I'm glad to see that the list is going back to where it belongs. Serious postmodern neo-colonial literary analysis. In a message dated 3/2/2009 9:43:44 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: > If even knew who your parents were, you'd probably be a > much nicer person. Which isn't asking very much at all. This intrigues, for one because it omits whether it is "you" or "I" who might make the difference if they "even knew" who my parents "were". The sense of the second statement is none too clear to [me?/you?] either. Donal Apologising to the world on behalf of JLS ----- Geary. When you see an enclitic subject clause, add "Geary". It works. This becomes: If Geary even knew who your [i.e. general, one's] parents were, one [i.e. you] would probably be a much nicer person [than you ill-willed people misjudge you as being -- it's rude to leave a comparative like that -- McEvoy may be pleased to know that 'imbecile' has an unknown etymology*]. Which isn't asking very much at all. [In fact it's asking an impossibility]. For Geary _knows_ the lyrics, "If you don't know me by know, you will never never never know me". Apply this to one's parents. Ergo: you don't know your parents. They die too soon -- if you don't updo them. This was apparently the case with Gwynneth Paltrow. There she is playing this role in a very _ethnic_ movie (though my friend disagrees). In "Us" review today I find that she is wearing that mystic bracelet that Madonna gave to her. It's a Jewish thing. Paltrow writes: "Yes, I became a kabbalist. You see, when my father died -- he was a Jewish [then my friend told me, 'Then she isn't one -- Jewishness is on the eye of the beholder's mother line] and he died just when I was starting to get to know him. So this helped". But back to Geary: THE IMBECILITY TEST. 1, Are you an orphan ( ) no ( ) yes, but not often 2. When you said “orphan”, did you mean “orphan” – a person who has lost his parents, or “often”, frequently? 3. Are you an imbecile? ( ) yes ( ) no ( ) don't know. If your answer is 'no', try the Geary test: Click where appropraite: ( ) Does Geary even knew who your [i.e. general, one's] parents are. ( ) yes ( ) no ( ) If you wrote ( ) no above, would one [i.e. you] try to be not the imbecile that you are? ( ) no ( ) yes (*, in "Notes from the Linguistic Underworld, Geary writes that 'imbecile' is a negative construction, from 'im-' and '-becile' -- it's also a construction of the 'flammable', 'inflammable' construction, with in- as emphatic. Geary writes: "The problem lies on the isogloss. In Campania, it does mean 'imbecile', i.e. as not having 'becility'. In Rome and northern parts, it's an emphatic and means 'very bright'. In Classical Latin is was hardly used for precisely that reason, but the Pilgrims did use it, hence its appearance in Eric Yost's idiolect"). McEvoy was also very insulting in referring to the modal, "must have been incestuous parents", if they had poor Eric read "Fahrenheit"! Just joking! Cheers, JL **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219957551x1201325337/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html