I’ve a grand memory for forgetting Kidnapped (1886). Stevenson, Robert Louis Memory. There is declarative memory where you recall specific information - such as recalling a mobile number or email address. And then there is working memory. There is short term memory where memories are created before vanishing minutes later. According to 19th century researcher…
Style
Not just of the world of fashion; so too, style is quintessential to the world of the written word. Appreciated and admired: the qualities of style enhance understanding, appeal to the emotions, and fulfil the purpose for the communication. The qualities of style are clarity, consistency, vividness, aptness, and aesthetic appeal. Grammatically correct sentences, unambiguous…
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
'Good-night, good-night! parting is such sweet sorrow That I shall say good-night till it be morrow.' Romeo and Juliet. Act 2, Scene 2, Line 176 1595. Shakespeare, W. Not wanting to say goodbye, farewell, or adieu: you linger. Never mind having read the book from cover to cover. And never mind knowing what happens: still…
Can You Hear The Music?
Not just the exclusive domain of composers, singers, and musicians: can you hear the music in spoken language? Just like the arrangement of notes on a musical score; so too, the arrangement of words can infuse speech with a lyrical quality. Just like the tempo or speed at which music is played; so too, words…
Giving Up So Soon?
In 1937 George and Ira Gershwin wrote a song entitled: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off. The lyrics highlight the differences between two people illustrated by their regional dialects; for example: You like to-may-toes and I like to-mah-toes… There is no doubting it: life is complicated, people are complex and living languages – such as…
Sapphire Muse 