Linguistics in Retrospect.
Feb. 26th, 2010 07:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyoftimeThis is a story about relationships, a study in relativity. Concepts defined and linked together in unbreakable bonds; without one, the meaning of the second is altered. One cannot exist without the other and retain its layers of meaning. And at the beginning of this story, the events that comprise it have already begun. Initial velocity in place, and acceleration, the two related to the final ending by only time.
He smiles, then, because he can; because he is inexorably caught in orbit; because once, long ago, he gave himself to the relation of tug and pull, dark and light, and in the acceptance of captivity there is a freedom. In the denial, too, there is liberty; and also constraint. She does not smile, because she is bound; because she, too, must take her place in the attraction of forces, or there is no equilibrium. And all relations must come to equilibrium. By chaos they come to rest, and thus to the deeper order. Push and pull, opposing concepts that, in dependence on their application, may work either together or apart.
So, too, this is a story of forces, and electric current, and magnetism. In the application of electricity, positive and negative charge may exist independently of one another, but the contrary poles of a magnet cannot. If one pole is cut off, then the resulting pieces will reform in opposition. And so they contain within themselves the capacity to be their own opposite, and exist both separate and together.
When they were young, they were together, and apart, and together bound in their isolation. They learned what they understood, and guessed at what they didn’t, and sought to teach each other the gaps in between. They bridged the relation in equality, a sentiment of ‘I know what you know’ and ‘you know what I know’ – conversely the same, but approached separately. To say three and five make eight is to speak a mathematical truth related by equality. Likewise, to say four and four make eight is to speak another mathematical truth. So, then, to say three and five is to make four and four is to lay down another balance in relations. If A equals C and B equals C, then A equals B. From separate means comes the same end.
Once, he asked her to share the universe with him. They were young then, and in the minds of the young, the universe needs only to be claimed to be owned. But his definition of possession encompassed connotations of the power and ownership in destruction; and hers, the ability to secede, possess by enjoying, not controlling. Equal, but incongruent, and therefore incompatible without concession by one side or the other.
Doctor contains the same number of consonants and vowels as Master. Both imply a level of knowledge and understanding, both can be applied to the same role of teacher. They are not opposing concepts, and yet they are treated as such. As if Master, somehow, precludes the existence of Doctor, when the truth is one may exist side by side with the other, and no harm befall.
Once, she asked him to share the universe with her. They were old, then, and far removed from the children of long ago. Their definitions had blurred, and begun to meld: hers more accepting of the concept of control for enjoyment of the existing universe; and his more understanding of the power in being the one to let go. The blurring, therefore, created compatibility where there had been little, and a bridge to cross the divide.
Doctor and Master. Right and wrong. The words can be traced back to the old meanings of straight and crooked, two paths to the same destination. The two on their own are not morally significant concepts, not without the context of a code. Without that relation, the deeper significance collapses, and leaves only words.
She grasps hold of his hand. They are old, now, and it is time to build a new relation.
Community:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
theatrical_muse
Word count: 668
Prompt: 323 – "The problem, of course, was that people did not seem to understand the difference between right and wrong. They needed to be reminded about this, because if you left it to them to work it out themselves, they would never bother. They would just find what was best for them, and then they would call that the right thing. That's how most people thought." --Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Author's note: So while I was writing this - yes, I had a word etymology dictionary open the entire time - I found the following veeeeery interesting items:
'Domination ... from dominus "lord, master," lit. "master of the house," from domus "home" (see domestic) + -nus, suffix denoting ownership or relation.'
'Meddle ... From mid-14c. to 1700, it also was a euphemism for "have sexual intercourse."'
I think we all know what this means: a botched proposal and extremely elaborate come hither message gone horribly, horribly awry. It all makes sense now!
He smiles, then, because he can; because he is inexorably caught in orbit; because once, long ago, he gave himself to the relation of tug and pull, dark and light, and in the acceptance of captivity there is a freedom. In the denial, too, there is liberty; and also constraint. She does not smile, because she is bound; because she, too, must take her place in the attraction of forces, or there is no equilibrium. And all relations must come to equilibrium. By chaos they come to rest, and thus to the deeper order. Push and pull, opposing concepts that, in dependence on their application, may work either together or apart.
So, too, this is a story of forces, and electric current, and magnetism. In the application of electricity, positive and negative charge may exist independently of one another, but the contrary poles of a magnet cannot. If one pole is cut off, then the resulting pieces will reform in opposition. And so they contain within themselves the capacity to be their own opposite, and exist both separate and together.
When they were young, they were together, and apart, and together bound in their isolation. They learned what they understood, and guessed at what they didn’t, and sought to teach each other the gaps in between. They bridged the relation in equality, a sentiment of ‘I know what you know’ and ‘you know what I know’ – conversely the same, but approached separately. To say three and five make eight is to speak a mathematical truth related by equality. Likewise, to say four and four make eight is to speak another mathematical truth. So, then, to say three and five is to make four and four is to lay down another balance in relations. If A equals C and B equals C, then A equals B. From separate means comes the same end.
Once, he asked her to share the universe with him. They were young then, and in the minds of the young, the universe needs only to be claimed to be owned. But his definition of possession encompassed connotations of the power and ownership in destruction; and hers, the ability to secede, possess by enjoying, not controlling. Equal, but incongruent, and therefore incompatible without concession by one side or the other.
Doctor contains the same number of consonants and vowels as Master. Both imply a level of knowledge and understanding, both can be applied to the same role of teacher. They are not opposing concepts, and yet they are treated as such. As if Master, somehow, precludes the existence of Doctor, when the truth is one may exist side by side with the other, and no harm befall.
Once, she asked him to share the universe with her. They were old, then, and far removed from the children of long ago. Their definitions had blurred, and begun to meld: hers more accepting of the concept of control for enjoyment of the existing universe; and his more understanding of the power in being the one to let go. The blurring, therefore, created compatibility where there had been little, and a bridge to cross the divide.
Doctor and Master. Right and wrong. The words can be traced back to the old meanings of straight and crooked, two paths to the same destination. The two on their own are not morally significant concepts, not without the context of a code. Without that relation, the deeper significance collapses, and leaves only words.
She grasps hold of his hand. They are old, now, and it is time to build a new relation.
Community:
theatrical_museWord count: 668
Prompt: 323 – "The problem, of course, was that people did not seem to understand the difference between right and wrong. They needed to be reminded about this, because if you left it to them to work it out themselves, they would never bother. They would just find what was best for them, and then they would call that the right thing. That's how most people thought." --Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Author's note: So while I was writing this - yes, I had a word etymology dictionary open the entire time - I found the following veeeeery interesting items:
'Domination ... from dominus "lord, master," lit. "master of the house," from domus "home" (see domestic) + -nus, suffix denoting ownership or relation.'
'Meddle ... From mid-14c. to 1700, it also was a euphemism for "have sexual intercourse."'
I think we all know what this means: a botched proposal and extremely elaborate come hither message gone horribly, horribly awry. It all makes sense now!
