Saturday, February 20, 2010

Of Course

At work, there is currently a program participant who says "of course" with five different tonalities so that (once you add context) she can make that phrase mean about 8 different things.


Of course =
  • I would love to...
  • That's what I expected.
  • You are correct.
  • I'm pleased that we agree.
  • (a verbal wave of dismissal)
  • Haven't you been listening ?
  • Do I have to draw you a picture?
  • You are rude and I am too polite to say it outright.
She's also bilingual. I think I'm going to try to speak Spanish with her to see if she has an equivalent elastic phrase in that language... Por supuesto! She is also a voracious reader and since I habitually ask her about what she is reading, she recently lent me a very large and unusual collection of Bill Moyer's interviewing modern poets. I also like her because she is the first person who ever was truly interested when I started talking about the poet Alejandra Pizarnik and she wrote down her name so she could look her up on the internet. Of course!

8 comments:

Pelmo said...

If your pouring supuesto, I wouldn't mind trying a glass full. Always up to tring new drinks

Zoro said...

May I lay "bien sur" on you Jen? which means I am a patronising french git. Or an english git apeing our continental cousins. Which means that I did not understand the question nor the relevance of my comment. In any case I deny everything, because it's a fucking conspiracy anyway. Is it Monday to day?

Z.

La Sirena said...

It was Monday. Let's drink to places!

Ed Pilolla said...

that many meanings out of intonating one simple phrase seems like a very sophisticated way to communicate. she's either incredibly bright or not at all. sounds like the former.

Anonymous said...

(this is th)

That was in The Hobbit with "Good morning."

Holodeck said...

y no se olvide la frase;

¿Cómo, cómo como? ¡Como como como!

which means ”What (do you mean) / how / (do) I eat? / I eat / the way / I eat!”

Eso no es una trabalengua pero es algo muy interesante.

Hey Sirena, mandeme una mensaje about Lounge Ax, and trying to find some of the regulars, ok?

Holodeck said...

Oh, I guess I didn't identify myself very well, I am this guy...

http://markisthebomb.com/NDI/NDI-Home.html

changapeluda said...

Claro!

claro que si