Poetic-Verses from ATHANASE
Linguistic Absurdities (English)
Linguistic Absurdities
What does Cholmondley-Bumley do? What's his job at the Ministry?
What? You mean you don't know what an elevated position he holds, how terribly important he is?
He makes up new words! So, for example, good old Flo
is no longer a cleaning lady (which sounds nauseatingly proletarian, don't you think?)
but a female surface technician, who, old chap,
is on the downward path from poverty to utter destitution!
Did you know that in French government ministries, there are high-ranking civil servants responsible for finding modern equivalents for everyday terms now considered outdated or derogatory? It would be impossible for me to list here all the linguistic absurdities which the intellectual efforts of these gentlemen have produced. In this way they hope to draw a veil over the deep-rooted hierarchy of social values which they still practise and erase the yawning chasm which today separates rich from poor. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Perhaps we should consult Molière's Précieuses ridicules?
A few examples:
Concierge: Apartment Complex Manager
Cleaning Lady: Female Surface Technician
Binman: Urban Sanitary Operative
Ball: Round Bouncy Artefact
translated from the French of Athanase Vantchev de Thracy
10.05.08.
What does Cholmondley-Bumley do? What's his job at the Ministry?
What? You mean you don't know what an elevated position he holds, how terribly important he is?
He makes up new words! So, for example, good old Flo
is no longer a cleaning lady (which sounds nauseatingly proletarian, don't you think?)
but a female surface technician, who, old chap,
is on the downward path from poverty to utter destitution!
Did you know that in French government ministries, there are high-ranking civil servants responsible for finding modern equivalents for everyday terms now considered outdated or derogatory? It would be impossible for me to list here all the linguistic absurdities which the intellectual efforts of these gentlemen have produced. In this way they hope to draw a veil over the deep-rooted hierarchy of social values which they still practise and erase the yawning chasm which today separates rich from poor. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Perhaps we should consult Molière's Précieuses ridicules?
A few examples:
Concierge: Apartment Complex Manager
Cleaning Lady: Female Surface Technician
Binman: Urban Sanitary Operative
Ball: Round Bouncy Artefact
translated from the French of Athanase Vantchev de Thracy
10.05.08.
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Linguistic Absurdities (English)
Linguistic Absurdities (English)
