WRITERS SPEAK WEDNESDAY - John McWhorter

[@personanongrata987]

"If I am out of my mind, it's all right with me, thought Moses Herzog." -- the first sentence of the novel "Herzog" by Saul Bellow. --

[@karennorris7880]

Hmmmm HotelCat - What a charming expression, as is colanade of derriere's. I was almost inspired to create a piece of abstract art. It was nice to hear different kinds of questions posed by the host and audience. I would imagine your linguistic training probably kicks in when you're reading something written in an unusual or striking way. Particularly if you find that writing has an unusual cadence or heavy concentration of words derived from a particular source.

[@Time_Is_Left]

Just heard John on NPR re language. Changing terms can accomplish what it is meant to do. Example: too often, trafficked and abused children are referred to as underage, specifically underage women. Call them girls and boys. They are children. Another: Calling their abuse, sex. It isn’t sex. It’s rape. These changes are changing how we see these violent predators