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Sunday 31 August 2014

Literature: Through the Language Glass- Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages

Through the Looking Glass, Guy Deutscher 



Before I picked up this book, I had a vague idea of linguistics. 'Yeah, that's like the study of language and commas or something' and then I would go and misuse another apostrophe (much to the disdain of my English teacher!) 

...but then I remembered a quote from one of my favourite ever books, The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd:


 “Did you know there are thirty-two names for love in one of the Eskimo languages?" August said. "And we just have this one. We are so limited, you have to use the same word.” 

I thought about that for a while. 

Does our own language limit us? 

When you are born an English speaker, you don't really think about the mechanics of it; why we have certain words and how they came to be.
What they represent (besides their literal meanings).
When you start to learn another language, it opens your eyes. 
I learn German, and I have learnt super fun words that we don't (but should) have in English.

They have a word for a song being stuck in your head, it's called an 'Ohrwurm', which literally translates to an 'ear worm'. I think that's tops!

 I found out recently that the Japanese have a word for a moment that is so beautiful but fleeting, a concept which I find heartbreaking for it's hybridisation of simplicity and complexity (I don't really know how something can be both but this just is):
 物の哀れ (mononoaware).

Do you ever have that feeling that there are 'simply no words' to describe something?
Other languages are ahead of us there; with words specifically for this purpose.
We just haven't come up with any yet. 

 In Through the Language Glass, Deutscher explores the convolutions of language, posing a question so important yet so avoided in the world of linguistics:

Does our language affect the way we think?

It might sound silly, but just ponder it a moment:

We see Italian as a romantic language... is that how we see Italians? 

In Australia, although we speak English, we often drop parts of the language and tend to be quite lazy with how we speak. 

Universally we are perceived as laid back and relaxed. 

German is ordered and organised. We also portray their language as rather blunt. Another common stereotype? 


You can see why this question is universally dodged: You have to explore the stereotypes, often offensive. 


I won't spoil it;

just be prepared to be fascinated. 
...And to turn into total linguistics nerds. 

Trio: sent from heaven and made into a record

Okay, so I'm breaking form here. I know it's not strictly Flash Back Friday or Throw Back Thursday or any of those cool rhyme-y days when I have an excuse to be a total music nerd.

But. I happen to think you can be a music nerd any day of the week.

So:

Trio is a compilation album with a collaboration between Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton. 


Three beautiful, individual voices in their own right, which I'll prove with my favourite song from each: 

Love is a Rose, Linda Ronstadt 


Jolene. Dolly Parton 


Wish we were back in Missouri, Emmylou Harris

...though I couldn't leave out her cover of The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel; though theirs is completely brilliant I dare you not to be completely swept away by the sheer power  and emotion with which she sings the 'ly ly lies' 


She was also the inspiration for what is probably my favourite ever First Aid Kit song (a tough call!)


Sorry, I got (a bit...) side tracked. 

Just think of all those voices conglomerating and soaring together!

This Trio song demonstrates just that. 


Feels Like Home , Trio 

Though each voice has its own merit, when they all come together is simultaneously reverberating and hauntingly, heart breakingly beautiful. 

Happy Listening 
x

Thursday 28 August 2014

Flash Back Friday


Here is one of my all time favourite ABBA songs, Chiquita. 



And here is the adorable First Aid Kit doing an ethereal cover  (those harmonies though!)

Love and Cat Dresses,
Happy Friday 

Monday 25 August 2014

Lyric of the week- Cactus Tree

CACTUS TREE, 
JONI MITCHELL

She loves them when she sees them

They will lose her if they follow

And she only means to please them

And her heart is full and hollow

Like a Cactus Tree 

While she's so busy being free 


This lyric is heart breaking and beautiful and relevant. 
It speaks volumes when songs from such a long time ago (1968) are still completely applicable to people's problems and experiences today. 


Sunday 10 August 2014

Chortle and Chuffed: Music Puns Are The Best Kind

I find this (probably) unreasonably funny. 

To add to the list of the things that make me chortle and chuffed: 
The hybridisation between classic musicals and 80's pop chart hits. 

GOLD. 


Photo: #toto






This made my Monday so much better. 

Style Stealing: Beverly Hills 90210

I had a 90's throwback today, inspired by my (guilty) pleasure of watching Beverly Hills 90210 re runs...



I love how effortlessly Kelly Taylor pulls off socks and tights/boots! 

I am currently obsessed with tying a jacket/cardigan around my waist, too.
It works kind of like a belt to cinch in a baggy dress/shirt and give it some shape.  

Here we go: 





And scrunchies! So much respect for scrunchies. 



Friday 8 August 2014

Poetry, 8/8/14

Here is my next poem, I hope you like it :)





Flash back Friday: Oh! Freedom na na yeah

GUESS WHAT!
Did you guess?
It's always more fun when people actually guess instead of just being like, 'what?!'

Fine, I'll tell you.

I got my licence!!!




YAYAYAYAYAYAY.

Hence the Aretha Franklin song reference in this post's title ;)

So, here is a special Flash Back Friday post with all my favourite driving/car inspired songs because I am SO EXCITED.

This will be blaring from my speakers even though I hate those people who blare their doof doof music from their speakers. But this is okay, because it's so much better than that.

In no particular order:

1. Whose gonna drive you home tonight, The Cars
















2.  Radar Love, Golden Earring



3. Paradise on the dashboard light, Meatloaf


4. Drive Darling, BOY 


5. Life Is A Highway, Tom Cochrane


6. Little Deuce Coupe, The Beach Boys 
 

7. 400 Lux, Lorde



8. Mercedes Benz, Janis Joplin  


9. Jump in My Car, Ted Mulry Gang

10. Fast Car, Tracy Chapman