(no subject)

[tammaiya]

If I ever want to finish my reading, I really ought to stop arguing with my textbook.

No, really, I'm SERIOUS! It's getting ridiculous! Aside from the usual "What crack are you smoking? THAT COMMA DOES NOT GO THERE!" variety, I started an argument with my parents of whether or not 'an historical' is still grammatically correct (wherein my stance was that it's no longer grammatical because the silent h is no longer silent, dad's position was that an historical is still okay, and mum tried to claim that you can say 'an humble' at which point dad and I BOTH objected), complained that inadequate single mothers shouldn't be listed separately from inadequate child rearing (in response to which my mother told me to shut up and do the damn reading), and took a moment to wonder if the 'dessert' in 'just desserts' is derived from 'deserve' and what percentage one would begin to calculate 'most'. For example: is over 50% 'most'?

Also, I kept getting distracted by formulating my own stance on the effectiveness of the various aims of crime and the causes of crime, and making strangled noises when the "free will vs determinism" argument and such popped up because I did it in year 10 Religion and Philosophy.

I think breaking the 3 months of mental inactivity is making me more opinionated and obnoxious than usual. *cough*

Anyway, didn't see Brokeback Mountain last night cause the ticket cue in the Manuka cinema was so long it had started by the time we got to the front. Saw Syriana instead. It's... long and confusing. Any longer would have been too long and I think I didn't really start to understand what was going on until the second half. I don't regret seeing it, but I will say this:

It will CRUSH YOUR SOUL. It has utterly DECIMATED my faith in the human race. No faith left. Gone! Kaput!

For those who don't know, it's about America and the Middle East and oil and religious extremists and assassination and politics and corruption. Yeah.

Comments

[fahye.livejournal.com]

You know, I played around with it, and I think I actually SAY 'an historical'. Hard to tell because I say it so fast (us speedy Aussies!) but...I think I'd say 'an historical event'. Try it out loud.

[tammaiya.livejournal.com]

I think if you say it fast you actually say "an 'istorical". I did try it; if you say it slowly, oral pace, it sounds weird to put an in front of historical.

Mostly I object to other words that used to be a silent h, though, like hotel and herb. Because at least historical often still gets said 'istorical. An herb just ANNOYS me.

[nefthoron.livejournal.com]

I definitely say 'a historical', myself. It's definitely grammatically accurate to say it that way. In England, anyway.

Heehee, free will vs determinism. We went over that in Philosophy the other week - what a delightful subject it is. I, too, would have made a variety of strangled noises, and would have possibly tried to burn the textbook. =D

You know, I can't get in to see Brokeback Mountain, either. Everyone wants them some cowboy over here, too, and its been out a lot longer here too I think.

[tammaiya.livejournal.com]

Hooray, support!

Did I ever tell you about how studying free will in Religion & Philosophy was one of the major influencing factors of the original version of Innocence Lost?

I'm sure it's obvious anyway. *g*