Good luck. Try not to kill people. Hands! Hands!

Willow ,'Storyteller'


Natter 58: Let's call Venezuela!  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


megan walker - Apr 17, 2008 8:01:00 pm PDT #2518 of 10001
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

What's French for, "Did you hear that? I told you he wasn't dead."

Ahhh, a phrase I use often.

Is the "that" a reference to something someone said (a report of someone being alive, for example) or is it a reference to a sound (I hear a certain sound, so therefore this person must not be dead)?

To a report of alive-a-tude:
1) Very casual speech (contraction, ne dropped): "T'as entendu? Je t'ai dit qu'il était pas mort."
2) Casual speech: "Tu as entendu? Je t'ai dit qu'il n'était pas mort."
3) Formal speech: "Vous avez entendu? Je vous ai dit qu'il n'était pas mort."

On hearing a sound:
1) Very casual speech: "T'as entendu ça? Je t'ai dit qu'il était pas mort."
2) Casual speech: "Tu as entendu ça? Je t'ai dit qu'il n'était pas mort."
3) Formal speech: "Vous avez entendu cela? Je vous ai dit qu'il n'était pas mort."

ETA: line breaks


Consuela - Apr 17, 2008 8:03:37 pm PDT #2519 of 10001
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

I am amused on the way we get hints of the plot of Susan's novel by the questions you ask of Megan!

Heh.

Sad news for Springsteen fans: Danny Federici died today. He was the organist with the E Street Band for 40 years. The next few shows on the tour have been cancelled. So sad.


Susan W. - Apr 17, 2008 8:05:14 pm PDT #2520 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights

Is the "that" a reference to something someone said (a report of someone being alive, for example) or is it a reference to a sound (I hear a certain sound, so therefore this person must not be dead)?

The latter. I'm going to go with the very casual option, as the speaker isn't exactly what you'd call refined and sophisticated. Thanks!

As long as I have you here...how would you say, "I can walk"? Context is that the not-dead person is insisting on trying to do so.


Susan W. - Apr 17, 2008 8:06:18 pm PDT #2521 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights

I am amused on the way we get hints of the plot of Susan's novel by the questions you ask of Megan!

Well, I'm hoping that if it sells, y'all will be so consumed by curiosity by then that you rush to pre-order it the instant it's available!


megan walker - Apr 17, 2008 8:17:54 pm PDT #2522 of 10001
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

I figured that situation called for pretty casual.

"I can walk" would be "Je peux marcher" but it would depend on the context.

For example, if he was answering the question "Tu peux marcher?", where the person was expecting a no answer, he might say "Si, je peux marcher". Or, if he was emphasizing not needing help, he might say "Je peux marcher tout seul. ( by myself. )"


Susan W. - Apr 17, 2008 8:45:36 pm PDT #2523 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights

Thanks, megan!

I figured that situation called for pretty casual.

Yeah, it's actually a follow-on to the question earlier in the week about blows to the head for rendering unconscious--the speaker is all, "See, I *told* you I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him!"


Polter-Cow - Apr 17, 2008 10:16:45 pm PDT #2524 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

As long as I have you here...how would you say, "I can walk"? Context is that the not-dead person is insisting on trying to do so.

Because he's only mostly dead?


tommyrot - Apr 18, 2008 12:40:40 am PDT #2525 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

Huh. We just had an earthquake.


Trudy Booth - Apr 18, 2008 1:15:54 am PDT #2526 of 10001
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart

I think the USPS eventually got around to using a roadname and number.

Many places didn't have names and numbers until 911 went in.


Tom Scola - Apr 18, 2008 1:27:23 am PDT #2527 of 10001
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

Best passive-aggressive note ever: [link]