Linguistic porn.

What heart in a man, A lexicon of phenomenon, A brain of beauty, I know few who would refute it. His love for language inspires all, Allows others to stand tall, Grow within themselves, And revisit book shelves. This master of words, Helps us look upwards, To reach for the stars in the sky, Oh how I love Steven Fry.

Simply fantastic.

pure eloquence...😊

Sonetimes words CANNOT express what we think or feel.. Stephen Fry is just from another planet😊

I can’t find the words to express my admiration and joy of knowing English and thus marvel at and with Stephen Fry.

When I am ever asked about my fantasy dinner guests; he is forever just above Ian Hislop, only just but just. I wish that I could have seen, moreover listen to him converse with Spike Milligan.

Why isn’t he talking about the calling of the ceasefire the absolute hypocrite!

Like Stephen Fry, I find ‘Haicht’ very annoying as indeed when ‘myself’ etc. is used neither for emphasis nor reflexive. But I will take his advice and try to be more tolerant. I can remember an occasion in Spain when dining in the restaurant of a top flight hotel, the waiter having served our meal, said ‘Bon appetite’. Then as an after-thought, he asked what the English equivalent was. I rather shamefacedly admitted we really did not have a phrase to cover it. Later leaving the restaurant I realised I should have told him ‘There you go’, although ‘Enjoy!’ has now come into universal usage (using a transitive verb in an intransitive fashion).

I do like Fry's comparison of our living language to the architectural history hodge podge seen in London.

I only jumped double jump ropes once, to make sure I could; then quit while I was ahead. That's how I felt keeping up with Stephen with my Iowa ears. I toughed it out because he makes my own verbosity seem moderate.

Totally agree, from Queeensland.

He is verbal personification of absolute perfection

I never thought anyone felt the same way about fancy language that I did. When I was in middle school (roughly ages 12-15 for my non Americans) I was learning all these words and phrases from the media I was consuming and tried to drop them into conversations. I stopped because whenever I said something like “stately” or “circumambulate” or whatever the other kids would make fun of me. My teachers have told me that I have a “strong voice” in my writing which hasn’t always been used as a complement because I tend to patter on.

Love it that when talking about the jumble of English from all periods and cultures, he uses the phrase "mucked in." Bet Americans have no idea where this commonly-used phrase for "pitched in" comes from--mucking out stables! The highest classes use language from the lowest, and preserve past forms of living. NOT like the elitist French, the ultimate virtue-signallers of inclusiveness, who claim all their colonial peoples are "French" and then ban headscarves, while "purifying" the language.

Couldn’t Huddersfield provide a non wobbly lecturn? Plus I’d adore to have watched a conversation between him and Kenneth Williams. Whatever. I love this wonderful man.

Possible brothel Dutch.

I can see why the universe doesn't send us all that many wonderful people. Wonderful people are in great danger of being deified and ultimately nailed to a cross. I think he's great too, but y'all should settle down.

He should get a knighthood.

I love Stephen Fry in every situation that I find him in.

He is at his best when on a panel with Christopher Hitchens although Hitchens is in a league of his own.

Always refreshing to hear from Stephen Fry.

a whole lot more than 474 Ilm sure; the man propogates,h jnhndates inseminates all, who hear or read hm with the infecytous joy he the professor professes. mtw " has he ever done a bit on James Joyce, anybody know?

The diversity of possible human manifestations is truly tragic: Stephen Fry and that SoS Trump are both members of the same species 😢😢😢

"hands to sign" Thank you ❤

Blackadder sends you his contrafibularities...lol.

Hi .. texting from Tasmania 😊 you r brilliant

❤

Oh Stephen, you are so magnificent. I wept like a little girl at the suffix of your presentation. What a treasure you are. You are the celebrity, living or dead, that I would most like to have to dinner. You are the perfect guest at a Japanese tea ceremony where the formality of the performance dumbfounds even the host while holding the profound knowledge that the entire purpose of the ritual is paradoxically the honoring of the guests. You are the epitome of the definition of the "true gentleman" as defined at the conclusion of the first act of my one man show Southern Freud Chicken. "boys a true gentleman is simply this, someone who makes everyone else in the room feel more at ease. Thanks for that Mr Fry. Xx

Proof positive why a man shouldn't practice the sin of sodomy.

Not going to lie. That's a great speech. Should be printed and published.

Stephen Fry for World President.

WOW!

Speaking of language .... “The only people for me are the Mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'" Jack Kerouac, On the Road.

I am certain that there are people who masturbate themselves to wonderful orgasms just listening to this man speak. Not me of course.

imagine if the world leaders would be like Stephen Fry? Educated, well-mannered, having the big picture in mind, and a concern for human well-being? Compared to fame/money-greedy, short-sighted, stupid people like Trump.

He is so admirable. So uniquely intelligent, humorous, kind and graceful. We're all the better for his brilliant existence.

IVE READ MANY OF THESE COMMENTS PRAISING THE SHEER GRANDIOSITY OF THIS ONE OF A KIND HUMAN BEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL I CAN DO…. OF COURSE…. IS HUMBLY AGREE!!!!!!!!!! AS A JAZZ COMPOSER AND SELF PROCLAIMED SHORT STORY WRITER…. I TOO….. LANGUISH; SUBLIMELY, NIGHT AFTER SOLEMN NIGHT OVER ADEQUATE PROSE FOR MY FICTION OR LYRICAL PERFECTION OF MY BALLADS…… MR. FRY BROUGHT THE LINGUAL QUEST TO LIGHT WITH HIS ELOQUENT SUMMATION AT 32:10….. “ BUT THE KEYS OF COLORS OF WHICH ONE SPEAKS, THE FRAMES OF REFERENCES, THE WORD CHOICES, PRONUNCIATIONS, STRESS TIMINGS, STNTAX, TONES,CADENCES, AND RHYTHMS REVEAL ALL!! …….. AND THAT IS EVEN BEFORE ONE APPROACHES THE QUESTIONS OF ACCENT, BROGUE, OR DIALECT!! …” HEAR….. HEAR… I SHOUT OUT TO THIS BLESSED MAESTRO OF EXPLANATION!!! HOW CAN ONE MAN COVER FROM ADAM AND EVE…… TO STARBUCKS WHILE PONTIFICATING ON THE RISE, FALL, AND FUSION …. OF MANS GIFT OF SPEECH??? IN THE END….. WELCOMING ALL TO THE TABLE OF COMMUNICATION!!! BRAVO SIR, BRAVO INDEED !! EXCUSE MY BLATANT PLAGIARISM OF OSCAR WILDES LINE YOU USED IN YOUR JOURNEY TO DISCOVER YOUR CALLING SIR……. BUT I CANNOT FATHOM ANY WORDS TO BEST DESCRIBE MY AWE OF YOUR HUMBLING PRESENTS……… AND SO, IN CLOSING, ALLOW ME TO REPEAT THE COMPLIMENT AT 15:33……..MEANT SOLELY TO YOU MR. FRY……… “ I HOPE I SHALL NOT OFFEND YOU IF I STATE QUITE FRANKLY AND OPENLY…… THAT…….. YOU SEEM TO BE……TO ME…… IN EVERY WAY….. THE VISIBLE PERSONIFICATION….. OF ……. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!!!! “ your existence and persistence….. has changed mankind….. for the better. Bless you and God speed live and peace to you and family 🕯 🎼RAIN RAIN 🎼

What a pleasure to listen to!

And if “English” is not our original language? May we still follow this lecture?! Yes, why not? Should be the answer.

haha, he said "Lip to Lip" XD

31:13 --- sesquipedalian prolixities ?!

"A riot of unplanned, asymmetric variegation" is a beautiful description of the English language. ◡̈

Stephen Fry is the British Steve Allen. They're both brilliant in many fields.

Entertaining, engaging, educating and just all round a lovely, kind and playful soul. He makes the world richer.

“I was discovering new chords, keys, and rhythms to play on the larynx” Music!!!

I genuinely love this man more and more every day.

Was there ever a point to all this ignoble codswallop

This excellent lecture gives me the impression, theat the Danish "Jante Law" was imported from England. But then again, England is Anglo-Saxon, and Anglia is not just an old car, but also the southern part of the Jutland peninsula.

Oh, the eloquence and wit of this lovely man! ❤