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15 jaar geleden
zondag 20 mei 2012
donderdag 16 februari 2012
A Dip
10 AM on a Thursday morning in snow-covered Prague. No better moment than this to refresh my blog with a quick dip into the popular culture I've been assimilating of late.
First off, I've got a new favourite song. It's called "Down with the Sickness", by Disturbed - a metal band I've started listening to a week ago. It might sound familiar, since I believe it's been used on several soundtracks - both films and video games, maybe some pro-wrestling tournaments as well.
Here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LTT0xwdfw&ob=av3e
Besides this, I've also seen a few movies. Underneath you'll find some reviews.
Warrior (2011), Gavin O'Connor
Some of you might know martial-art movies are a guilty pleasure of mine. This one adds an extra element to the genre, being a broken family.
More specifically, it talks of two brothers who were separated at a young age due to a conflict between their mother and alcoholic father, and are finally re-united by way of a big MMA tournament in which they both contend.
I especially liked the build-up (which, as you'll know, is key in any decent brawl movie), opposing the two brothers's lives: while Brendan (Joel Edgerton) ended up quite well as a physics teacher with a wife and family, Tommy (Tom Hardy) stayed with his dying mother, joined the marines and became an embittered young man.
It's particularly interesting to see these personalities reflected in their respective fighting styles: where Brendan is a calculating fighter, awaiting the key moment to put his opponent in a hold - meanwhile taking a lot of punches - , Tommy is an all-out brawler who lashes out with all the rage he's built up over the years.
The film was hugely popular in the States and has been raking in nominations and prizes, particularly for one particular element, being the role of the 'born-again-christian' alcoholic father, who is very skillfully portrayed by Nick Nolte. He even got an Oscar nomination out of it. Though I wouldn't say it's worth a win, judging by the competition and given that he's already missed out on two earlier nominations, he's very likely to be taking it home this time around.
Another highlight is Tom Hardy's performance,
who's very likely to become Hollywood's new 'flavour of the month'. We've seen him in weight:bold;">Inception, though we probably don't remember him :)
And we will be seeing him in
This Means War, Tailor Tinker Soldier Spy , and, of course, The Dark Knight Rises so get used to him, because he'll be all over our retina for the coming months.
Right, I can't help but notice this first review took up a lot more space (and time) than I thought, so I'll have to be selective concerning the rest.
Drive (2011), Nicolas Winding Refn
I'm sure the winner of Best Director at Cannes doesn't need much introduction so I'll stick to the facts :) This disturbing movie starts off in a fluffy 80's atmosphere, depicting the daily life of a nameless driver (Ryan Gosling) who gets by doing odd jobs on both sides of the law. He develops an innocent crush on a single mum around the time he gets involved with the local mob. The mobsters in question are given shape to by ever decent Ron Perlman and a deliciously evil Albert Brooks, who has forever etched the proverbial 'dirty hands' into our memory. The role of the unlucky 'entrepreneur' and the driver's employer is reserver for Bryan Cranston, whom some of you will know as the chemistry teacher in Breaking Bad and others as the neurotic dad in the slightly different, yet no less legendary series Malcolm in the Middle
Anyway, the main character is cool in his sickening nihilism, the soundtrack disgustingly smooth and the photography finger-lickingly slick.
Director Nicolas Refn hasn't made much else which would sound familiar, but some of it looks pretty cool, particularly Bronson, a film about a schizophrenic convict starring ...yes... Tom Hardy.
Other films I've seen and which could be worthwhile - I do watch a lot of crap as well :) - are:
The Woman (2011), Lucky McKee
* not for the faint at heart
Jennifer's Body Karyn Kusama
* not as bad as they say, actually quite entertaining at times
Crazy, Stupid, Love. Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
* funny
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Fincher
* Fincher succeeds in adding an extra eeriness to it, plus an interesting title sequence
Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows, Guy Ritchie
* hilarious at times, though the rhythm slackens around the middle, Ritchie is masterful in his depiction of Holmes's train of thought by lightning-quick cuts
The Change-Up
* ok, but not for every one, I confess, I like Ryan Reynolds, sue me
13 Assassins, Takeshi Miike
* surprisingly sober and stylish at the beginning, fiendishly bloody towards the ending
The Road, John Hillcoat
*a bit depressing, nonetheless spectacular
In Time, Andrew Niccol
* has a cool premise, but derails about halfway through
Jumper, Doug Liman
* an underestimated action film, leave it to Doug Liman to have Hayden Christensen be entertaining
Fright Night, Craig Gillespie
* a fun take on the original version, for lovers of the genre (or Colin Farrell)
Cursed, Wes Craven
* an under-rated Wes Craven flick, possibly due to the unpopularity of werewolves (before 'la Meyer', that is) and the somewhat ludicrously looking lycanthropes
My Soul to Take, Wes Craven
* what can I say? we got the taste for Wes last weekend, this wasn't too bad either, though again, for Wes-fans only
Underworld: Awakening, some Swedish guys
* surprisingly entertaining, even if you're not into the genre (I admit, Kate Beckinsale makes up for a hell of a lot)
Star Wars: Episode I 3D, George Lucas
* yes, I fell for it...again AND I HAVE NO REGRETS! not even after watching the Czech dubbed version, since those lazy bums refuse to subtitle 3D pictures. Luckily I had memorized the screenplay beforehand...ahem...anyway, the 3D is a bit superfluous, but it still looks mighty fancy
Ok, so, in the end, I did put some crap in there as well.
In any case, that'l be it for today.
Na shledanou a hezký den!
First off, I've got a new favourite song. It's called "Down with the Sickness", by Disturbed - a metal band I've started listening to a week ago. It might sound familiar, since I believe it's been used on several soundtracks - both films and video games, maybe some pro-wrestling tournaments as well.
Here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LTT0xwdfw&ob=av3e
Besides this, I've also seen a few movies. Underneath you'll find some reviews.
Warrior (2011), Gavin O'Connor
Some of you might know martial-art movies are a guilty pleasure of mine. This one adds an extra element to the genre, being a broken family.
More specifically, it talks of two brothers who were separated at a young age due to a conflict between their mother and alcoholic father, and are finally re-united by way of a big MMA tournament in which they both contend.
I especially liked the build-up (which, as you'll know, is key in any decent brawl movie), opposing the two brothers's lives: while Brendan (Joel Edgerton) ended up quite well as a physics teacher with a wife and family, Tommy (Tom Hardy) stayed with his dying mother, joined the marines and became an embittered young man.
It's particularly interesting to see these personalities reflected in their respective fighting styles: where Brendan is a calculating fighter, awaiting the key moment to put his opponent in a hold - meanwhile taking a lot of punches - , Tommy is an all-out brawler who lashes out with all the rage he's built up over the years.
The film was hugely popular in the States and has been raking in nominations and prizes, particularly for one particular element, being the role of the 'born-again-christian' alcoholic father, who is very skillfully portrayed by Nick Nolte. He even got an Oscar nomination out of it. Though I wouldn't say it's worth a win, judging by the competition and given that he's already missed out on two earlier nominations, he's very likely to be taking it home this time around.
Another highlight is Tom Hardy's performance,
who's very likely to become Hollywood's new 'flavour of the month'. We've seen him in weight:bold;">Inception, though we probably don't remember him :)
And we will be seeing him in
This Means War, Tailor Tinker Soldier Spy , and, of course, The Dark Knight Rises so get used to him, because he'll be all over our retina for the coming months.
Right, I can't help but notice this first review took up a lot more space (and time) than I thought, so I'll have to be selective concerning the rest.
Drive (2011), Nicolas Winding Refn
I'm sure the winner of Best Director at Cannes doesn't need much introduction so I'll stick to the facts :) This disturbing movie starts off in a fluffy 80's atmosphere, depicting the daily life of a nameless driver (Ryan Gosling) who gets by doing odd jobs on both sides of the law. He develops an innocent crush on a single mum around the time he gets involved with the local mob. The mobsters in question are given shape to by ever decent Ron Perlman and a deliciously evil Albert Brooks, who has forever etched the proverbial 'dirty hands' into our memory. The role of the unlucky 'entrepreneur' and the driver's employer is reserver for Bryan Cranston, whom some of you will know as the chemistry teacher in Breaking Bad and others as the neurotic dad in the slightly different, yet no less legendary series Malcolm in the Middle
Anyway, the main character is cool in his sickening nihilism, the soundtrack disgustingly smooth and the photography finger-lickingly slick.
Director Nicolas Refn hasn't made much else which would sound familiar, but some of it looks pretty cool, particularly Bronson, a film about a schizophrenic convict starring ...yes... Tom Hardy.
Other films I've seen and which could be worthwhile - I do watch a lot of crap as well :) - are:
The Woman (2011), Lucky McKee
* not for the faint at heart
Jennifer's Body Karyn Kusama
* not as bad as they say, actually quite entertaining at times
Crazy, Stupid, Love. Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
* funny
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Fincher
* Fincher succeeds in adding an extra eeriness to it, plus an interesting title sequence
Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows, Guy Ritchie
* hilarious at times, though the rhythm slackens around the middle, Ritchie is masterful in his depiction of Holmes's train of thought by lightning-quick cuts
The Change-Up
* ok, but not for every one, I confess, I like Ryan Reynolds, sue me
13 Assassins, Takeshi Miike
* surprisingly sober and stylish at the beginning, fiendishly bloody towards the ending
The Road, John Hillcoat
*a bit depressing, nonetheless spectacular
In Time, Andrew Niccol
* has a cool premise, but derails about halfway through
Jumper, Doug Liman
* an underestimated action film, leave it to Doug Liman to have Hayden Christensen be entertaining
Fright Night, Craig Gillespie
* a fun take on the original version, for lovers of the genre (or Colin Farrell)
Cursed, Wes Craven
* an under-rated Wes Craven flick, possibly due to the unpopularity of werewolves (before 'la Meyer', that is) and the somewhat ludicrously looking lycanthropes
My Soul to Take, Wes Craven
* what can I say? we got the taste for Wes last weekend, this wasn't too bad either, though again, for Wes-fans only
Underworld: Awakening, some Swedish guys
* surprisingly entertaining, even if you're not into the genre (I admit, Kate Beckinsale makes up for a hell of a lot)
Star Wars: Episode I 3D, George Lucas
* yes, I fell for it...again AND I HAVE NO REGRETS! not even after watching the Czech dubbed version, since those lazy bums refuse to subtitle 3D pictures. Luckily I had memorized the screenplay beforehand...ahem...anyway, the 3D is a bit superfluous, but it still looks mighty fancy
Ok, so, in the end, I did put some crap in there as well.
In any case, that'l be it for today.
Na shledanou a hezký den!
zaterdag 4 februari 2012
-concept-
It seems to me that more and more people prefer to live on islands. This cracked and distorted platform we call society, regretfully, offers the perfect conditions to do so. Where once lay common grounds and public fora to be used for the sharing of knowledge and experience or just plain being together, now lies wasteland.
Deserts soil, cracked open by the rational heat modern man has chosen to apply to its public spaces.
I was once told post-modernism is a myth. In fact, man is still radicalizing modern concepts, pushing them to sterile and inhuman limits.
For me, these terms are what post-modernism brings to mind. Pas the edge of the cliff, at the end of modernism, must've awaited this dry, barren land; drained by the blistering sun of modernity's shining rational light.
Then again, perhaps there is no aftermath. Perhaps there never was a shining light. Only a cold, sense-numbing individualization, isolating us onto drifting shards of ice.
The further we push ourselves in opposite directions, the more people will fall through the cracks.
Those are the unlucky ones; unable to comply with the sterile loneliness this shattered social platform implies. They tumble tumble back into the abyss of the irrational wholesomeness that once was, though now forever banished from consciously thinking minds.
If lucky, they might be considered mildly productive and be invited to share their wicked thoughts of vivid colours and prickling smells for the entertainment of those who float and who might, in turn, offer them a floater, as a token of appreciation for this glimpse of something they barely recall and a moment of glee.
Nonetheless, the loneliness remains. The cold persists. And the gaping whole of essence being eaten away by nibbling anti-matter grows incessantly.
Deserts soil, cracked open by the rational heat modern man has chosen to apply to its public spaces.
I was once told post-modernism is a myth. In fact, man is still radicalizing modern concepts, pushing them to sterile and inhuman limits.
For me, these terms are what post-modernism brings to mind. Pas the edge of the cliff, at the end of modernism, must've awaited this dry, barren land; drained by the blistering sun of modernity's shining rational light.
Then again, perhaps there is no aftermath. Perhaps there never was a shining light. Only a cold, sense-numbing individualization, isolating us onto drifting shards of ice.
The further we push ourselves in opposite directions, the more people will fall through the cracks.
Those are the unlucky ones; unable to comply with the sterile loneliness this shattered social platform implies. They tumble tumble back into the abyss of the irrational wholesomeness that once was, though now forever banished from consciously thinking minds.
If lucky, they might be considered mildly productive and be invited to share their wicked thoughts of vivid colours and prickling smells for the entertainment of those who float and who might, in turn, offer them a floater, as a token of appreciation for this glimpse of something they barely recall and a moment of glee.
Nonetheless, the loneliness remains. The cold persists. And the gaping whole of essence being eaten away by nibbling anti-matter grows incessantly.
donderdag 12 januari 2012
10 Reasons (or more) why I categorically refuse to give old ladies my seat
Czech people have this peculiar habit of standing up for old ladies and offering them their seat.
I hereby offer a set of reasons why I refuse to do so on principle.
1) They never ask to have a seat.
They merely give you the 'Evil Eye', secretly hoping Lévinas was right and 'the Other's Look' will eventually incite you to give up your seat.
2)Should you decide to offer them your seat, 9 out of 10, they will refuse and make you look like an arse for everyone to see.
3) They elbow you in public places.
Assuming they have precious little time left, they use their pointy little arm extremities to jab you out of the way and give you a nice bruise in the ribs in the process.
* The walking rack and/or cane or also often used to the same objective.
4) They cut in line.
Be it at the supermarket, the post-office or any line for free give-aways...Where there's a line to be cut, cut it they shall.
5) They smell of mothballs
6) They're all witches in disguise.
7) Each one of them, one way or another, has made at least one man's life miserable for a certain period of time.
8) They step on your toes in crowds.
Using their tricky little feet and/or canes - in the use of which they demonstrate uncanny dexterity - they trample your feet whenever they get the chance. This they do, not for any particular reason, but out of sheer malice.
9) They snitch.
While they themselves will gladly seize any occasion to cheat, lie or steal in order to save an extra penny, whenever you yourself are doing anything slightly illegal or prohibited, you better make damn sure there are no old ladies around, because they will rat your ass out.
10) They dress in endangered species.
11) Their smiles kill babies.
12) They hunch.
It's general knowledge that hunching people should not be trusted.
E.g.: Darth Sidious, Smeagol, Santa Clause, the Pope,...
13) They have rats dressed up as dogs for pets.
These evermore aggressive critters, they carry around in handbags.
14) They nick all the free newspapers before anyone else has even gotten out of bed.
15) They all vote right-wing.
16) They're convinced left-wing politicians and immigrants are to be blamed for every conceivable problem: from unemployment to global warming.
17) Their heads look like dandelions.
18) They, systematically, stand on the left side of electric staircases. Just to piss you off!
19) They feed the stray cats in the neighborhood. Thus secretly raising an army of nefarious felines, which they will one day unleash upon the earth.
20) They like Dan Brown.
21)They sleep less than 5 hours a night..I'm sorry, but that's just scary. What do they do with the remaining hours, when the rest of us are dipped in innocent slumber? Do they prowl around? Thinking up evil schemes to apply the next day? Naturally..
22) In spite of having nothing to do all day, they insist on using public transport at rush hour, preying on guileless victims to inflict any of the above unto.
I could go on, but I think the basic idea will probably be clear by now. What remains is to ask you, dear reader, if you can think of anything more fulfilling then granting one these fiends an unsuspecting smile from your infinitely comfortable seat? I wouldn't think so.
I hereby offer a set of reasons why I refuse to do so on principle.
1) They never ask to have a seat.
They merely give you the 'Evil Eye', secretly hoping Lévinas was right and 'the Other's Look' will eventually incite you to give up your seat.
2)Should you decide to offer them your seat, 9 out of 10, they will refuse and make you look like an arse for everyone to see.
3) They elbow you in public places.
Assuming they have precious little time left, they use their pointy little arm extremities to jab you out of the way and give you a nice bruise in the ribs in the process.
* The walking rack and/or cane or also often used to the same objective.
4) They cut in line.
Be it at the supermarket, the post-office or any line for free give-aways...Where there's a line to be cut, cut it they shall.
5) They smell of mothballs
6) They're all witches in disguise.
7) Each one of them, one way or another, has made at least one man's life miserable for a certain period of time.
8) They step on your toes in crowds.
Using their tricky little feet and/or canes - in the use of which they demonstrate uncanny dexterity - they trample your feet whenever they get the chance. This they do, not for any particular reason, but out of sheer malice.
9) They snitch.
While they themselves will gladly seize any occasion to cheat, lie or steal in order to save an extra penny, whenever you yourself are doing anything slightly illegal or prohibited, you better make damn sure there are no old ladies around, because they will rat your ass out.
10) They dress in endangered species.
11) Their smiles kill babies.
12) They hunch.
It's general knowledge that hunching people should not be trusted.
E.g.: Darth Sidious, Smeagol, Santa Clause, the Pope,...
13) They have rats dressed up as dogs for pets.
These evermore aggressive critters, they carry around in handbags.
14) They nick all the free newspapers before anyone else has even gotten out of bed.
15) They all vote right-wing.
16) They're convinced left-wing politicians and immigrants are to be blamed for every conceivable problem: from unemployment to global warming.
17) Their heads look like dandelions.
18) They, systematically, stand on the left side of electric staircases. Just to piss you off!
19) They feed the stray cats in the neighborhood. Thus secretly raising an army of nefarious felines, which they will one day unleash upon the earth.
20) They like Dan Brown.
21)They sleep less than 5 hours a night..I'm sorry, but that's just scary. What do they do with the remaining hours, when the rest of us are dipped in innocent slumber? Do they prowl around? Thinking up evil schemes to apply the next day? Naturally..
22) In spite of having nothing to do all day, they insist on using public transport at rush hour, preying on guileless victims to inflict any of the above unto.
I could go on, but I think the basic idea will probably be clear by now. What remains is to ask you, dear reader, if you can think of anything more fulfilling then granting one these fiends an unsuspecting smile from your infinitely comfortable seat? I wouldn't think so.
zaterdag 7 januari 2012
Český večer
Tak dnes píšu neco v čestine, protože mám přítelkyní velmi ctižádostivou, která sí myslí že blog s názvem 'Nick v Praze' potřebuje minimalné jednou českou zpravu, jenom pro vzrůst jeho důvěryhodnosti.
Dobrou noc a hezkou neděli!
Dobrou noc a hezkou neděli!
donderdag 5 januari 2012
A (very) Short Story
I finally went mad when I was 36. The event surprised me in many ways. For instance, it happened a lot later than I’d expected. I never thought I’d make it past my 20th birthday.
Another thing was the way it happened: simply overnight. I went to sleep as a very sane person. When I woke up, I clearly felt I was insane.
It wasn’t as scary as I’d always thought it would be. I’d always dreaded the day when I’d become lost in my own tangled web of diverse personalities and contrary urges. Yet, in the end, it wasn’t all that bad. Perhaps the change in perception made me fear it no longer, since I had simply become a part of it.
My first question was how to continue existence. Should this even be considered? Perhaps it didn’t even concern me anymorer. After all, I couldn’t possibly be held responsible for my actions any longer. Still, I pondered all morning about what to do with the rest of my life and, for starters, with the rest of my day. Simply go to work? Newly introduced to insanity. It sounded rather useless. Not to mention tedious. But what to do then? What does one do at a moment like this?
After a bit more pondering I got up. It was around 7 a.m., but, needless to say, this information couldn’t be trusted, since a clock is a round, 2-dimensional instrument and therefore one of the easiest images to get distorted in one’s mind’s eye.
I took a look in the mirror and saw someone vaguely familiar. It felt like on of those ackward moments at a cocktail party; meeting an acquaintance you couldn’t place if your life depended on it. Perhaps I was at a cocktail party, temporarily phasing out in the middle of a conversation about Swedish prawns and international fiscal accountability.
In any case, I bade the unplaceable acquaintance goodnight and went on about my business.
I decided I would go to work. The way to get there was the trickiest bit. Every one seemed to know about my newly acquired mental distortion. I took little notice of the worried stares and whispers on the metro and ended up spending a lovely and most enjoyable day at work. I chatted freely with all my colleagues, even the ones I didn’t know from Adam. I helped out whereever I could; settling problems and solving differences where I went, prancing and dancing from office to office, leaving a trail of contentment and colourful flowers in my wake.
When the clock struck quitting time I was sent on my way with cheers and clapping, receiving, handshakes, shoulder pats and newborn babies to bestow benevolent kisses upon.
On the way home, it crossed my mind I may not have gone to work at all. What with my altered perception and all, I might as well have gone to the local supermarket and pranced around between the isles and startled shoppers. Then I decided this was much too sane a thought to be worrying about in my newly obtained state of mind, so I dispensed of it and returned to my happy mood.
On coming home I shouted ‘Howdie Joe!’ to the unplaceable acquaintance. He was still there and I’d just decided this is how I always greet people I don’t know or aren’t important enought to remember. Since I’d lost my wits, this type of situation was bound to present itself more often, so I needed a suitable strategy to adress it.
I went to the mini-bar I don’t have and poured myself a double whiskey, straight up. From now on this is what I always do after a succesful day at work. I’m of the sound conviction that even the smallest of achievements should be celebrated and cherished. I beckoned my wildly attractive wife and had her join me on our cashmere couch, which we’d picked up on one of our many trips to India and she nestled up against me in her sexy transparent night gown; which she always wears when I come home in this great a mood.
I decided there and then I would stop writing down my achievements. After all, they would soon be known by all and, in the end, keeping a diary didn’t quite suit my recently gained mental status.
It befalls me to tell you then, dear reader, you’ll lose the pleasure of sharing in the wonderful experience of my daily adventures. But I can tell you one thing: it’ll be grand.
Another thing was the way it happened: simply overnight. I went to sleep as a very sane person. When I woke up, I clearly felt I was insane.
It wasn’t as scary as I’d always thought it would be. I’d always dreaded the day when I’d become lost in my own tangled web of diverse personalities and contrary urges. Yet, in the end, it wasn’t all that bad. Perhaps the change in perception made me fear it no longer, since I had simply become a part of it.
My first question was how to continue existence. Should this even be considered? Perhaps it didn’t even concern me anymorer. After all, I couldn’t possibly be held responsible for my actions any longer. Still, I pondered all morning about what to do with the rest of my life and, for starters, with the rest of my day. Simply go to work? Newly introduced to insanity. It sounded rather useless. Not to mention tedious. But what to do then? What does one do at a moment like this?
After a bit more pondering I got up. It was around 7 a.m., but, needless to say, this information couldn’t be trusted, since a clock is a round, 2-dimensional instrument and therefore one of the easiest images to get distorted in one’s mind’s eye.
I took a look in the mirror and saw someone vaguely familiar. It felt like on of those ackward moments at a cocktail party; meeting an acquaintance you couldn’t place if your life depended on it. Perhaps I was at a cocktail party, temporarily phasing out in the middle of a conversation about Swedish prawns and international fiscal accountability.
In any case, I bade the unplaceable acquaintance goodnight and went on about my business.
I decided I would go to work. The way to get there was the trickiest bit. Every one seemed to know about my newly acquired mental distortion. I took little notice of the worried stares and whispers on the metro and ended up spending a lovely and most enjoyable day at work. I chatted freely with all my colleagues, even the ones I didn’t know from Adam. I helped out whereever I could; settling problems and solving differences where I went, prancing and dancing from office to office, leaving a trail of contentment and colourful flowers in my wake.
When the clock struck quitting time I was sent on my way with cheers and clapping, receiving, handshakes, shoulder pats and newborn babies to bestow benevolent kisses upon.
On the way home, it crossed my mind I may not have gone to work at all. What with my altered perception and all, I might as well have gone to the local supermarket and pranced around between the isles and startled shoppers. Then I decided this was much too sane a thought to be worrying about in my newly obtained state of mind, so I dispensed of it and returned to my happy mood.
On coming home I shouted ‘Howdie Joe!’ to the unplaceable acquaintance. He was still there and I’d just decided this is how I always greet people I don’t know or aren’t important enought to remember. Since I’d lost my wits, this type of situation was bound to present itself more often, so I needed a suitable strategy to adress it.
I went to the mini-bar I don’t have and poured myself a double whiskey, straight up. From now on this is what I always do after a succesful day at work. I’m of the sound conviction that even the smallest of achievements should be celebrated and cherished. I beckoned my wildly attractive wife and had her join me on our cashmere couch, which we’d picked up on one of our many trips to India and she nestled up against me in her sexy transparent night gown; which she always wears when I come home in this great a mood.
I decided there and then I would stop writing down my achievements. After all, they would soon be known by all and, in the end, keeping a diary didn’t quite suit my recently gained mental status.
It befalls me to tell you then, dear reader, you’ll lose the pleasure of sharing in the wonderful experience of my daily adventures. But I can tell you one thing: it’ll be grand.
Taalinterferenties
Vandaag nog eens iets in het Nederlands, in de hoop taalpuristen wat minder voor het hoofd te stoten met de engelstalige posts.
Het onderwerp van vandaag's post is dan ook - let op de naadloze overgang - de reden voor deze plotse linguïstische ommekeer sinds nieuwjaar.
De voornaamste reden is het feit dat ik, telkens ik uit België - totnogtoe, een hoofdzakelijk Nederlandstalige omgeving - terugkeer, de eerste paar dagen lijd aan taalinterferenties. Simpel gezegd, ik transposeer Nederlandstalige constructies en collocaties naar het Engels.* Nodeloos te zeggen dat dit in een didactieke context - zoals bijvoorbeeld een Engelse conversatie-les - niet altijd productief is. Vandaar dat ik, vooral tijdens de eerste dagen, het Nederlands zoveel mogelijk probeer te ontwijken, om op die manier zo snel mogelijk naar een Engelse taalconfiguratie terug te keren.
Om het begrip van de taalinterferentie iets duidelijker te maken en tegelijk een interactieve noot aan de blog toe voegen heb ik in de bovenstaande alinea's 4 taalinterferenties ingevoegd: in dit geval Engelse constructies, collocaties of spellingswijzes die foutief getransponeerd zijn op het Nederlands.
Een fabuleuze prijs wacht op degene die ze alle vier vindt. Moest iemand er enkele onbedoelde terugvinden, dan wacht deze persoon enkel een misprijzende blik vanmijnentwege.
*Voor een uitgebreidere analyse van dit veelvoorkomende fenomeen, zie het volgende naslagwerk : Análisis de la adquisición de segundas lenguas y su procesamiento cognitivo mediante el comportamiento lingüístico de varios estudiantes de lenguas., Nick Callebaut (2009) Ook zeer aan te raden als ontspannende avond- en/of vakantielectuur.
Het onderwerp van vandaag's post is dan ook - let op de naadloze overgang - de reden voor deze plotse linguïstische ommekeer sinds nieuwjaar.
De voornaamste reden is het feit dat ik, telkens ik uit België - totnogtoe, een hoofdzakelijk Nederlandstalige omgeving - terugkeer, de eerste paar dagen lijd aan taalinterferenties. Simpel gezegd, ik transposeer Nederlandstalige constructies en collocaties naar het Engels.* Nodeloos te zeggen dat dit in een didactieke context - zoals bijvoorbeeld een Engelse conversatie-les - niet altijd productief is. Vandaar dat ik, vooral tijdens de eerste dagen, het Nederlands zoveel mogelijk probeer te ontwijken, om op die manier zo snel mogelijk naar een Engelse taalconfiguratie terug te keren.
Om het begrip van de taalinterferentie iets duidelijker te maken en tegelijk een interactieve noot aan de blog toe voegen heb ik in de bovenstaande alinea's 4 taalinterferenties ingevoegd: in dit geval Engelse constructies, collocaties of spellingswijzes die foutief getransponeerd zijn op het Nederlands.
Een fabuleuze prijs wacht op degene die ze alle vier vindt. Moest iemand er enkele onbedoelde terugvinden, dan wacht deze persoon enkel een misprijzende blik vanmijnentwege.
*Voor een uitgebreidere analyse van dit veelvoorkomende fenomeen, zie het volgende naslagwerk : Análisis de la adquisición de segundas lenguas y su procesamiento cognitivo mediante el comportamiento lingüístico de varios estudiantes de lenguas., Nick Callebaut (2009) Ook zeer aan te raden als ontspannende avond- en/of vakantielectuur.
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