Keychain of Creation IV: The Lore Thing

[Gez]

I'm lazy, so here's a presentation taken from the previous thread:

So, third thread. While not nearly as prolific posters as Girl Genius and Dominic Deegan thread posters and mostly discussing the game rather than the comic, we are still awesome. Go us.

First thread is here.
Second thread is here.
Comic is here.
Comic's first page is here.

Also, we'd like to remind you that frequent peruse of these threads might allow you to hear the Whispers of the Neverborn. Tread carefully.

[lesser_minion]

Well... you could have done better than that. It doesn't even rhyme... well, it does, but not with 'four'.

Otherwise... could've been worse.

[Jokasti]

Man I had this all planned:

Fourth thread! Gogogogogogogogo!

[1][2][3]
[Comic][1stComic]

And the name needs to change to the Lore thing!

[lesser_minion]

In any event, I second the lore thing. Go on!

[Gez]

Well... you could have done better than that. It doesn't even rhyme... well, it does, but not with 'four'.

It does rhyme with four.

Nobody said it had to be an ear-rhyme.

[Maximum Zersk]

And as for the Grammarites - you're arguing over the English tongue, a language so debased it's practically floating. A third of its words are either stolen or were made up on the spot by authors, graffiti artists, or bloggers. Calm down a little.

Whoa, I'm not sure what was happening in the conversation, but that doesn't debase a language. People use it to speak, correct?

Wait, just because a language borrows words from other languages, that debases it? What?

EDIT: What WERE you guys talking about anyway?

[Gez]

And the name needs to change to the Lore thing!

In any event, I second the lore thing. Go on!

You want it, you got it! The Lore Thing is go!

[Revlid]

Smarmy bugger.
It's an in-joke that will be forgotten in a week. I like it!

Debasing: In terms of "lessening its purity", yes, taking other words and making them up off the top of the head does debase a language. However, it also results in an arguably better language.
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that it's rather silly to argue over the structure of a language that has been made great* by its structure and content being fast-and-loose, rather than rigidly structured.

*Alright, yes, the Empire probably helped.

[lesser_minion]

You want it, you got it! The Lore Thing is go!

Actually, you know what... that's actually brilliant.

[Maximum Zersk]

Debasing: In terms of "lessening its purity", yes, taking other words and making them up off the top of the head does debase a language. However, it also results in an arguably better language.
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that it's rather silly to argue over the structure of a language that has been made great* by its structure and content being fast-and-loose, rather than rigidly structured.

*Alright, yes, the Empire probably helped.

True, true. Still, I do get mad when people get the idea of irony wrong, or when people use words that they don't know so they can sound smart.

Ah well, as long as you weren't arguing about the Singular Neutral Third-Person Pronoun problem or anything.

[Revlid]

Still, I do get mad when people get the idea of irony wrong.

I have developed an exercise to alleviate this - attempt to describe, in a single, non-convoluted sentence, the concept of irony. By the time you think you've got a serviceable sentence, you'll no longer be mad.

Note - this does not work when people use "irony" to mean "sarcasm". That's plain irritating.

or when people use words that they don't know so they can sound smart.

This, on the other hand, offers opportunities for a good deal of humour.

[Maximum Zersk]

I have developed an exercise to alleviate this - attempt to describe, in a single, non-convoluted sentence, the concept of irony. By the time you think you've got a serviceable sentence, you'll no longer be mad.

Note - this does not work when people use "irony" to mean "sarcasm". That's plain irritating.

Ah, so it is ironic that the monk who took a vow of poverty was arrested or disturbing the peace.

Hey, that does feel better.

And then when you add cynicism into the mix, it get even worse...

This, on the other hand, offers opportunities for a good deal of humour.

Well, I have to agree with that I guess.

[Gez]

Sarcasm is generally considered a subtype of verbal irony.

[Maximum Zersk]

Sarcasm is generally considered a subtype of verbal irony.

There's a difference.

In sarcasm, the tone is obvious.

In Verbal Irony, it isn't.

[Skycroft]

So, a thread founded for the sole purpose of discussing a webcomic has, on its first page, turned into a discussion of the precise meaning of the word 'irony' and the merits or lack thereof of the English language as a means of communication*.

Does it say something about me or this forum that I am not at all surprised?

* It is, indeed, quite ironic**
** Please don't kill me

[lesser_minion]

So, a thread founded for the sole purpose of discussing a webcomic has, on its first page, turned into a discussion of the precise meaning of the word 'irony' and the merits or lack thereof of the English language as a means of communication*.

Does it say something about me or this forum that I am not at all surprised?

* It is, indeed, quite ironic**
** Please don't kill me

This is a troper forum. What do you expect? Anything but natter?

[ZeroNumerous]

This is a troper forum. What do you expect? Anything but natter?

We haven't had a camera shift yet, so I'm still sort of expecting on-topic-ness.

[Recaiden]

Whoa, I'm not sure what was happening in the conversation, but that doesn't debase a language. People use it to speak, correct?

Wait, just because a language borrows words from other languages, that debases it? What?

Yes, that debases English. Uncreative, plagiarist hack of a language that it is.

I like the name.

[spectralphoenix]

The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.

-James Nicoll

[Revlid]

So, a thread founded for the sole purpose of discussing a webcomic has, on its first page, turned into a discussion of the precise meaning of the word 'irony' and the merits or lack thereof of the English language as a means of communication*.

Well, the thread is entitled "The Lore Thing". It works on multiple levels.

Yes, that debases English. Uncreative, plagiarist hack of a language that it is.

Hardly uncreative. Its innovations and fluidity are what keeps it the most spoken language in the world (its ability to describe nuance aside). Besides, every language steals from others, English has simply done so much more effectively - remind me, what's the French word for sandwich? Going further afield, what word do the Japanese use?

[Jerthanis]

Yes, but unless you're suggesting we adopt a specific language's singular neuter pronoun, there still does not exist one that is at least intrinsically neutral (I forgot He could be a neuter pronoun) within the English language.

And yes, languages are living things that change, but that doesn't mean incorrect grammar is indistinguishable from correct grammar.

I'm not really an English major though, I just wanted to point out that "They" as a singular neuter pronoun is not universally accepted as proper English, particularly when writing formal, instructional materials, like rulebooks.

[Maximum Zersk]

Yes, but unless you're suggesting we adopt a specific language's singular neuter pronoun, there still does not exist one that is at least intrinsically neutral (I forgot He could be a neuter pronoun) within the English language.

And yes, languages are living things that change, but that doesn't mean incorrect grammar is indistinguishable from correct grammar.

I'm not really an English major though, I just wanted to point out that "They" as a singular neuter pronoun is not universally accepted as proper English, particularly when writing formal, instructional materials, like rulebooks.

I propose Sklee, because it is purple.

But in all seriousness, whatever gets the point across is fine. I know that sounds weird coming from a Grammar Nazi, but these are the things I let slide.

Back to the comic, then. Damn, it must hurt to get hit by a tree!

[memnarch]

...
Back to the comic, then. Damn, it must hurt to get hit by a tree!

Must know from experience since he dodged it this time.

[horngeek]

I love the Medicine joke in the last panel.

[Jokasti]

I wonder what other doctor roles Misho plays...

[golentan]

I wonder what other doctor roles Misho plays...

Dr. Jekyll? Dr. Moreau? Dr. Love?

All appropriately solar, I suppose.

[Gez]

I wonder what other doctor roles Misho plays...

Well, he's not playing Doctor, according to Marena.

[horngeek]

Also, an interesting analysis by Misho.

[Maximum Zersk]

Also, an interesting analysis by Misho.

Yeah. I don't know anything about vilnerabilities, but it's pretty good.

[lord_khaine]

Dr. Jekyll? Dr. Moreau? Dr. Love?

I suspect Marena is hoping for the last one