Thought for the day: Trying to write dialogue without first getting a bead on your characters’ motivation is a little like trying to move a car by pulling on its bumper. Oh sure, you can do it. If you’re really strong. At least, some people can do it. But there’s an easier way.
Cecil-
Won’t you join me in my crusade to keep the word “dialogue” from losing its “ue”? I know, they don’t really do anything, but it’s those superfluous letters–especially the vowels–that give English that special je ne sais quoi you don’t get in any other language, and safeguard our liberty by making it hard for foreigners to learn. Your attention to this matter is appreciated.
SCB
well said, scb. i note that “dialogue” still has primacy in the dictionary, but “catalog” has stealthily surpassed “catalogue.” these are little burn holes in the fabrique of society, and then one day–fooop–the whole thingue goes.
SCB — after all you’ve done for me over the years — for example, the time you pulled that cat out of my mouth when it almost suffocated me, trying to get to the milk I had just drunk (to this very day, just about everything tastes like cat to me) — the very least I can do is add “ue” to the word dialogue.
-Cecil
now to the matter at hand–i woke up today with the end of a dream fresh. lively dialogue–but who are these people and what story do they belong to? it’s a different kind of problem. but i think it speaks to another approach, not involving bumpers: jump out of the way when that car starts to roll down the hill.
Bush and the Republicans were not protecting us on 9-11, and we aren’t a lot safer now. We may be more afraid due to george bush, but are we safer? Being fearful does not necessarily make one safer. Fear can cause people to hide and cower. What do you think? Is killing thousands of innocent civilians okay when you are doing a little government makeover?
What happened to us, people? When did we become such lemmings?
The more people that the government puts in jails, the safer we are told to think we are. The real terrorists are wherever they are, but they aren’t living in a country with bars on the windows. We are.
Cecil-
Won’t you join me in my crusade to keep the word “dialogue” from losing its “ue”? I know, they don’t really do anything, but it’s those superfluous letters–especially the vowels–that give English that special je ne sais quoi you don’t get in any other language, and safeguard our liberty by making it hard for foreigners to learn. Your attention to this matter is appreciated.
SCB
well said, scb. i note that “dialogue” still has primacy in the dictionary, but “catalog” has stealthily surpassed “catalogue.” these are little burn holes in the fabrique of society, and then one day–fooop–the whole thingue goes.
SCB — after all you’ve done for me over the years — for example, the time you pulled that cat out of my mouth when it almost suffocated me, trying to get to the milk I had just drunk (to this very day, just about everything tastes like cat to me) — the very least I can do is add “ue” to the word dialogue.
-Cecil
now to the matter at hand–i woke up today with the end of a dream fresh. lively dialogue–but who are these people and what story do they belong to? it’s a different kind of problem. but i think it speaks to another approach, not involving bumpers: jump out of the way when that car starts to roll down the hill.
Count me in on SCB’s crusade! My Firefox spellchecker doesn’t even believe dialogoo is a word!
Bush and the Republicans were not protecting us on 9-11, and we aren’t a lot safer now. We may be more afraid due to george bush, but are we safer? Being fearful does not necessarily make one safer. Fear can cause people to hide and cower. What do you think? Is killing thousands of innocent civilians okay when you are doing a little government makeover?
What happened to us, people? When did we become such lemmings?
The more people that the government puts in jails, the safer we are told to think we are. The real terrorists are wherever they are, but they aren’t living in a country with bars on the windows. We are.