Dear Friends,

 

Most of you know me as a newbie, here.

But, I am no newbie to Asia, specifically places like Hong Kong.

I may not know Aberdeen in HK from Glasgow in Scotland; it's true.

However, I have long been interested in languages, as well as great Celtic music, during past decades.

 

Today is just another manic Sunday.

Wish it were a fun day....

Or, preferably, fish day, again,

So that tomorrow would be Saturday.

 

The culture of Scotland left its mark on Hong Kong, thankfully.

Those days are gone, alas.

Many guys from Scotland have migrated from Hong Kong to Thailand, according to my understanding.

And, James Clavell used to be one of my favorite authors when I was young.

Whether or not he did justice to the true history, I leave up to you to debate.

 

The point of this post is just to wonder aloud whether you have read the book mentioned in the title of this topic?

Lewis Carroll must have been a playful sort of some intelligence.

His stories are remarkable. 

 

I don't know too much about Glaswegian.

But, I really love it when the Glasgow dialect is referred to as Glasgow patter.

 

In my opinion, in this case, one can never be thankful enough for diversity.

 

From my perspective, the thicker the brogue, the more I feel alive.

Nobody wants to live in a world which is sanitized and hobbled to the point where we all speak the same.

 

Actually, from what I can tell, this "Alice's Adventirs in Wunnerlaun" translation is something new, as of 2014.

The translation was done lovingly by the Scottish poet and writer, Thomas Clark.

 

So then, what do you think?

 

Did this guy do the book justice in his translation?

 

And, how sorrowful do you feel about losing Hong Kong, which is something I do feel sorrowful about.

 

Best regards,

GammaG

 

Note:  We will meet again. Don't know where.  Don't know when.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please do not misunderstand my sympathies about this topic:

 

I have been cryin' my eyes out, since 1997.

Absolutely.

Like Rooster on acid ????

Having visited Glasgow once, I found the accent to be barely comprehensible.

I prefer the unzed and South African accents more amusing, due to the comic use of interchangeable vowels.

The OP should acquire " Let's Talk Strine" by Professor Afferbeck Lauder, to familiarize himself with the Aussie version.

Personally, I prefer Charles Kingsley's "The Water Babies" . "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" is probably too racist for today.

28 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Having visited Glasgow once, I found the accent to be barely comprehensible.

I prefer the unzed and South African accents more amusing, due to the comic use of interchangeable vowels.

The OP should acquire " Let's Talk Strine" by Professor Afferbeck Lauder, to familiarize himself with the Aussie version.

Personally, I prefer Charles Kingsley's "The Water Babies" . "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" is probably too racist for today.

Unzed is a place, one assumes? 

 

If so, then why not use upper-case U? 

 

Besides, this topic, as is plain to see, is mostly about remembrances and nostalgia concerning HK, and also about dialects which we hope will not continue to be evened out. 

 

Maybe you have some opinions about the loss of, and the Evening-out of rare dialects. 

 

You know, my friend, sometimes I wonder about you. 

 

Superficially, you seem intelligent. However, down deep, I question if you are not shallow. 

 

You state that the music of JS Bach is joyous. But maybe you just read this in a book, somewhere. 

 

Seems to me, you are the type who is never moved by human emotion. 

 

Are you positive that you are not tone deaf to qualities which are uniquely human? 

 

What I am asking is:  Are you sure that you are not a robot?

 

Just a casual observation, and feel free to take this with a grain of salt. 

 

I got you pegged, pretty good, baby. I know that you know. 

 

 

When you get right down tae it, there's only birth, copulation and death. Everything else is pure bloody guesswork! Rab C. Nesbitt

By the way:

 

The contributor, Lacessit, seems to wish us to know something about syncope, something which may or may not have much to do with this topic.

 

Lacessit spoke about being amused by the manipulation of vowels.

Basically, Lacessit is just frustrated because most people realize that his life-long devotion to golfing has proved to be such a sorry waste of time.  He cannot bring himself to admit that all of his wasted hours on the links have provided nothing more than an ever increasing golf score.  Soon, he will hit 100.  And then, he will hit 110.  And, so on.

 

Just so that we know:  

 

Syncope refers to a literary device that involves the shortening of a word by removing or omitting letters. This usually occurs within the middle of words and can refer to the removal of consonants, vowels, and multiple letters one after another.

 

Being 79, one has nothing great to look forward to on the links.

The writs weaken.

One's balance becomes less sure.

And, in the end...

One needs to be carried off the golf course in a body bag, by the caddies.

 

Truly, it's such a sad thing to witness somebody who has nothing else in life, other than to go from hole One, to hole 18, and then back to hole One.  And then, do it all over again, day after day, in the sweltering sun.

 

If you think that manipulation of vowels might be comical, then just witness somebody, hitting his eighth decade, try to hit a ball straight.

So sad, really.

 

Such a sad end, truly.

 

Why is this so sad?

Because, one's golf score just creeps up, year by year.

One will never, again, hit par.

Birdies become almost impossible.

And Eagles are non-existent.

Because, on a par 5, guys of 79 just no longer have the required power.

 

Better call Saul, maybe.

Because, without some "boost", 

Hitting par will always be a distant dream.

 

Sometimes, guys just gotta wake up and get real.

 

Or, like some, old golfers who never say die,

Old golphers just fade away.

 

FADE AWAY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just an intro from Amazon:

 

"Lewis Carroll wis the pen-name ae Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a professor o mathematics at Christ Church, Oxford. His weel-kent story came aboot while he wis oan a rowin trip up the watter ae the Thames in Oxford oan 4 July 1862. Dodgson wis accompanit oan this outin bi the Rev. Robinson Duckworth an three young lassies: Alice Liddell, the ten-year-auld daughter ae the Dean ae Christ Church, an Alice's two sisters, Lorina and Edith, who wir thirteen an eight. As ye kin tell fae the poem at the stairt, the three lassies begged Dodgson fir a story, an so he went oan tae tell them, wioot a hale loat ae enthusiasm tae begin wi, an early version ae the story that wis tae become "Alice's Adventirs in Wunnerlaun". Acause ae this, there's a fair few refrences tae the five traivellers in the boat hauf-hidden away throo-oot the text ae the book, which wis published eventually in 1865. Glaswegian, the dialect ae Scots spoke mainly in Glesca an the surroondin coonty ae Lanarkshire, differs mainly fae ither Scots dialect in the range an variety ae its influences. Glesca's pairt in the 18th Century transatlantic trade o Great Britain, an its later expansion intae an industrial pooer in its ain right, saw the toon turn intae a meltin pot ae cultural differences. Linguistically, the maist important immigrants bi faur wir the Irish an the Scottish Hielanmen, who settlt in Glesca in their droves. The vowel soonds ae Glaswegian, mebbe its maist significant distinguishing merks, owe much tae the pronunciation ae the city's Irish an Hielan incomers. -- Lewis Carroll was the pen-name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a mathematics don in Christ Church, Oxford. "

But, as for me....

 

Some day soon, I will buy this book, "Alice's Adventirs in Wunnerlaun", and I will read it.

And, I know this book will become a prized possession of mine.

 

9 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Unzed is a place, one assumes? 

 

If so, then why not use upper-case U? 

 

Besides, this topic, as is plain to see, is mostly about remembrances and nostalgia concerning HK, and also about dialects which we hope will not continue to be evened out. 

 

Maybe you have some opinions about the loss of, and the Evening-out of rare dialects. 

 

You know, my friend, sometimes I wonder about you. 

 

Superficially, you seem intelligent. However, down deep, I question if you are not shallow. 

 

You state that the music of JS Bach is joyous. But maybe you just read this in a book, somewhere. 

 

Seems to me, you are the type who is never moved by human emotion. 

 

Are you positive that you are not tone deaf to qualities which are uniquely human? 

 

What I am asking is:  Are you sure that you are not a robot?

 

Just a casual observation, and feel free to take this with a grain of salt. 

 

I got you pegged, pretty good, baby. I know that you know. 

 

 

Unzed is the Aussie term for New Zealand.

 

I have always known I was different, and I am thankful for that. How many people live all their lives in dull mediocrity is beyond my comprehension.

 

You should take comfort from Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, I am not Locutus of Borg.

 

I wonder about you too. However, I am not tempted to try my hand at amateur psychoanalysis.

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

By the way:

 

The contributor, Lacessit, seems to wish us to know something about syncope, something which may or may not have much to do with this topic.

 

Lacessit spoke about being amused by the manipulation of vowels.

Basically, Lacessit is just frustrated because most people realize that his life-long devotion to golfing has proved to be such a sorry waste of time.  He cannot bring himself to admit that all of his wasted hours on the links have provided nothing more than an ever increasing golf score.  Soon, he will hit 100.  And then, he will hit 110.  And, so on.

 

Just so that we know:  

 

Syncope refers to a literary device that involves the shortening of a word by removing or omitting letters. This usually occurs within the middle of words and can refer to the removal of consonants, vowels, and multiple letters one after another.

 

Being 79, one has nothing great to look forward to on the links.

The writs weaken.

One's balance becomes less sure.

And, in the end...

One needs to be carried off the golf course in a body bag, by the caddies.

 

Truly, it's such a sad thing to witness somebody who has nothing else in life, other than to go from hole One, to hole 18, and then back to hole One.  And then, do it all over again, day after day, in the sweltering sun.

 

If you think that manipulation of vowels might be comical, then just witness somebody, hitting his eighth decade, try to hit a ball straight.

So sad, really.

 

Such a sad end, truly.

 

Why is this so sad?

Because, one's golf score just creeps up, year by year.

One will never, again, hit par.

Birdies become almost impossible.

And Eagles are non-existent.

Because, on a par 5, guys of 79 just no longer have the required power.

 

Better call Saul, maybe.

Because, without some "boost", 

Hitting par will always be a distant dream.

 

Sometimes, guys just gotta wake up and get real.

 

Or, like some, old golfers who never say die,

Old golphers just fade away.

 

FADE AWAY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will not attempt to educate you on the glories of the greatest game ever invented, except to say 95% of golfers play it badly. The handicap system was designed to provide a level playing field for all levels of ability and age.

 

Reading your babblings on the topic of golf is like listening to a prepubescent child expounding on the sensations experienced during the female orgasm.

30 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Unzed is the Aussie term for New Zealand.

 

I have always known I was different, and I am thankful for that. How many people live all their lives in dull mediocrity is beyond my comprehension.

 

You should take comfort from Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, I am not Locutus of Borg.

 

I wonder about you too. However, I am not tempted to try my hand at amateur psychoanalysis.

Why not? 

 

You are obviously game for almost everything else. 

 

This is your final opportunity to take a stab at psychoanalysis. 

 

Just take a long pull on your cigar, and have at it. 

 

Psychoanalysis might be right up your alley. 

 

Just because, psychoanalysis is mostly baloney. 

 

 

38 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Why not? 

 

You are obviously game for almost everything else. 

 

This is your final opportunity to take a stab at psychoanalysis. 

 

Just take a long pull on your cigar, and have at it. 

 

Psychoanalysis might be right up your alley. 

 

Just because, psychoanalysis is mostly baloney. 

 

 

Since you ask, a mostly benevolent narcissist with more than a touch of OCD logorrhea appears to be the most pertinent analysis.

I was not smoking anything when I penned this post.

I apologize for not responding to your posts immediately; however, I do have other things to do.

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Since you ask, a mostly benevolent narcissist with more than a touch of OCD logorrhea appears to be the most pertinent analysis.

I was not smoking anything when I penned this post.

Not much of an analysis. 

 

Pretty much could apply to almost anyone. 

16 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Not much of an analysis. 

 

Pretty much could apply to almost anyone. 

Logorrhea? Not really. Some posters on ASEAN find it difficult to construct a single sentence.

I am starting to think I may have acquired masochism syndrome in responding to posters on ASEAN.

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Unzed is the Aussie term for New Zealand.

 

I have always known I was different, and I am thankful for that. How many people live all their lives in dull mediocrity is beyond my comprehension.

 

You should take comfort from Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, I am not Locutus of Borg.

 

I wonder about you too. However, I am not tempted to try my hand at amateur psychoanalysis.

It’s easier than golf, and the guys in the clubhouse don’t scrutinise your score card the same way

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Since you ask, a mostly benevolent narcissist with more than a touch of OCD logorrhea appears to be the most pertinent analysis.

I was not smoking anything when I penned this post.

I apologize for not responding to your posts immediately; however, I do have other things to do.

If you’re going to wax, then waxing eloquent is as good a way to wax as any

My apologies to those of you who have heard this story before so many times, but like your grandmother’s stories, they’re so much more fun when you can sing along. 
I was walking up Sukhumvit Road on the even side, and I noticed a “Scottish” pub on my left.  I went in and the cigarette smoke was so thick, I thought I’d been tear-gassed.    It was brightly lit, with a linoleum floor - just like back home! 
I bought a pint of Singha, and looked about me.

”Whair’re you go?”

”Hong Kong…”

”Hong Kong? Ah wiz 22 year wi Swire Pacific - d’ye Ken Swire Pacific?”

”Yes - Cathay Pacific airlines and the Coca Cola franchise.  Are you retired here now?”

”Aye; afore that Ah wiz in Hong Kong, twenty-two year wi’ Swire Pacific.  D’ye ken Swire Pacific?”

We did a couple more laps of this while I finished my Singha, and the fact that the pub’s gone now is not the only reason I’ve not been back.

2 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

If you’re going to wax, then waxing eloquent is as good a way to wax as any

I've always preferred quality over quantity.

On 10/24/2022 at 4:34 PM, StreetCowboy said:

If you’re going to wax, then waxing eloquent is as good a way to wax as any

I do not wax.

I do not like women who wax.

I prefer unwaxed women, in fact.

In particular, I love the following subsets of the superset Women:

Women who are unwaxed and women who are Asian and women who are Thai and women who are Chinese.

In set theory, then what kind of women do I like?

Maybe unwaxed Thai-Chinese women?

 

But, in addition to the intersection of Thai, Chinese, and Unwaxed women, I also like the conjunction of the sets of Chinese women and Unwaxed women.

 

Also, in "Group Theory", I most dearly love Conjugation of the group Me and either Chinese unwaxed women, or the group Thai women, or Thai-Chinese women.

 

Please re-read Alice's Adventures in Wunnerlaun to make sense of the above.

 

Thank you, sir.

 

 

On 10/24/2022 at 4:48 PM, StreetCowboy said:

My apologies to those of you who have heard this story before so many times, but like your grandmother’s stories, they’re so much more fun when you can sing along. 
I was walking up Sukhumvit Road on the even side, and I noticed a “Scottish” pub on my left.  I went in and the cigarette smoke was so thick, I thought I’d been tear-gassed.    It was brightly lit, with a linoleum floor - just like back home! 
I bought a pint of Singha, and looked about me.

”Whair’re you go?”

”Hong Kong…”

”Hong Kong? Ah wiz 22 year wi Swire Pacific - d’ye Ken Swire Pacific?”

”Yes - Cathay Pacific airlines and the Coca Cola franchise.  Are you retired here now?”

”Aye; afore that Ah wiz in Hong Kong, twenty-two year wi’ Swire Pacific.  D’ye ken Swire Pacific?”

We did a couple more laps of this while I finished my Singha, and the fact that the pub’s gone now is not the only reason I’ve not been back.

I prefer to have many more posts like this one on this forum.

 

Thank you, again, sir.