#and this touches close to home

[aifasdoesthings]

I think this addition is very interesting!! There are lots of ways to refer to people from the USA, which brings the question: why do we not use anything other than the term "American"? Why anything else sounds wrong or forced? Mostly the issue lies on two things: (1) how "economic" they are linguistically wise, and (2) the opposition systems languages are built in.

(1) Wikipedia does a good job explaining this, so I'll attach the explanation here:

Basically, when we speak, we search for the most simple verbalization that's able to convey what we want to say in the clearest way. Almost always, we have to sacrifice one to get the other. If I use, say, "Usonian," instead of "people from the US," I'm getting a shorter, easier verbalization, but most people will not understand what I mean because let's be honest, it's a rare term in comparison to the widely-used term "American." I'll probably have to explain why I'm using that term, and probably risk getting called ugly things in the process because it's interpretable as (a) me being uncooperative in communication, and/or (b) me trying to distance myself from the other person. Either way, negative feelings are involved, just like in the "Usamerican" case. The difference probably is in the fact the later is more similar to a particular Spanish verbalization that makes it more familiar and less "mean" to foreign speakers with this first language.

Which takes me to (2), which is: forgive me if I'm quoting the wrong book, it's been a while since I last took Phonetics and Phonology, but in the study carried out by David Brazil in his book "The communicative value of intonation in English" (1985) [A/N: I searched for the book everywhere without luck, it's very interesting if you want a good Linguistics read!!] he proposes that, when making a word prominent (by phonological accentuation of a syllable), you're placing that word in contrast. It could be between two or more choices, like, e.g: "I want CHOcolate" (in the context of having to choose among ice cream flavors); or directly between that term and everything that is "not that term." Taking the previous as an example, the speaker chooses "chocolate" and contrasts it with not having chosen "not chocolate" (i.e., anything that is not chocolate).

So having said this, if I choose anything other than "American"—for the sake of the example I'll say "Usamerican"—I'm unwillingly creating an odd, unwanted distinction between "American" and "Usamerican" as in "Usamerican" ≠ "American". Same happens with "Usonian," even with "Yankee," which a lot of Americans consider a rude word when it's not referring to New Yorkers. So.

[A/N: Mr. Brazil's study isn't oriented towards word acceptance, it's oriented towards the use of the systems of intonation to achieve our communicational ends, to convey choices, etc. I hope I'm not making bad use of his excellent teachings.]

The point of this is not that I'd sound unpatriotic, it's that I'd cause confusion with my words, or even rejection, if I were to use any of these terms. It is happening with "Usamerican" already, of course. But the difference has to do with how terms from other languages start to permeate English, especially on the internet, because it's a two-way phenomenon (referring to what I said in my other, previous reblog to this same post).

In the end, it's a matter of clarity, simplicity and the complexity of opposition systems that are very difficult to break into. And very much one of the complex problems this globalized world with a huge focus on the anglosphere has, that we don't often stop to consider.

And remember: it's not that we "speak wrong", it's that we were forced to speak a language that's not ours to not fall behind and we do our best to make it ours too. Cheers.

[Thank you OP again for bearing with me fdhdhf]

usamerican is a stupid term why does this site use it so often

[fairsweetlonging]

have been in a qijiu/qiyuan mood lately, and i was thinking about an au where shen yuan, upon transmigrating, actually loses his memories. he wakes up and has no idea who he is, where he is, who the man at his bedside is. not a clue. the only thing he has is his muscle memory, his sharp recognition senses (he's experiencing a lot of déjà-vu), and blurry fractions of memories that he can't quite make out.

thing is, the memories of both shen yuan and shen jiu aren't actually gone, they start to intermingle, to mix up, a little sister in princess pajamas beside an older brother wearing dirty rags, a bright screen that displays mountain peaks and glittering caves. he's kind and generous the way someone who has never had to worry about food or money is, but he gets vicious and defensive when someone gets too close. sometimes he says cruel things and doesn't even understand why himself.

neither identity fits anymore, both names right and wrong at the same time. it's just... shen qingqiu.

and while everyone else might adjust to this just fine, yue qingyuan does not. because that is shen jiu, but it isn't, but it has to be, but not always. he gets flashes of his childhood friend when shen qingqiu gets viciously defensive over nothing, when he scowls and scoffs and rolls his eyes when he thinks people can't see, but then he smiles, and laughs, and tilts his head in a way that is completely foreign. he likes beasts. shen jiu never liked beasts. but he loves tanghulu, like shen jiu. sweet sugary things. the first time xiao jiu cuddles up into his hug, he cries.

the way he sometimes clings to yue qingyuan when he has a bad day can't be him, but then he says "qi-ge" exactly like shen jiu would and damn near snarls at anyone who gets too close, and he's aggressively possessive the way he was when they were kids. but then he pulls away and apologizes, like shen jiu would never do.

and he never demands anything, scrubbed clean from roughness and filth and selfish want, will act perfect and smiling and pleasant, never burdensome. like he's completely forgotten where he came from, what he was. like the pampered nobleman's son who could afford to be kind. the only time his old self comes fully back up is when he feels threatened or scared or angry, like a trauma response that kicks in to protect himself. and then yue qingyuan starts to wonder if maybe it is. maybe the shen jiu he knows was only ever fear and self-preservation, and the one he is now is a shen jiu without the chains and shackles and scars.

yue qingyuan doesn't know if he's happy for him, if it's for better or for worse. he does know that he feels protective and responsible for this new version xiao jiu has become.

meanwhile shen qingqiu, even when he regains enough of his memories to realize he was once a different person, doesn't know who he is anymore. both, maybe. or neither. he feels bad for taking away yue qingyuan's friend, but in his heart he can't help but think qi-ge is his brother, and no one else's. when he manages the peak he feels like he's taking credit for another's accomplishments, but he remembers suffering for it, he remembers what it took to get there.

[insufferablemod]

thinking about john n davesprite n dave what happens when he finds out its not just a bird dave thing but a dave thing..... the idea hes built up of The Real Dave comes crashing down

like things were def made worse by being stuck together for 3 years with noone else n all of the extra issues davesprite has On top of all the normal dave bs but like, fuuuckkkkkkk

[feral-radfem]

It's warming up so let me give y'all your yearly summer reminder: if you see a "ladies get in free or reduced drink prices" at bars this is not a rare form of "female privilege" it is because you are the product that is on sale.

The bars are advertising to men that there will be a lot of women there who will be drunk. No (osa) man wants to go to a bar that's a sausage fest, so bars know that letting y'all get intoxicated for free (making you vulnerable and providing incentive for you to come) makes male paying customers come in. [This is also why they are allowing teenagers in with shitty fake IDs. They know you are underage girls, they just don't care about your safety. If they could advertise they have underage drunk girls there, they would. Stay Home.]

These spaces typically have an air of male entitlement that's stronger than other bars because they feel like they are already paying for your time and that you owe them for getting the free drinks. That your sexual availability to them is "part of the deal" for them having to pay to get in or to drink and you not having to. All the men are already walking around with the "I bought you would drink so you owe me" mentality in bars like this. So, while we get into the fun seasons of the year, remember to avoid places that purposely set themselves up as a lion's den. If they are advertising that a lot of women will be there, they are not doing it for women. They are doing it to use you as bait to catch more paying customers who will feel sexually entitled to you.

Be selective where you show up and allow yourself to be vulnerable. Have fun, but mitigate some of the risks you're going to be exposed to if you can.

[kingscanyon]

SPIDER-MAN 2 (5/?)

[hooked-on-elvis]

ELVIS' WAY TO BE THERE FOR LISA AFTER DIVORCING HER MOM This is an excerpt from Lisa Marie's book. If you haven't read it yet, please don't read this. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I needed to share this beautiful feeling of Lisa's regarding her father because... well... you'll see. 🥹🩷

"Twenty minutes before my dad was due to walk onstage in Las Vegas my mom told him 'I'm leaving' and he still had to go out and perform. I was four when they split up but I remained so close with my dad. I knew how much I was adored. How much he loved me. I knew that he knew that I hated, hated, hated leaving him; hated, hated, hated going to my mother's new home in Los Angeles. Loathed it. He got a house there to be closer to me. When I was in L.A. he'd call all hours of the night to talk to me or just to leave a message on my phone." Excerpt "From Here To The Great Unknown" by Lisa Marie Presley (co-written by Riley Keough).

[iero]

My mail-in ballot was just sent out. I've voted. I'm almost done packing. I leave to visit a whole new country TOMORROW. Ahh!

[good-beanswrites]

One more scene from Fuuta-Es convos with @waivyjellyfish for now :3 I liked exploring Es' post-canon mindset as an ex-murder investigator... Like my other drabble, I don't have the details worked out but Milgram is over and they're living at the Kajiyamas' now.

What Fuuta didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

It’s what Es told themself as they slipped into his clothes. They’d spotted the outfit at the bottom of Fuuta’s closet a few days ago, then decided to bide their time. With Fuuta and his sister downstairs having breakfast, there was a small window of opportunity now.  

Es stuck their arm through the red-striped sleeve. They still didn’t know what possessed them to put it on. 

Was it the appeal of something familiar? In a world devoid of all memories, they enjoyed the idea of putting on at least one outfit that they’d seen hundreds of times on their little music video screen. Is it possible to be comforted by someone else’s memories?

Was it old habits? They’d spent each trial doing anything and everything to feel closer to the prisoners. To take a peek into their minds. To step into their shoes. This was taking it a bit literally, they knew. Although everything was over and they had no reason to connect so deeply to any of the prisoners, Es couldn’t get away from the duty they’d obsessed over for so long.

Maybe it was just their troublesome curiosity, always driving them forward. There was a small part of them that hungered for more information, no matter the reason. They were perfectly aware that putting on Fuuta’s red and blue tracksuit would probably offer them absolutely nothing new, but they had to try. Something might be revealed to them, and they needed to know. 

Es stood in front of the full length mirror. They turned one way. They turned the other way. They shifted their arms. They cocked their head.

Sure enough, nothing. 

They took note of the little details. It was a little big on them, (though  it wouldn’t take them long to catch up to Fuuta’s size). It was neither fashionable nor tacky. The material wasn’t exactly comfortable, but at least it felt warm.

But, did it make them feel any closer to Fuuta?

They contemplated a moment, thinking of all that he may have done in the outfit. There were so many classes these pants had walked to, so many arcade coins that these pockets had held. Es wondered if his friends ever nudged the shoulders of the jacket playfully. Maybe they weren’t the type. It had probably seen it’s share of all nighters. And also lazy days spent in bed, or sick days laid up on the couch.

They puffed their chest out, thinking of the confidence Fuuta may have had wearing this. They pulled the hood over their hair. It had likely seen just as much as his hesitance. How many times had he sunk into the thick material for an escape? Or was there an opposite effect – did he feel so comfortable in this that he could commit murder?

Es stared at themself.

There came some shuffling out in the hall. Before Es could move, Fuuta was shouting to his sister and bursting into the room.

“Will you get out of my fucking hair if I bring it to you right –” he froze. “Now...”

Es, too, was frozen in place, their eyes wide. 

“I-I’m sorry.” They started unzipping the jacket. “I saw it and… I didn’t mean to –”

“ – It’s fine,” Fuuta muttered. He waved his hand dismissively. He started shuffling things around in his desk drawer, angling his head down, out of sight. His voice was strained, though it wasn’t as angry as Es had been expecting. “It’s not like I’m ever gonna wear it again.”

Es carefully folded the jacket over their arm. “I wasn’t trying to bring up the past. I was just…�� What had they been doing? 

“I said it’s fine.” 

“I know it’s not.”

“You don’t know anything. Wear it every day for all I care. I was just gonna toss it.”

“You still can. Or, I can.”

“Nah.” Fuuta retrieved what he was looking for. He paused in the doorway, taking one last look over his shoulder. “Looks better on you, anyway.”

Es straightened in surprise as he left. They took another look in the mirror. They allowed themself a small smile. They might have undersold how comfortable it was.

Now that they were thinking of it, they did look pretty cool… Maybe that was all there was to it.

[viiinz]

there's something about Dostoyevsky characters suddenly bursting into tears that just hits different

[capitainecorbeau]

I call this one "ouch"

[xxkittenkissesxx]

i’m so excited to add these little cuties to my etsy shop when I open it🥰🫶🏻

[xbraveheartx]

To add onto this post you also realize just how… abrupt life at the Monad Charity House started for Carlo? He says “I don’t wanna be here! How many sleeps til daddy gets back? 10 sleeps? 20??” and he’s whining like he really didn’t plan to be there at all.

The girl (pretty sure it’s Sophia) tries reassuring him and calming him and introduces him to Romeo. But you can tell just the entire experience was this… unwanted… unexpected… thing? Like Geppetto just one day packed his bags and dropped him off and never even said when he’d come back. That’s awful, as a kid. The feeling of abandonment must have been so hard.

No wonder he just glares at the painting made of him. He never wanted to be there. He didn’t ask to become a student there.

He just wanted to be with his father.

[smallphoenix13]

One line in everybody’s waiting that I haven’t seen an analysis for yet that I wanna talk about is the “ginger shots, vitamins” line

It’s obviously a reference to after that one tour when bojan got so sick the night before his debut movie premiere and kris had to stay up all night making him ginger shots to get through it

And you can see in clips of the premiere that bojan is absolutely miserable and barely even lucid, and then had to perform the next day (a performance that people would’ve understood if they cancelled, but I get the feeling that he would’ve felt guilty if they did)

And how stress and anxiety can make you physically ill, and how running yourself both mentally and physically ragged can just absolutely destroy any sense of fun that you had for your passion

And I just think it’s really interesting how just that tiny snapshot clearly made such an impact on his mental health. Especially because in an interview once he said that the most important lesson they learned from the band was “nothing is so important that you have to do it even if you don’t feel up to it” and I just hope it’s a lesson he continues to internalize

[iiusia]

Is ir okay to not feel it as a christian if youre still doing it? If i read the word and do what it says, but i never feel. the feelings. Is it normal? I feel so lost. Ive prayed so much.

hi!! i'm going to assume this question is coming from this post of mine. if its not sorry but i hope my answer still stands!

my point in that post is that it's not all about feeling the feelings. honestly, i would say that usually, Feeling Strong Emotion/being overtaken by emotion over it is something that is not necessarily common. of course, it depends on the person. some people are just Strong Feelers but that's not everyone! (i am not one of these people, for example).

if you don't Always Feel The Supernatural Presence Of God and you don't feel emotional every time you think about the Lord, or whatever standard you want to set, that's not an indicator of your faith. (or if you're truly saved.)

what's important is knowing. and believing. do you truly Know And Believe that the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for your sins? do you Know and Believe that the God of the Bible is real? that He created the world and everything in it? that He sent His only begotten Son to die out of love for us?

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

that's what's important!!!! not if you cry during worship or if a sermon touches you. not Feeling A Supernatural Presence. if you know God is with you always, then you don't need to feel it for proof. you know it. you have faith.

modern-day christian culture has turned christianity into solely something you Feel. big displays of emotions during worship, people talking about visions and speaking in tongues and being filled by the Holy Spirit, etc. (this attitude has also led to the culture of "if i don't feel that the Lord is telling me that this is wrong, or if i feel that the Lord is telling me that this is okay, then it is.) but you can't rely on your feelings.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

you want to hear God speak? you open your Bible. it's Literally God's word. everything you need to Know about God and how you should live your life is in there.

basically: anon, lack of Strong Emotion over living the faith does not mean that you're doing something wrong. however! i want to cover all my bases, just to be sure. you mention "reading the word and doing what it says". you might already know this, but being a christian isn't just about acts or works. the entire point of the gospel is that we cannot be saved through what we do, only through faith. it goes back to what i was saying about faith earlier on. if you find yourself treating this life like a checklist, like a "i'll do this, and this, and this, and then God will help me/love me", then that might be something to meditate about.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

[eversweetflowerpot]

home home home time to touch myself <3

[artbribery]

Picture: Danny, as little baby man, with an army of ghost blobs living inside a trash container like a family of possums in Gotham and suddenly someone opens that container and there is a glowing mass with equally glowing eyes staring at them frozen.