This is like a weird cultural litmus test, he contextualises it as Poirot, I immediately think of Saison Marguerite.
― mardheamac (gyac), Sunday, 30 January 2022 21:06 (two years ago) link
certainly v common, and tbh im not sure i’m not thinking of the poirot tv adaptations rather than the books.
― Fizzles, Sunday, 30 January 2022 22:41 (two years ago) link
A German is asked a question, to which he answer 'Ja, naturlich' before falling back into German.
So did this mean:
A German is asked a question, to which he answer 'Ja, naturlich' before falling back into English.
?
― the pinefox, Monday, 31 January 2022 10:34 (two years ago) link
he's got you there
― mark s, Monday, 31 January 2022 10:48 (two years ago) link
Zugzwanged!
The latter. He is conversing in English generally in the section, to speakers of other languages.
― Fizzles, Monday, 31 January 2022 11:00 (two years ago) link
oh and i picked up murder on the orient express last night and yes poirot does this all the time.
― Fizzles, Monday, 31 January 2022 12:21 (two years ago) link
t-mac’s word order makes for some seriously gammy sentences. try this for size:“if a crew member tries obsequiously to return her to her quarters…”painfuly evading the splint infinitive leads to some serious mashing of the gears. just write “if an obsequious crew member tries to return her to her quarters” ffs. or at least if for some reason you feel some nuance is being lost (it’s not) put “obsequiously tries”. it really doesn’t matter. just not what you did put.
― Fizzles, Monday, 31 January 2022 21:29 (two years ago) link
after the long section about the bobsleigh in the wind tunnel (not as bad as it sounds tho perhaps that is a v low bar), there is a long section where he describes what’s happening in the film. this is worse than it sounds even if that is also a low bar. the film seems not v good. and it’s made worse by little linguistic innovations mccarthy throws in to show science fiction is happening. a drink they’re transporting is called kwavit and he talks about them frolicking in their childhood in the *gzhiardini*. *do you see*. do more of it, to an extreme, or do much less of it, none at all in fact.
― Fizzles, Monday, 31 January 2022 21:54 (two years ago) link
having to force my way through this bit. it’s utter drivel.
― Fizzles, Monday, 31 January 2022 21:59 (two years ago) link
keen followers of this thread during its recent updates will be interested to know that i almost threw this book down in boredom and irritation but then thought of those who needed me to continue and so, shackleton like, i go on.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 3 February 2022 19:35 (two years ago) link
I'm glad to hear that it's bad.
― the pinefox, Friday, 4 February 2022 17:01 (two years ago) link
on the last leg shackleton of his big anarctic journey shackleton encountered (a) an unbelievably vast rogue sea-wave which his little boat nevertheless weathered bcz they were master seamen and (b) this guy:
Who is the third who walks always beside you?When I count, there are only you and I togetherBut when I look ahead up the white roadThere is always another one walking beside youGliding wrapt in a brown mantle, hoodedI do not know whether a man or a woman—But who is that on the other side of you?
(or so the famous footnotes claim, but imo they're a misdirection: it's obviously actually a reference to COUNT MAGNUS)
― mark s, Friday, 4 February 2022 17:07 (two years ago) link
lol imagine the first sentence is written properly
― mark s, Friday, 4 February 2022 17:08 (two years ago) link
― mardheamac (gyac), Friday, 4 February 2022 19:14 (two years ago) link
TLS review has it about right:The passage, like the novel that contains it, requires maximal engagement for minimal returns, i’m gradually reaching the end of my desire to read this. it’s that point where you realise the possibility of redeeming some of the ideas presented is not likely to happen before the pages run out. pinefox, i agree i do not think you would like this book.
― Fizzles, Sunday, 6 February 2022 18:36 (two years ago) link