Today I'm reading...

[telophase]

...the sample for Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages. If it tells you anything, after I finished the sample, I immediately turned on wifi and bought the book, but didn't read more than a couple of pages further once it had downloaded because the restaurant I was sitting in at lunch was unexpectedly crowded and I felt guilty for taking up a table after I'd finished eating, even though my original plan had been to sit and read at my leisure until my lunch hour was just about over, then walk back to work.

Turns out, Free Tea Day at McAlister's Deli is a really big deal.

Anyway, the sample intrigued me. Guy Deutscher is arguing that yes, language reflects culture in important ways, but not in the stereotypical ways: the old canards such as Germans are ruthless and efficient, and their language is, too, etc. I shall probably be able to explain better after reading it.

As far as free tea day goes, while I didn't get any because I'm not that fond of iced tea, even though I keep trying to be so I don't drink as much soda, Toby likes iced tea and loves McAlister's iced tea (which I believe is plain old Lipton's, or close to). I texted him about it and we shall probably have dinner there, as there's nothing in our pantry and fridge that doesn't require more prep than we really want to put into dinner today. In conclusion, free tea.

Edit: I just came across this hilarious one-star review of the book in question, in which the reviewer takes the author to task for discussing the linguistic aspects of the Odyssey without mentioning what she believes is its central theme: the the world is incredibly sexist. Her replies to the comments on it are also gems. (She's read 96 books! OK, she probably meant "on the subject of linguistics," but still...)

Comments

[hunningham]

Wow. Language reviewer is really through the looking glass, I've just visited their website - "one perceives language through the lens of evolutionary biology, similarities can be found in the characters of all scripts..." (And they've now read over 100 books!)

[telophase]

I just looked at her other reviews, and she's an expert in children's literature, too! She tells us so! "Now that I've gone on and on about the best children's books, who are you going to trust about Balloon Farm? Someone who can barely write and gave this book one star or me, an expert in children's literature, who gives Balloon Farm 5+++ stars? "

[hunningham]

It's not so much the crazy, but I'm always amazed that anyone can be so sure of themselves, no doubting, no hesitation, no "I think" or "perhaps" - just "I am right! Listen to me, you lesser beings".

[telophase]

I was reading her review and reply to comments out to my husband, and she exhibits both the inability to read context and to supply it herself. The "racist" comment she posted was a example of the stuff he isn't doing in the book, although it requires reading a bit farther on to get. And in her replies, I know juuust enough about linguistics to understand part of what she was going on about, but my husband had no clue. I had to explain it to him.

[trobadora]

I just read the sample, and I'm really looking forward to hearing what you have to say when you've finished the book. If it holds up I'm definitely buying it.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

I"ll try to remember to post about it! I'm not particularly familiar with any of the sides of the debate, however, so I'm not sure how much I'll really be able to evaluate it, othr than "I like it" or "I don't." XD

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

You know, I read Through the Looking Glass, but it was a year or two ago, and I read another book on the same topic around the same time. I remember I liked one and not the other, but I can't remember which was which! Hopefully, Through the Looking Glass was the good one!