Monday, September 26, 2011

Stuff you can't make up.

 I'm in college and living in an apartment on campus. Two of my three roommates are international students so there are a lot of interesting conversations about English word and phrase usage. Last night, while cleaning up my room, I overheard a conversation between my two foreign roommates about the connotations of the words wish and hope: 

Roommate 1: Wish is always negative and hope is always positive.
Roommate 2: Uh-huh
Me: giggle snort in disbelief.
Roommate 1: Like saying I wish I could do something means that you can't do it.
Me: ok, sounds reasonable and is a true usage.
Roommate 2: Ohhhh
Roommate 1: Yeah, and hope is always good. So saying you wish someone's child grows up without sickness is saying you want that kid to get sick. (Very much so paraphrased)
Me: Trying desperately not to laugh my ass off right about now.
Roommate 2: Uh-huh
 
Basically, I couldn't compose my self enough to contradict what he said and I had to hide in my room because I was laughing so hard. May I iterate for those of you who might now be rather fuzzy on the usage and cultural meaning of wish and hope that this above example and explanation are mostly false. Wish can have a negative connotation but is purely based on usage. For example, using the phrase "Yeah, I wish," or "You wish" are typically negative because of the sarcastic tone that often accompanies these phrases: just like "In your dreams"or "Not a chance" etcetera. In the case above, the use of wish in the instance of saying that one wishes good health for a child is, of course, only negative if accompanied by sarcastic body language or a sarcastic tone of voice. Most english words can be made negative in the same way. Just be careful out there and be sure to talk to native English speakers in the country you live in as well as people that speak your language and have spoken English and lived in an English speaking country for a long time: like at least 5 or 6 years. 

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Interesting New Talent

Ok, I'll admit it, I like Country music. However, I am kinda picky about what Country music I listen to, and the selection process is pretty intense (I listen to a few samples on iTunes then decide if I like it or not). So, to my utter shock, I found a weirdly talented 17 year old on iTunes, and was like OMG, he is 17? If you haven't guessed already, I'm talking about Scotty McCreery. He evidently was a contestant on American Idol last year (didn't watch, didn't care) and he has released his first none American Idol single, The Trouble With Girls. Haven't listened to the song all the way through yet, but he could be singing the names of communicable diseases and I'd still be like, wow! He is 17 and has this perfect baritone voice that I've never heard out of someone so young before, which evidently if your voice is pitched in this range you can only be a country singer.  Admittedly, singing Country anymore doesn't require an incredible amount of talent: you don't have to yodel, or have a huge range, or even be able to sing on key; these things do help, except maybe the yodeling. I mean, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, and Leanne Rhimes can all belt out the high notes and have amazing vocal ranges, but most male Country singers don't have to sing more than a few chords half way decent. So, Scotty doesn't have much of a range; but, the range he has is pretty freaking amazing for someone his age. Now in 10 years, he'll be passé so we may not even need to worry about his staying power, but country fans tend to hold onto their fave singers long past their prime. I mean look at Willie Nelson, the man can't carry a tune without a bucket anymore, but people still pay to see him in concert and buy his albums (I'm not sure if he has released an album of new music in the last few years). Anyway, random ramblings aside, if you have found any part of country you like check out Scotty McCreery, he is a pretty cool singer, if crappy music: kinda synonymous with Country anymore. Scotty good luck in your future endeavors and do your best with what time you have in the spotlight.