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Monthly Archives: December 2013
Daily photo: bunny tail
Vernacular Spectacular #15: “math” vs. “maths”
Many school subjects are plurals, like physics, economics, and forensics. More to the point: mathematics. So, while it’s gratuitous pluralization, it’s not completely out of left field. To Americans, hearing a Commonwealthian says “maths” sounds cute. The other way around, I think it sounds more directly incorrect, like somebody saying they studying “particle physic” or “home economic”.
At least for the American accent, “maths” is not just a needless plural, but a homonym with “mass”. So if it caught on, it could be included on this game show.
Jeremy’s winner: Continue reading
Beckie reads Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood
Why did you read this book? I was looking forward to this book because I really liked the first two in the trilogy.
Has Jeremy read it? No. I’d probably recommend the trilogy if it were only one book.
42 word review: The first two Maddaddam stories connect in the final installment. Not a lot seemed to happen, just enough to fill in some backstory and extrapolate the future. It was well-written, of course, and sometimes amusing, but I didn’t find it very compelling.
Overall rating: 3 pigoons (out of 5)
Daily photo: sunny fox
Another gorgeous animal at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
Beckie reads Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski
Why did you read this book? We went looking for book in genres that have worked as good road-trip reading fare before: plot-filled thrillers and teen murder stories. This was the former.
Has Jeremy read it? Yes, he already reviewed it.
42 word review: House-sitter with a mysterious past stumbles upon star hiding from assassination team. Everyone survives way too many outlandish injuries, and the villains come up with ludicrously complicated plans instead of just killing anyone. Action-packed plot, even if it doesn’t hold together well.
Overall rating: 2 puncture wounds (out of 5)
Daily photo: Marseille harbour
Vernacular Spectacular #14: “biker” vs. “bikie”
One of the major news stories since I have been in Brisbane has been the government’s crackdown on motorcycle gangs, which includes measures so audacious in their scope that I suspect American readers wouldn’t believe they could be passed into law all at once in a contemporary democracy.
The major outlaw gangs here are Bandidos and Hell’s Angels, just like in America. Yes! They not only borrow all our movies and television shows, but our biker gangs as well! Only here, they are called “bikies” instead of “bikers.” It shows the flexibility of the -ies/-ees ending here in Oz; where in America it’s used to make something more diminutive or childlike, here it’s the way you make a nickname out of anything. Maybe before I leave there will be a crime story where the police catch a serial killie or break up a ring of paedophillies.
Jeremy’s winner: Continue reading
Daily photo: baby giraffe
An awkward baby giraffe at Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam.
Beckie reads Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King
Why did you read this book? We were looking for something like The Basic Eight to read while driving. This seemed to have the high school murder and potential for humour.
Has Jeremy read it? Yes. He listened to me read it aloud while driving around New Zealand.
42 word review: High-school student’s ex-best friend dies, then tries to convince her to clear his name. Pretty good as an emotional coming-of-age story (not the dark comedy I was expecting). The motivations for the characters’ bad actions (other than plot necessity) weren’t always believable.
Overall rating: 3 scraps of napkin (out of 5)