I find myself using superlatives superfluously--especially of late.
Example: "I will never get into school" has now become, "I will never get out of school."
or the ever popular--"This always happens to me!" when I have a crummy day.
I have also found myself falling into the trap of using superlatives as a statement of fact-an obvious fallacy. I also rule out potentialities with a simple flick of the tongue.
How powerful is the broad brush NEVER-and how inclusive, but inaccurate the reach of ALWAYS. I really must learn to use them more carefully.
It reminds me of part of the book, The Phantom Tollbooth-where the main character Milo went to a kingdom in which the king had him eat his words. He misunderstood the instructions and gave a lenghty and boring speech because he thought that the more important the words, the better they would taste. Then the king got up and spoke all sorts of delicacies, which he then ate. Needless to say, Milo's words were bland and worthless--and no matter how grand did him no good...
I suppose the two aren't really related...I'm a bit tired. I think I need to go back and read that book again--or watch the goofy 70's version...it's hilarious-it goes from regular movie to cartoon, to movie again...and has really corny songs---it's a classic. Run, don't walk to a video rental store and get it to show to a 10 year old you know--it'll educate them about proper verb-subject agreement-so important in these troubled times.
6 comments:
New posts, new posts :-) A very keen observation. I've never read that book or seen the movie, but it looks interesting.
oh, it is----it's so fun....happy days
I think we read it in the 6th grade or something--my teacher used different voices for all the characters---she was the best :)
That DOES sound like a good book. Also, I like superlatives, too. Hyperbole can make me feel... vindicated for feeling a certaiin way. It's such a trap, though.
We WILL get out of school. ;-)
This happens FAR TOO FREQUENTLY... *sigh* even if it does feel like always.
we will get out....oh yes
we will get out...
even if it takes till we're 90...
And if it DOES take until we're ninety, then we'll get on a Channel 4 special about the students who stuck with their education and didn't quit, even when the going got tough.
I like the afterschool special idea.....we so need to formulate that :).....as a cartoon maybe....with us as tortoises....ambling along...lol
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