George Carlin and the English Language
~ RIP George Carlin ~
George Carlin will always be known as the foul-mouthed comedian who went to the Supreme Court over the seven dirty words you can’t say on television, but let’s give it up for a person who thought a lot about language, how we use it, and how we respond to it.
One of my favorites is his bit about Airline Language, and other examples of fussy, inflated speech intended to sound more scientific or authoritative that it is. George Carlin said with stand-up what George Orwell said with the essay “Politics and the English Language.”
Both Georges really wanted folks to be aware of the language they hear all the time, and the foolish or emotionally-manipulated thinking that language encourages.
The movie Idiocracy shows where that takes us (I gave up looking for a clip of the cops talking, but that would have been perfect).
Let’s pour a little Brawndo on the ground for our dead homie George.
I am very sad that Carlin died, too. I nearly choked to death on some M&Ms I was eating as I watched his opening performance on “The Aristocrats” I laughed so hard. The rest of the movie was a let down in comparison. I love comedians who know how to use their foul mouths in smart ways.
haha totally. My favorite in the Aristocrats was Bob Saget. I almost choked on my own tongue! His later stand up isn’t all that funny, aside from watching the therapeutic effect of Saget letting loose with all the verbal wind he’s been holding in. He curses with the joy of a 10 yr old boy. I sorta feel like tousling his hair and telling him it’s gonna be ok.
If I had to name the word I find most disgusting, off-putting and generally gross-feeling today, it would have to be “lifestyle.”
Lifestyle is the grossest word ever. It’s especially disgusting when used in political speech, subtitles of blogs or publications, and advertisements. (aside: Lifestyle condoms are almost forgivable. Doesn’t the name Trojan imply something that seems safe, is granted entry, and then a bunch of manthings spill out and take over your area? hello!)
But yeah, Life and Style should never have been joined in an unholy union. Sorry, I just had to get that out. I’m gonna go body-brush now.
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