Miscellanea: 1

(1) The Leaders of the English Speaking World met in Washington. There was no ANZAC contingent present.
 “In Iraq, mistakes were made.”
I am positive that this is an example from some sort of grammar from my past, some English instruction manual. I cannot remember if it is The Elements of Style by Strunk or Modern English Usage by Fowler or some other book. Those are the two I’ve read. I continually read Fowler’s Modern English Usage. Do not read an updated version. Both books were published around 1918 or so. Our use of English has changed so greatly that all of Fowler’s examples of incorrect usage appear to me to be correct. That isn’t the important point. Fowler will show you how to wield an English of the utmost precision and brevity. No one else will do that.

In Prep School we had an example similar to “mistakes were made”. “Sitting at the table, coffee and doughnuts were served.” was a favorite of Fr. Hamilton to demonstrate an ambiguity of the present participle used in a something-or-other clause. So we took it with us to Latin class where it became: “Sedentes circum mensam, coffeus et doughnutae servabantur.” and once we became familiar with ablative absolutes: “Sedentibus circum mensam, …” and so on.
These things sound better in the passive voice. I myself always say, “mistakes were made” instead of “I messed up.” I notice it sounds even better in Latin: “In Mesopotamia, errores facti sunt.” and I am off the uncus ( a large iron hook ).


(2) I have heard it said that once you begin to dream in a language, you are well on the high road to mastery. Good, I think. I had a dream. I do not think it was in Arabic. However, the memory of the dream came to me as: ‘aHlum bi shakulata ( using H for the emphatic “h” ) which means “ I dream in chocolate.”

Since I was not dreaming of, not to mention in, chocolate, it was mystifying. I did catch a glimpse of Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka the other day. That may be germane. I do not actually believe dreams “mean” anything at all. I think that there are steps that the brain uses to change experiences from Immediate to Short Term to Long Term memory and dreams are the first conscious step in the process. The preceding steps are like the beatings of the heart; you do not notice them.
So we may link up memories to experiences if that’s what you mean by Meaning. We’ll get into linking up memories to FUTURE experiences a little later when I have the nerve to write about intuitions of the future.


(3) As Memorial Day approaches, I need to buy some more geraniums for my parents. His “parents” you say. How old must they be?! I mean, this guy is old enough to go to the same gym as Methusaleh. Well, that’s as nice way to start off the holiday.
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