TESOL and other Language Plays

Hello All. The end is in sight. No, Darren, not the itchy end. Ah, no, not the end of the world, either, the end of my TESOL course. That's Teaching English as a Second or Other Language to the uninitiated. I have handed in my assignments, attended my last class and just have the take-home exam to do this weekend. Since I also work both Saturday and Sunday and have to attend to my laundry this weekend or buy new undies, I won't be coming up for air until Monday.

But I just wanted to share with everyone out in blogland another blog that is very amusing. Go to the blog listed below. The blogger posts pictures of incorrect use of quotation marks. This blog is funny if you know that the proper use of quotation marks in these examples is to indicate something that is ironic. Like naming Robin Hood's six-foot sidekick, "Little" John. In other words, if you use "dog" it usually means something that isn't a real dog. (A fake dog? Something dog-like? A cat?) But most people use quotation marks as emphasis when they should use boldface or underlining. Interpreting the quotation marks as if they were used correctly creates funny meanings. Well, maybe my sense of humour is warped.

I challenge you to go to the blog look at the billboard using the phrase Thank "God"and not laugh. Just make sure you read the entire group of comments. People who play with language are so funny. I laughed so hard, my sides are aching. And I'm still laughing.

http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/2007/10/or-whatever-diety.html

And for all you grammarphiles, linguistic nerds, and punsters this blog has links to other interesting blogs that play with language. All this talk about language play is turning me on. Might this be the ultimate pick-up line? "Would you like to play with my collocations?"

That, of course, is the other major use of quotation marks - to indicate what someone has said. Even if the someone is an imaginary speaker.

Gotta go. One more time at the "God" site before I go to sleep. He would have loved it.

There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can't. - Warren Buffet