Monday, September 12, 2005

Word Dare

I came across this provocative statement by G.K. Chesterton when I was paging through his masterpiece, Orthodoxy. His pronouncement must come as something as a challenge to us VRPers, though not an entirely unlooked-for one (see my statement re: "one-syllable flair").

But how does one respond to this throwing-down of the verbal gauntlet? And is anyone willing to try and write a post entirely with one-syllable words?*

Long words go rattling by us like long railway trains. We know they are carrying thousands who are too tired or too indolent to walk and think for themselves. It is a good exercise to try for once in a way to express any opinion one holds in words of one syllable… The long words are not the hard words, it is the short words that are hard. There is much more metaphysical subtlety in the word “damn” than in the word “degeneration.


* I'm thinking about it. If anyone else wants to give it a shot, your post will definitely be linked for instructional (and recreational) purposes.

10 Comments:

Blogger Erin said...

haha, I'm going to try it, I'll let you know if I actually succeed!

6:41 AM  
Blogger Andrew Simone said...

I'll take a crack at it, err, after all my school work.

9:12 AM  
Blogger ninjapoodles said...

What are the rules? How long must it be? By George, would you look at this? I've gone and done it even now!

(Seriously, make with some guidelines.)

11:38 AM  
Blogger AJ said...

Guidelines, eh. Well...the post must be half a page, or at least several good paragraphs. If longer, you will be elevated to genius status.

As well, the post's content must mirror the standards (high, of course) which your blog normally maintains.

No "see Spot run" stuff. The post should contain some propositional content; that is, we should be able to read it and agree.

Now that the rules have been posted, you may break them at your leisure.

2:03 PM  
Blogger ninjapoodles said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

3:22 AM  
Blogger ninjapoodles said...

Mine is finished and posted. I think I pulled it off--I assumed that the title didn't count as part of the post, but if it does, I can change it quickly.

That was fun, let's do some more!

Single-Syllable-Soul-Searching

4:06 AM  
Blogger ninjapoodles said...

OK, so I apparently can't form a hyperlink that works. Not surprising. That is the title, above, and it is at http://ninjapoodles.blogspot.com.

Sheesh. Computers make my teeth hurt.

4:09 AM  
Blogger AJ said...

By George, I have gone and done it too. I think the task made small changes to my mind. Will I do this more later? No vows. But read One Sick Life and then you go try it.

8:08 AM  
Blogger Erin said...

I've done it too, I hope it's long enough! It's right here. Now I'm off to read yours!

8:14 AM  
Blogger Erin said...

maybe if I post the right link it would help

Here

7:14 PM  

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