I have a thing for typewriters, although, like a lot of people my age, I probably romanticize them a bit because I never had to curse and grumble my way through using one. ๐
(And now I’m typing sloppily into my phone, letting the autocorrect do its work. ..)
In Grad school we had to type our papers. late 70’s, the best technological weapon I had was an electric Smith-Corona typewriter. Smooth typing. I still have my mother’s Olivetti typewriter. Not very vintage, but a nice memory.
(i took out the autocorrect function on my phone. Drove me crazy…) ๐
Yes! I suppose you’re right, although I use the word often enough not to think about it much.
English steals so much from so many other languages, doesn’t it? A trickster language if there ever was one — inelegant, and unapologetically so. But it’s the only one I have, so … Most days I think I’m making the best of it. ๐
See my above reply: I love english for its simplicity. And its music: “Life is but a walking shadow”? Difficult to say as well in any other language. ๐
English is very musical. That’s why “rock & roll” only prospered in english. The words match the rhytm. Most Rock & roll in other languages is lousy. ๐ I think it was lennon who said once: “French Rock? French Rock? There is no such thing. Is there English wine?”
French is my mother tongue, english my father tongue. ๐ Plus spanish which I speak everyday. French (or english) for its music. I started to write fiction in spanish, then in english. Love the finery of english, it’s precision. I will start a blog in French soon, see how it goes. Reading? Mostly english and french, unless there is an exceptional spanish language author like Garcรญa Marquez. ๐ The end result: I’m losing my spelling in french and english, because words can be so similar and different. A mess. ๐
Jamais trop tard pour apprendre. (Never too late to learn) French is a good start, 60% of english vocabulary comes from French. Makes it easier to recognize the odd word. Try it.
So, funny story. Once upon a time, I attended a preschool where we spoke French half the day and English the other half. I was just a tiny thing — three? Four? — and could chatter comfortably and beautifully in French at the time. Funny how malleable the brain is when we’re little.
It’s lost to me now, except for the French we spoke in ballet, which obviously was very formulaic, not at all like a conversational language.
Studies have shown that children of parents with different languages have a small loss of vocabulary 10-20% as compared to monolingual children until the age of 4. After 4, they have 100% in two languages. (Provided they keep speaking) If you want to pick it up, I suggest you try french songs (not Rock & Roll) ones that have subtitles, so you can hear and read at the same time. Then print the lyrics, and start looking word by word on Google. Plug that back into an Excel file (french-english) and you will start building your own vocabulary)
And I like your encouragement … I’m looking forward to learning a new language (again), and I think after our conversation I’ll put French on the top of my list. ๐
Yes!! Everywhere! Just in the last few days, we’ve had the loveliest warm spell. The cherries and redbuds are blooming now… Few things as beautiful as the Virginia hills awash in that inimitable shade of purple that the redbuds bring.
Ah … I’ve never seen them all in bloom. Spring truly has its own palette, which probably would seem silly and frivolous at any other time of year. But oh, how my eyes are drinking it in right now! Enjoy it! ๐
You have the best timing ever. Just wanted to say๐ค๐ฟ๐
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I’m so glad, Ram. ๐ Funny how that works sometimes.
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How beautiful and how true. And if we can’t say anything gentle or kind it’s better to say nothing at all. Hugs to you.
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Truth. โค
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So true, but I like the part about speaking gently.
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Yes.
I think without that part, the speaking is just plain dangerous.
Here’s hoping you had a calm and refreshing weekend! ๐
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It was lovely! Hope yours was the same and that your week is full of beauty.
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Looking for it around every corner. ๐
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Shift (key)
That’s a nice typrewriter.
(Those are your hands right?)
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They are, indeed.
I have a thing for typewriters, although, like a lot of people my age, I probably romanticize them a bit because I never had to curse and grumble my way through using one. ๐
(And now I’m typing sloppily into my phone, letting the autocorrect do its work. ..)
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In Grad school we had to type our papers. late 70’s, the best technological weapon I had was an electric Smith-Corona typewriter. Smooth typing. I still have my mother’s Olivetti typewriter. Not very vintage, but a nice memory.
(i took out the autocorrect function on my phone. Drove me crazy…) ๐
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I completely understand … My autocorrect does some truly strange things sometimes. And embarrassing. ๐
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Haha! But some fun, even borderline poetic, right?
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Yes!!
Someone needs to make some found poetry out of autocorrect gaffes. ๐
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“Gaffe”? That is a very french word. I know it has been adopted by the anglo-saxons, but I’d never “heard” it in english. A bit like a “faux-pas”.
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Yes! I suppose you’re right, although I use the word often enough not to think about it much.
English steals so much from so many other languages, doesn’t it? A trickster language if there ever was one — inelegant, and unapologetically so. But it’s the only one I have, so … Most days I think I’m making the best of it. ๐
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See my above reply: I love english for its simplicity. And its music: “Life is but a walking shadow”? Difficult to say as well in any other language. ๐
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I love that you see English as musical… And that quotation. Elegant, indeed. ๐
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English is very musical. That’s why “rock & roll” only prospered in english. The words match the rhytm. Most Rock & roll in other languages is lousy. ๐ I think it was lennon who said once: “French Rock? French Rock? There is no such thing. Is there English wine?”
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Ha! I love this quote. I’ll surely have to steal it sometime. ๐
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(And quoted by a Frog)
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And P.S. Do you have a preferred language? For speaking? Writing? Reading? I’m curious …
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French is my mother tongue, english my father tongue. ๐ Plus spanish which I speak everyday. French (or english) for its music. I started to write fiction in spanish, then in english. Love the finery of english, it’s precision. I will start a blog in French soon, see how it goes. Reading? Mostly english and french, unless there is an exceptional spanish language author like Garcรญa Marquez. ๐ The end result: I’m losing my spelling in french and english, because words can be so similar and different. A mess. ๐
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I can only imagine how slippery it might become, after awhile, switching back and forth. ๐
Knowing many languages is a kind of wealth, to me. I’ll always be jealous!
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Jamais trop tard pour apprendre. (Never too late to learn) French is a good start, 60% of english vocabulary comes from French. Makes it easier to recognize the odd word. Try it.
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So, funny story. Once upon a time, I attended a preschool where we spoke French half the day and English the other half. I was just a tiny thing — three? Four? — and could chatter comfortably and beautifully in French at the time. Funny how malleable the brain is when we’re little.
It’s lost to me now, except for the French we spoke in ballet, which obviously was very formulaic, not at all like a conversational language.
But I would, indeed, like to try again. ๐
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Studies have shown that children of parents with different languages have a small loss of vocabulary 10-20% as compared to monolingual children until the age of 4. After 4, they have 100% in two languages. (Provided they keep speaking) If you want to pick it up, I suggest you try french songs (not Rock & Roll) ones that have subtitles, so you can hear and read at the same time. Then print the lyrics, and start looking word by word on Google. Plug that back into an Excel file (french-english) and you will start building your own vocabulary)
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This is so interesting …
And I like your encouragement … I’m looking forward to learning a new language (again), and I think after our conversation I’ll put French on the top of my list. ๐
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Commenรงons aujourd’hui. Look it up if you don’t remember what it is and you tell me what you found. ๐
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This is perfect.
Just so you know. ๐
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Trรจs bien. As-tu รฉcrit les mots: “Commenรงons aujourd’hui”?
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I have, in fact! And I’m taking those words to heart.
If only you knew what perfect timing you had when you shared them. They’re speaking to me in this season… Trust me. ๐
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J’en suis trรจs content. ๐
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๐ Me too!
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Bon week-end. (100% French)
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Haha!! Well I know *that* word at least!! ๐
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C’est toujours รงa de gagnรฉ.
(A bit more difficult, but should be understandable…)
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Something gained? ๐
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More or less. Literally: “It is always that (which is) won”. One thing gained at least. Bonne promenade dans la forรชt.
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Indeed I shall … It’s more beautiful every day, this time of year. ๐
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Green buds sprouting yet? Flowers? Daffodils?
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Yes!! Everywhere! Just in the last few days, we’ve had the loveliest warm spell. The cherries and redbuds are blooming now… Few things as beautiful as the Virginia hills awash in that inimitable shade of purple that the redbuds bring.
Happy Spring to you too, I hope!! ๐
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Must be lovely. And thank you, Spring has arrived. The jacarandas are blooming. A lot of trees are blue-mauve. ๐
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Ah … I’ve never seen them all in bloom. Spring truly has its own palette, which probably would seem silly and frivolous at any other time of year. But oh, how my eyes are drinking it in right now! Enjoy it! ๐
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Your typewriter is an absolute gem to have. Cursing and grumbling while using one is all part of the romance. ๐
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Ha!! I’ll take that advice … Good for life in general. ๐
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