lunes, 23 de noviembre de 2009

This existential grammar analysis brought to you (indirectly) by Chomsky, Malinowski, Nietzsche and Dostoevsky

Right now, I should be studying for a not-really-syntax midterm tomorrow.

Let's be completely honest, without the proper motivation, that was just not going to happen.
So, blogosphere, I choose you to focus my not-really-syntactic powers.

Playlist to be blasted: Especially in Michigan - Red Hot Chilipeppers
Jumper - Third Eye Blind
Disposable Teens - Manson
Maybellene - Chuck Berry
Sleep Now in the Fire - Rage Against the Machine
Mandrake Root - Bedouin Soundclash
Natural Right - " " " "
Whistlin' Past the Graveyard - Tom Waits
Behind the Mask - Goldfinger (hate the message, but it has a good beat)
Spirit of the Radio - Rush
Longshot Kick De Bucket - The Pioneers

Once again, if you don't have these tracks: grooveshark.com
Yeah. It's gonna be a long night.

Study item #1
Adjetivos - ingles y espanol.
Right. English. I think I got those.
Spanish - two different categories,
los especificativos que son necesarios - antes del sustantivo
los explicativos que consiste en informacion extra - despues del sustantivo

I think I preferred "studying" for the philosophy midterm. Por lo menos, I got to play around with the existence of my immortal soul.

Interestingly enough, los explicativos can appear in the form of epitetos and also serve to clear up ambiguity.
Know what else clears up ambiguity? Some good old fashioned x-bar theory.
...or an eraser.
That's what I'm talking about.
Syntax.
Not this grammar jazz.

Is it useful? Yes.
Am I still un poco decepcionada by the misnomer of the class?
Ciertamente.

Study Item # 2:
Proposiciones adjetivas o de relativo - ingles y espanol. uy.
Once again. English. Got it.
Spanish: el que, la que, que, (dentro de/mediante/según) el cual, la cual, los/las cuales, lo cual, cuyo/a/s, donde
yeah. got it.
Relativos. Relative. Yes. It is all relative.
Proposiciones gramaticales, class titles, time, space, the motives behind Raskolnikov's killing spree, consciousness, midterms...the grades one receives on said midterms

In the words of Jay Malinowski, "what's your natural right, if it's all relative to mine?"
...he later said, "no, we won't make no bread."
Which is quite indicative of my future situation if I don't pass my midterms.
I won't be makin NO bread.
Or - mejor dicho - it perfectly sums up my thoughts on this not-really-syntax final.
No, not-really-syntax. I won't make no bread (i.e. play along with your grammar under guise and disregard my love of descriptive grammar).

Prescriptivism is dead.
Prescriptivism remains dead.
And we have killed it.
(That one's dedicated to you, Michael Ewing)

Study Item #3
Facebook.
Brb. <--How you like THAT one, prescriptivists?!
Study Item #4
Traduccion - ingles a espanol
Well. Guess I either know that or I don't.
I'm going to be banking on the steel trap for this section.

Study Item #5 (addendum per beccaniles)
Two words (depending on which linguist you talk to):

X-BAR
THEORY

1) adjective placement and ambiguity...check
2) proposiciones de relativo: placement, meaning, ambiguity - all resolved
3) translation...two more words: Universal Grammar.

So.
Examen parcial de sintaxis comparada ingles-espanol
answers: existence is relative
prescriptivism is dead
X-bar theory
I think I've got this in the bag.

Buenas,

beccaniles

4 comentarios:

  1. did i tell you that my intensive grammar profesora has a male friend/profesor named monolo?

    i know, right.

    but did i follow that up with this?: they both studied linguistics (applied and general, respectively) at IU in the 90s.

    and then there's this: "bob port...robert port? oooh yeees, i know him. he is great man."

    quote generously donated to my increasingly hilarious life by monolo.

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  2. AAAAAHHHH!!!! NOOOOO!!!!!
    the 90's! that's when BP decided to go vigilante!
    oh man. i need to meet these people.

    ResponderEliminar
  3. oh man, we need to talk asap!
    I love your blog pic, btw

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  4. HA, thanks michael. if you'll notice, the fake nasty wooden countertop in the background looks a bit familiar, yes?
    wright quad fire resistent particle board furniture at it's finest.

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