Job Discussion Forums

[spiral78]

I'm a language geek and have been all my life. Language is interesting and can be used in quite a lot of ways. This thread is for interesting and/or amusing bits of text that appear .......wherever.

Here is something I read today, in a novel on my kindle. I hasten to say that this was a very inexpensive novel, and it will certainly win the prize for the highest number of misplaced commas EVER in a short novel in English (one typical example appears in excerpt below). But this bit stopped me in my tracks for a few minutes:


"The country is also said to be the first in practicing and passing on, traits of cannibalism. The extent of this practice is yet to be determined, with some studies pointing out at least twenty thousand people have been affected...."




(Frequent Traveller, Dixon, C.: Rabaul, Papua New Guinea)

[spiral78]

And from Holy Blood, Holy Grail (Baigent, Leigh, & Lincoln), pp. 342/3
amidst quite a lot of fairly dense prose:

"...he must be riding astride an ass,..."
"Accordingly, an ass must be procured."
"...they will find an ass awaiting them."
"...who provides an ass at the appointed time..."


and finally the line that broke me up after all this build-up:



"...the collusion which seems to elicit an ass....."


I'm entirely aware that 'ass' is a common term meaning 'donkey.' BUT, c'mon - those guys were laughing their guts out as they wrote and submitted those pages!!!

[johnslat]

Dear spiral78,

Actually, they were laughing their donkeys off.

Regards,
John

[Phil_K]

I think this fits the thread. While working with an advanced student on the subject of puns, I came across these gems:

Once you've seen one shopping centre, you've seen a mall.

If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.

He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

Santa's helpers are subordinate Clauses.

Marriage is the mourning after the knot before.