01 PM

Ohh the mom look.

OrigamiRobot

@JasperLoy You need Wizard Eyes.

Johan Larsson

@Mitch ok, maybe not

user19161

@OrigamiRobot I have them actually.

user19161

@Cerberus You should spell it as mum.

OrigamiRobot

@JasperLoy THEN WHAT ARE YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT JEEZ

user19161

5:02 PM

I am still thinking about the relation between gee, geez and geezis.

Mitch

@KitFox I don't respond to the 'mom look' I don't know what that is. I was a good kid so never got it. or my mom was cool. or oblivious. or something.

also, I just mis did the link.

user19161

Sometimes, oblivion is bliss.

Mitch

@JasperLoy chronologically maybe.

user19161

Greater awareness leads to greater suffering.

OrigamiRobot

@Mitch Nah, that only means you haven't built up any tolerances for it. You'd be more affected.

Mitch

5:04 PM

@JasperLoy suffering is the cause of all desire.

OrigamiRobot

@Mitch Pancakes are the cause of all desire.

user19161

@Mitch Well said. Others might think it is rubbish, but I know exactly how to interpret it so that it makes sense.

OrigamiRobot

At least for me.

Mitch

@JasperLoy time wounds all heals.

people in glass houses shouldn't grow moss.

user19161

@Mitch Also well said. You are very witty today!

Mitch

5:06 PM

The squeaky wheel is golden.

user19161

Let me give some of mine then.

OrigamiRobot

I like the color scheme in this room. All my messages are darker. It makes me feel important.

KitFox

You are important.

Mitch

just repeating things. as long as you don't know the source it looks like I did it.

user19161

They say: He who kneels before God can stand before men. I say: He who kneels before men can stand before God.

Mitch

5:07 PM

@OrigamiRobot You are important...for an alien robot.

user19161

This is original by the way.

Mitch

@JasperLoy Who the hell are these 'they' people. Kind of arrogant.

user19161

They say: Stones can break you but not words. I say: Words can break you but not stones.

OrigamiRobot

Aww, you guys are sweet, but you'll have to buy me dinner first. Pancakes count as dinner.

Mitch

@OrigamiRobot but thanks..reminds me of what's truly important. Lunch.

@JasperLoy Only if a book case falls on you.

user19161

5:09 PM

Also, Robusto says: Live and the world lives with you, die and you die alone. I say: Live and you live alone, die and the world dies with you.

Mitch

@OrigamiRobot stop it with the pancake talk. AFK BBL OFLMP

KitFox

They say "make love, not war." I say "love is for pansies, bring on the war."

OrigamiRobot

@Mitch I will never stop talking about pancakes.

KitFox

@Mitch OFLMP = On floor love-making pancake?

Mitch

(Off For Lunch Maybe Pancakes)

KitFox

5:11 PM

Oh.

Mitch

@KitFox that too.

I can't parse it but it sounds good.

except the floor part...that doesn't sound comfortable.

OrigamiRobot

OrigamiRobot Feels Like Making Pancakes

Obviously.

user19161

Ouvert et haut !

KitFox

5:40 PM

shh

Matt Эллен

6:29 PM

Hello!

Robusto

7:11 PM

0

Q: Was there textspeak before texting?

2b |! 2b, < = ? With such a rich history of inventive writing and puns, it seemed bizarre to me that the idea of writing in txtspk would be a new one. I found a brief degree of truncation in telegram style, dating back 120 years, but I can't find any further history of people using the ph...

Get ready for the multicollider.

Or else nip it in the bud.

Cerberus

9:07 PM

Hello.

Matt Эллен

.olleH

Cerberus

!iH

I'm waiting for the guy whose dinner jacket I'm supposed to borrow, and it's driving me mad.

I really need it tomorrow, and I don't have his phone number.

Matt Эллен

you off to somewhere expensive?

Cerberus

Just a wedding.

Which is basically free!

Except that you need to buy a present.

Do you have a dinner jacket I could borrow?

Matt Эллен

yay! so you've got until tomorrow for the guy to get the jacket to you?

Cerberus

9:10 PM

Yeah.

But it might not fit me.

@Cerberus yes

Yay!

hmm

But you're probably thinner than I am.

Matt Эллен

it's a suit jacket, but you could wear it to a dinner

Cerberus

9:11 PM

Hmm no, I mean a tuxedo.

Matt Эллен

oh

then, no, sorry :(

Cerberus

's OK.

I have my cousins as back-ups.

But they live in Leiden.

Matt Эллен

not somewhere you could detour to on the way to the wedding?

Cerberus

Whereas Andrew lives 5 minutes from here by underground.

Hmm let's see...I could take the train to the airport, fly to London, take the train to Oxford, go back, then cycle from the train station to the wedding.

Only a very slight detour.

Matt Эллен

:D

Cerberus

9:13 PM

Increases travel time only from 7 minutes to 7 hours or so.

Matt Эллен

sounds doable

Cerberus

Yeah, it would only take all night.

Matt Эллен

what else were you doing?

Cerberus

What? When?

Matt Эллен

tonight

Cerberus

9:14 PM

Oh, various errands.

Matt Эллен

well, they can wait, I'm sure.

You?

:D

Haha.

Oh, I am trying to get the raspberry pi OS onto an SD card

Cerberus

9:15 PM

I'm afraid my bank account doesn't like last-minute plane tickets.

Oh!

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus silly bank account

Cerberus

For emulation purposes?

Why don't you tell my bank account to shut up?

Matt Эллен

for running my raspberry pi!

Cerberus

I'm sure it will comply if you throw some money at it.

Oh! The fruit doesn't come with its own OS?

Matt Эллен

Shut up, @Cerb'sBankAccount

Cerberus

9:16 PM

account waits for money to arrive

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus I could have bought a flash card with it on, but this way it's more difficult.

Cerberus

Hey, 50 cents is not quite enough!

@MattЭллен Oh fun!

Matt Эллен

stares hard @CerbsBankAcccount

Cerberus

bank account stolidly continues emptying itself

Matt Эллен

it must be enchanted with magic stronger thanmy own

Cerberus

9:17 PM

The safe must have powerful wards.

curses! (literally)

wards hold

bah

I know.

I cast Mana Cleanse on a couple of dryads the other day.

That worked.

But bank account also ate my mana.

And you dislike RPGs.

Matt Эллен

really? what game were you playing? Or was it one of your errands?

I like RPGs

Cerberus

9:19 PM

Huh I thought you said you didn't?

Matt Эллен

just not as much as other people

Cerberus

Ahhh.

Matt Эллен

I don't like Neverwinter Nights

Cerberus

Yes, that was it. Dragon Age resembles NN to much.

Matt Эллен

I'm enjoying Skyrim well enough

I keep dying, though

Cerberus

9:20 PM

Hmm yes, see, I didn't like Oblivion quite enough.

Sure, we all die.

Matt Эллен

I might start over

Cerberus

Aww.

presses F5 on Facebook again

Matt Эллен

well, I didn't understand what I was doing and I feel like it would be more fun if I didn't mess about so much

I picked a lock and entered a house where people I was friends with lived, but I still got arrested

I didn't understand

then I fought the guards. It didn't feel in character

Cerberus

Oh no.

The guards are far too powerful!

Restarting the game is a valid option, then.

Phew!

Matt Эллен

well, I ran away, and I'm still on a quest, but I probably can't go back to redwood

Cerberus

9:24 PM

Dinner-jacket guy just messaged me.

Matt Эллен

that's annoying

@Cerberus phew!

Cerberus

At last!

Matt Эллен

e t a?

Cerberus

He got home only now, and says to come try it on tomorrow morning.

(He was supposed to get home around 8.)

Matt Эллен

ah

I'm gonna have to wait until tomorrow to test this SD card. I need an hdmi monitor cable

I'll pick up a power supply for it too

although I can make do and mend for the moment

Cerberus

9:28 PM

Matt Эллен

O_O

that's a lot of contacts

cornbread ninja

braggart

Cerberus

@MattЭллен So you need a tiny power supply for the 'Berry?

Matt Эллен

Hello @cornbreadninja

cornbread ninja

:D

Matt Эллен

9:28 PM

@Cerberus yeah, dc output of 5v and 700mA

cornbread ninja

@Cerberus I want to be your contact

@MattЭллен hiya!

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Probably some doubles and people I don't remember, from 10 years ago. Like people I bought socks from through an on-line ad.

Matt Эллен

I have a bunch of power supplies that don't fit the bill. my hoarding has been a waste of time D:

Cerberus

@cornbreadninja Yay!

Jerson Zuleta

Hello

Cerberus

9:29 PM

@MattЭллен Ah, like a phone.

cornbread ninja

@JersonZuleta hello and welcome

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus yeah, I'll probably just buy a phone charger

Hi @Jerson

Jerson Zuleta

@cornbreadninja Thank you. I have a question, anyone willing to help?

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Yeah...I think some are 1000 mA. Perhaps others 500 mA.

Matt Эллен

depends on the question

cornbread ninja

9:30 PM

@JersonZuleta most of us, usually ;)

Cerberus

Hi Jerson!

BRB need to make a phone call.

Jerson Zuleta

It's just a construction I'm not familiar with and I'd like to know what does it mean.

Mitch

@Cerberus I went to get a new phone a couple of years ago, and they offered to transfer all the info for me. The guy said while doing the transfer "Wow, you don't have many contacts, do you?"

Thanks for pointing that out to effing _everybody _ in the store!

cornbread ninja

@JersonZuleta let us have it

Matt Эллен

they're nice like that, eh?

Mitch

9:32 PM

(who I stil don't know!)

cornbread ninja

@Mitch screw that guy

Mitch

I know!!

Jerson Zuleta

@cornbreadninja "It should be written on sheepskin paper or virgin parchment, the which paper should be tinted green" I don't understand what does "the which" mean, or I should say, I'm not sure, I think it just means that the paper should be tinted green and I understand is an old statement, but as I said I'm not sure.

Mitch

What he doesn't know is that I really don't talk to the people on my contacts list either. Ha! Fooled him!

Matt Эллен

sucker!

Mitch

9:34 PM

(in addition to not talking to all the people -not- on my contacts list)

Matt Эллен

but you talked to him, and he's not on your contact list

head-asplode

Mitch

It was pretty funny. We all laughed.

@MattЭллен Yeah...damned if I'm adding that jerk to my contacts.

@MattЭллен That really sounds out as 'head-ass plode'.

which makes my head assplode.

Matt Эллен

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aemethms.gif

this is the context for @Jerson's words

Jerson Zuleta

It is, thank you for pointing that out.

cornbread ninja

@JersonZuleta I got nothin'.

Mitch

9:38 PM

I got something.

Oh...you mean about that picture.

Cerberus

@Mitch Wow. Just wow. That is so silly. What if I only speak to 10 of my contacts on a regular basis?

Mitch

nah, I got nothin too

Matt Эллен

lots more instances

Mitch

@Cerberus Well, you're not doing very well. It's quantity. Quality comes through quantity.

Obviously.

Jerson Zuleta

It's actually from a book, so that's why I thought it was well-written even though books can have typos as well.

Matt Эллен

9:40 PM

yeah, it seems to be deliberate

Mitch

@JersonZuleta it looks made up.

@JersonZuleta WHat about it are you asking? the words around the outside? the script?

Matt Эллен

You could ask about it on the main site. The which is an odd construction

maybe someone will know

Jerson Zuleta

Just what does "the which" mean.

Matt Эллен

it essentially means which

Cerberus

@JersonZuleta books.google.com/…

It is a (very) old fashioned variant on which.

Jerson Zuleta

9:43 PM

@Cerberus Thank you so much!

Matt Эллен

Mitch

@JersonZuleta or 'that which'

Cerberus

(In French, the article is very often used with relative pronouns btw.)

Mitch

'the which' doesn't make any sense in Modern Standard English.

Jerson Zuleta

@Mitch "that which paper"?

Cerberus

9:44 PM

@JersonZuleta De nada!

Mitch

@JersonZuleta or just 'which'

Jerson Zuleta

Sounds better to my ears.

Mitch

looking at the original transcription (I couldn't find an image of the original text because it could also be an abbreviation)

Cerberus

@Mitch Not really "that which"...

Iucounu

Yes, I've never seen "that which" used in that way. Not to say it's impossible, just never seen it.

Jerson Zuleta

9:46 PM

Once again, thank you all people.

Cerberus

@Iucounu It is archaic...

@JersonZuleta It was a pleasure! Good luck with your research...

Matt Эллен

@JersonZuleta no probs :)

Cerberus

In archaic Dutch, you can use this construction too, dewelke.

Iucounu

I've seen "the which", just not "that which", Cerberus. I would be interested to see such a use of "that which". Not a nonbeliever, just would read a sample with interest.

Mitch

@Cerberus What? Really? "That which" is not rare in Mod Std English in formal circumstances.

Cerberus

9:47 PM

De is the article, welke the (very old-fashioned) relative pronoun.

@Mitch But you can't replace the which by that which.

@Iucounu Ah OK.

I have never seen that which used in that way either.

@Iucounu Oops sorry, I see now that I misread your line.

Matt Эллен

@Mitch but hte way that which is used is different to the which

Iucounu

Oh, it's no problem.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Yeah exactly.

@Iucounu Thou art too kind!

Meanwhile, I am going to pick up the dinner jacket I am borrowing tomorrow morning, yay!

Matt Эллен

Yay!

Iucounu

I'm going to have to bone up on my archaic emoticons

Mitch

9:50 PM

google.com/…

Cerberus

It's a size 51, which is a bit too large for me.

But it will have to do.

I don't care.

@Iucounu Yay for scribal abbreviations!

Mitch

@Cerberus OK. but I could replace 'the which ' by anything because it doesn't parse at all; it's not archaic or formal, it's just a solecism.

Cerberus

@Mitch Uhh it's not a solecism, it's just archaic.

Iucounu

§:D

Cerberus

And you can replace it by which.

Mitch

9:51 PM

@Cerberus it's a solecism -now-.

Cerberus

@Iucounu Yay!

@Mitch That's not what "solecism" means!

stamps foot

rolls six eyes

Mitch

@Cerberus it is an error now.

Cerberus

Archaic ≠ error!

Mitch

It is unrecognizable now.

Matt Эллен

much as I disagree about that which I agree that the which is an error now

Cerberus

9:52 PM

I bet Shakepeare used it.

And haven't we all read some Shakespeare?

Mitch

it's not archaic, it's barely obsolete, it just doesn't exist at all in speech.

@Cerberus I bet not

Barely obsolete?

stamps foot harder

@Mitch Why not?

winces from stamping on a lego piece

Cerberus

9:54 PM

Why is it not archaic?

Matt Эллен

although the ngram does seem to suggest that it is still printed these days

Cerberus

I don't understand you!

Iucounu

I think that just means it can't be used in a euro sauna

any more.

Cerberus

@Iucounu Hmm what?

What is a euro sauna?

Iucounu

European, sorry.

Mitch

9:54 PM

@Cerberus The burden of proof is on the person who didn't call burden of proof. Ha! You get to look for it in Shakespeare then.

Cerberus

@Iucounu So a European sauna? What's typical for a European sauna?

@Mitch Fine, I shall do so.

Mitch

God damn it.

PROSPERO

Hear a little further
And then I'll bring thee to the present business
Which now's upon's; without __the which__ this story
Were most impertinent.

Matt Эллен

Mar 18 at 1:09, by Matt Эллен

I am not!

Mar 14 at 20:37, by Matt Эллен

@Robusto I am.

Mitch

That doesn't count. Nobody knows about a midsummer...whatever that title is...it doesn't makes sense. midsummer? that's not a thing.

Matt Эллен

Mar 14 at 14:06, by Matt Эллен

sometimes I am

Cerberus

9:57 PM

> 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. i. 78 There are other Troians that yu dream'st not of, the which (for sport sake) are content to doe the Profession some grace.

Jerson Zuleta

@Mitch There are more than just midsummer references. Not to be nosey.

Cerberus

@Mitch Exactly.

Mitch

Shakespeare doesn't know shit how to write.

Cerberus

See?

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus the which _verb_ is different to the which _noun_

Mitch

9:58 PM

OK you may be right in fact, but not in spirit. It shouldn't be right.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен One is adjectival and the other substantival, but the same applies to modern which.

Mitch

...and really Shakespeare is overrated.

Cerberus

@Mitch Fine. I can live with that.

Mitch

half those words are made up.

Cerberus

True.

Mitch

9:59 PM

@Cerberus don't get all uppity about it, you're probably wrong in fact too, I just have to figure out how to twist your words against you.

Cerberus

@Mitch I was trying to be downety.

Robusto

Mar 14 at 20:50, by Robusto

Cerberus

I know, it's not in my nature.

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus but you can have that which _verb_, but not that which _noun_

Mitch

@JasperLoy: Oh another one - reality is for people who can't handle drugs.

Cerberus

10:00 PM

@MattЭллен What do you mean? Both were used.

Mitch

@Cerberus You... you... word-maker-upper.

Cerberus

I am culpacious.

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus that, not the

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Oh right.

@MattЭллен But that which has nothing to do with the which.

Different meaning, different construction.

Mitch

@Cerberus I haven't read Shakespeare in forever, and when I did it didn't make sense then either.

Matt Эллен

10:02 PM

the which _verb_ means the same as that which _verb_

as I understand it

Cerberus

I haven't read him in forever neither either.

Mitch

like a foreign language

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Not exactly...

Robusto

@Cerberus You are inculpated.

Cerberus

The which = which. Deal with it!

Mitch

10:03 PM

I'm dealing with it...

Cerberus

@Robusto Hey that's not fair, no using actual words!

Mitch

by totally ignoring its presence.

@Cerberus Oh yeah. I'm using lots of no words right now. You don't want to not hear them.

Cerberus

I'm sure it doesn't care, the which word has more important matters to attend to.

Mitch

Actually, they should all be flagged.

Cerberus

Oh, dear.

Mitch

10:05 PM

Actually..they are.

actually.

Cerberus

By the way, this school shooting is awful.

Mitch

what?

stop it. no serious talk allowed.

Robusto

@Cerberus Tell me about it.

Cerberus

Guy shot his parents and a whole class of primary-school kids.

Robusto

Yeah, it's been on the news all day.

It's just beyond sad.

Cerberus

10:06 PM

Yeah it's on the news here too.

Mitch

remind self not to listen to news today

Cerberus

Let's hope guns will at last be outlawed.

Matt Эллен

lol

Mitch

@Cerberus as well meaning as that is, it surely won't stop it from happening.

Robusto

It takes a special kind of evil, sick fuck to harm children. The bastard who did this hurt a whole lot of people as bad as they can be hurt. Not only those who were shot, but the parents, the relatives, even the survivors. There's a whole school full of kids who have to live the rest of their lives dealing with this memory. And as a parent, I can't even begin to imagine the grief the mothers and fathers of those kids are feeling right now.

Cerberus

10:07 PM

@Mitch It should help.

@Robusto Absolutely.

Mitch

@Robusto evil = unthinking narcissist

Cerberus

Or just mentally completely fucked up.

Either way, not good.

Mitch

@Cerberus right, it doesn't matter what got him to that point, it's a terrible thing.

Cerberus