Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Random Notes from a Crank

With the reading and work I've done this fall, from time to time I've pondered this example of chiasmus: "the leisure of the theory class."

Which leads me to this statement: I taught Chuck Norris and gave him a C because that's what he earned.

For whatever reason, I've had a craving for radishes. Rest easy folks, I'm not pregnant. Considering their nutritional value, I should be doing fine on potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium. The store-bought ones I got recently disappointed though because they were pithy. They didn't have the fiery nature of the homegrown ones my dad used to grow in his garden, so I plan to try those this next growing season along with pickling cucumbers. I'll be back to stinking up the house with my pickling this summer. I also wonder how pickled radishes might work out...

I don't get how many people in this area, when talking to their kids, describe a child's sister as a "sissy." People, you're calling your kids ... sissies. Think about it. Replace sissy with another possible derogatory term, such as "chump," and consider how it plays out. Grandma talking to her grandson at the park: "Ah, Aiden, don't you luuuuuuv your chump? Your chump is so good to you, isn't she?" Also, "sissy" is so baby talkish. Am I the only one who thinks this is strange and annoying?

3 comments:

fern said...

I think the "sissy" thing is more complicated. When "sissy" is used an insult--against boys--that's because it stands for "sister." Sounds like these folks are using it not as an insult but as an objective statement of fact, so I'm not sure we should ask them to leave this one to the haters.

Quintilian B. Nasty said...

Oh, I know "sissy" isn't being used as an insult, the baby talkishness of it just gets on my nerves.

fern said...

Yeah, that can be hard to take. I generally talk to babies the same way I would talk to anyone else, which is odd in its own way, but less grating. I don't know if babies are supposed to like high voices. I know that dogs do, which is why some expert dog trainers sound loony.