Posted by so on June 17, 2005, at 0:12:56
In reply to furthermore... » so, posted by JenStar on June 16, 2005, at 9:23:53
> I also think that many of your posts contain "hidden" sarcasm, which you cleverly couch in big words, dependent clauses, and long sentences. For example, your use of "I'm perplexed" in your post about the title of PB seemed extremely sarcastic to me. I suspect that you are having fun taking "secret" digs at PB, that you think yourself to be smarter than many other people here.
> Am I right?
> JenStarNo sarcasm intended at all. I am totally perplexed that I write to a forum where my work appears under the headling "psychobabble" and I am perplexed that I managed for some period of time to avoid considering the common meaning of the term and what it might mean about my writing. My words are not offered as babble in the least. To the contrary, my effort is an attempt to find meaning, and to make my thoughts more coherent.
Havign confronted this realization, I am trying now to find meaning in a unique colloquial use of the term babble, but the dictionary doesn't offer much leeway. Alexandra_K did a fair job of summarizing what redeeming values might be found in the term as it is used here, but can you see how I would feel put down if my writing appeared anywhere else or even eventually feel put down that my participation here is described as follows:
Main Entry: bab·ble
Pronunciation: 'ba-b&l
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): bab·bled; bab·bling /-b(&-)li[ng]/
Etymology: Middle English babelen, probably of imitative origin
intransitive senses
1 a : to talk enthusiastically or excessively b : to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds
2 : to make sounds as though babbling
transitive senses
1 : to utter in an incoherently or meaninglessly repetitious manner
2 : to reveal by talk that is too free
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=babble
and from dictionary.com
bab·ble ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bbl)
v. bab·bled, bab·bling, bab·bles
v. intr.
To utter a meaningless confusion of words or sounds: Babies babble before they can talk.
To talk foolishly or idly; chatter: “In 1977 [he] was thought of as crazy because he was babbling about supply side” (Newt Gingrich).
To make a continuous low, murmuring sound, as flowing water.v. tr.
To utter rapidly and indistinctly.
To blurt out impulsively; disclose without careful consideration.n.
Inarticulate or meaningless talk or sounds.
Idle or foolish talk; chatter.
A continuous low, murmuring sound, as of flowing water.
poster:so
thread:512087
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050614/msgs/514145.html