‘O Contentious Night,’ The Case for Bad English, “Night of Fire,” Dostoevsky the Prophet
Links that will make you a better person. Maybe.
The abolitionist history of ‘O Holy Night,’ by Delany Coyne (America).
The hymn has a contentious history, and not just because it alludes to the abolition of slavery. Who would have thought? Then again, the coming of Jesus into the world has created all sorts of contentions!
Philip Gove and “Our Word”: A lexicographer remembers the worst frigging part of the job, by David Skinner (The American Scholar)
The King’s English? Forgeddabouddit! Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English by Valerie Fridland (Literary Review).
Two pieces for word lovers, which Christians (readers of holy Scripture) will be to some degree or another. Words matter. These articles continue the ongoing argument on whether there is such a thing as proper English. I think there is, but both pieces make good arguments in the negative. I’m enough of a realist to recognize that, regarding some words and phrases, one cannot “kick against the pricks” forever.
Along these lines, I love to complain about the repeated use of the F-word as a noun, adjective, and adverb in many movies and books. I object not so much on moral grounds, but literary. It’s just laziness on the part of authors and screenwriters, who apparently think it’s too much trouble to come up with different ways of saying the same thing. Actually the F-word is a useful word to suggest shock, extreme anger, and so forth. But when used so often and casually, it loses its force. IMHO.
Blaise Pascal on Christian and Jew: The great thinker’s turn toward the theological has lessons for us even today, by Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey (The Dispatch)
Pascal’s notes regarding his extraordinary spiritual experience (called here “The Night of Fire”) has always moved me. It begins,
The year of grace 1654,
Monday, 23 November, feast of St. Clement, pope and martyr, and others in the martyrology. Vigil of St. Chrysogonus, martyr, and others. From about half past ten at night until about half past midnight,
FIRE.
GOD of Abraham, GOD of Isaac, GOD of Jacobnot of the philosophers and of the learned.Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace.GOD of Jesus Christ.My God and your God.Your GOD will be my God.Forgetfulness of the world and of everything, except GOD.
I haven’t focused on his very Jewish description of God, and this article does a good job of making that connection.
You’ll have to create a free account to read this.
The Dark Prophet of Our Times: In The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky dares to ask the question few will: do people truly desire freedom? by Samuel Earle (The New Statesman).
Giving you all a head start on planning a New Year’s resolution, in this case, reading a Dostoevsky classic. I’ve read it four times. I may have to read it again.
Again, in order to read this, you will have to sign-up for three free articles a month. Free is a pretty good deal, no?
Grace and peace,
Mark
Phone credit: Nataliia Shcherbyna
To explore the Christian connection to our Jewish heritage: https://www.bemadiscipleship.com
Not surprised to see the articles on the contentiousness that swirls around the use of language (what took you so long?). I remember back in my college days being floored that the dictionary could be such a controversial document. Like all other things in life, it seems we're always bouncing back and forth between "established" rule and "creative" ways of reinventing expression.
I can't completely agree with Valerie Fridland's conclusion that we shouldn't use language to buttonhole people. First off, means of expression are usually adopted as a way of separating ourselves from other groups we want to stand out from, and they're ways of identifying with our tribe. You set someone in a certain group by their use of language mostly because they WANT us to do that. I don't see that going away any time soon.
Speak on, Mr. Galli. Speak on...