Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

You write potato, I write ghoughpteighbteau
The Economist ^ | Aug 14th 2008 | Staff

Posted on 08/21/2008 4:42:07 PM PDT by forkinsocket

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: astyanax

‘The Mother Tongue’ is his usual writing style, he has a very dry understated sense of humour which is quite amusing, he has written quite a lot of stuff, mostly travel writing, which I have enjoyed.

His politics would be a little to the left of most people here but that shouldn’t put you off, check him out at Amazon.

The dictionary is a slim volume but quite helpful if you’re into writing correctly.


21 posted on 08/21/2008 8:03:07 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: PotatoHeadMick
sense of humour
Is that your local colour showing through?
;o)
I detect a touch of the Queen's English... (more power to you!)
Mind if I ask where you are (or have been)?
22 posted on 08/21/2008 8:22:53 PM PDT by astyanax (Support your local veterans. Napalm a hippie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: astyanax

Originally from Ireland (Northern Ireland) currently living in Jakarta, Indonesia.


23 posted on 08/21/2008 8:44:46 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: PotatoHeadMick

Wow! So how did you come across Free Republic?
Ever spend any time in the states?
(Feel free to tell me to ‘MYOB’ at anytime...)


24 posted on 08/21/2008 8:56:52 PM PDT by astyanax (Support your local veterans. Napalm a hippie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: astyanax

I’ve always been fascinated by politics and I love following US politics, I find it a lot more interesting and vigorous than politics back home (well actually politics in Northern Ireland when I was growing up in the 1980’s was a little bit too “interesting” but we’ll let that pass). I came across this site way back in 2004 when I was watching that year’s election and the whole Dan Rather thing came up, finding this site and LGF was a breath of fresh air.

Like most people here I was pretty much disgusted by the whole MSM slant on politics and I was delighted to find out that there were actually other people around the world who thought like me. I like to dip in every so often and I like to post articles from the British and Irish press that Freepers might find interesting but wouldn’t otherwise have read.

I spent two summers as a student in the 1980’s working in the New Jersey Cape (for some reason there were an awful lot of students from Ireland working there for the summer back then). I loved the States then and still do and I have been back to visit a couple of times, but now I’m married and settled down in Indonesia (long story) and through the fantastic medium of the internet I’m not completely out of touch with the rest of the civilised world (actually Indonesia is fairly civilised too, I am very fond of the place).

So what about you?


25 posted on 08/21/2008 9:36:16 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: forkinsocket
O-U-G-H

by Charles Battell Loomis

I'm taught p-l-o-u-g-h
Shall be pronounced “plow.”
“Zat’s easy w’en you know,” I say,
“Mon Anglais, I'll get through!”

My teacher say zat in zat case,
O-u-g-h is “oo.”
And zen I laugh and say to him,
“Zees Anglais make me cough.”

He say “Not ‘coo’ but in zat word,
O-u-g-h is ‘off,’’”
“Oh, ______! Such varied sounds
Of words make me hiccough!”

He say, “Again mon frien’ ees wrong;
O-u-g-h is ‘up’
In hiccough.” Zen I cry, “No more,
You make my t’roat feel rough.”

“Non, non!” he cry, “You are not right;
O-u-g-h is ‘uff.’”
I say, “I try to spik your words,
I cannot spik zem though.”

“In time you'll learn, but now you're wrong!
O-u-g-h is ‘owe’”
“I'll try no more, I s’all go mad,
I'll drown me in ze lough!”

“But ere you drown yourself,” said he,
“O-u-g-h is ‘ock.’”
He taught no more, I held him fast
And killed him wiz a rough.

26 posted on 08/21/2008 9:44:08 PM PDT by decal ("You should make a point of trying every experience once, excepting incest and folk dancing.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IronJack
Shouldn't that be "standardiZation"?

No. The English pronunciation is with the "s", not a "z". Lack of enunciation led to the change across the pond.


27 posted on 08/21/2008 9:57:22 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: PotatoHeadMick

I’m an info junkie. I’ll read anything and everything.
It was during the 2000 election that I started paying close attention to politics. I too was disgusted by the media but was ignorant as to other options available. Fresh air, indeed! LGF is great, I also like Gateway Pundit, Conservative Grapevine, NRO, Spectator, powerlineblog, american thinker... well, you get the picture!

I’m off to bed (just turned midnight here) but it was/is a pleasure to meet you! Best wishes to you and yours, and I’m sure our paths(threads) will cross again. Take care!


28 posted on 08/21/2008 10:10:58 PM PDT by astyanax (Support your local veterans. Napalm a hippie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: astyanax

Good night (good morning here). It’s been great chatting to you too, it’s always nice to meet new people, don’t forget to check up on Bryson’s other stuff, just don’t take his politics too seriously.

All the best.


29 posted on 08/21/2008 10:18:45 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: PotatoHeadMick

Will do (check up)!
And won’t (take too seriously)!
Thanks...


30 posted on 08/21/2008 10:29:22 PM PDT by astyanax (Support your local veterans. Napalm a hippie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: brityank
Lack of enunciation led to the change across the pond.

Not even the most priggish Brit pronounces it "standardiSSation."

And what's with "coloUr"? I know, I know, the Norman influence. But so little else about Britain reflects its unfortunate French heritage, why condemn your language to forever pay for that sin?

31 posted on 08/22/2008 4:16:22 AM PDT by IronJack (=)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]


 GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach
Note: this topic is from 8/21/2008.

Thanks forkinsocket.

Blast from the Past.

Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.


32 posted on 08/03/2012 5:05:03 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson