#grammar stuff

[not-poignant]

@blooper-boy replied to your post “if ur still doing the writing meme (i've liked all...”:

I had no idea people were so argumentative about the Oxford comma. Also just, the arguments seem dumb? Its all punctuation. As long as its making your idea clear, then it doesn't matter how you punctuate.

​Yeah it's frankly a pretty silly hill to die on, given it literally doesn't matter unless you're at university or work at a journalism / news place etc. or your publisher has a fixed style guide (in which case, that's why they have editors lol).

The rules change all over the world, but most of the time it's not mandated and there's no official consensus anywhere. It's one of those 'pick the one you like and stick with it' scenarios. But oof an Oxford Comma discussion when you're against using them in your own work will show some people's true colours, as will a 'do you dog ear your book pages' re: how judgemental other folks can be on how people do things that are literally none of their business. :D

[use-your-telescope]

"flesh out" 😉 not intending to be rude, just noticed that this eggcorn is giving you a hard time. no need to post my ask, just thought it would be a useful tip to send. ♥️

Haha, my bad! Thanks for catching that! 😅 (posting this in case anyone else mixes up "flesh out" vs "flush out")

[awritingotaku]

Perviously unreleased panel of Tim and Jason’s fight fr fr.

Headcanon that instead of signing his threats Red Hood uses semicolons liberally (and correctly) because nobody up to their eyeballs in crime in his part of Gotham uses semicolons. ‘Don’t even try to run; I know all of your hideouts’ is a Certified Red Hood Threat. ‘I’m always watching; every minute every second’ is someone impersonating Red Hood.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

[chiropteracupola]

c. 1540 CE: a young man from Chalco, and his dragon.

[secretmellowblog]

Les Mis Hidden Name Meanings: "Fantine"

Every character's  name in Les Mis is either an elaborate pun or has some deeper symbolic thematic meaning — usually both at once. 

One example of this is “Fantine.” There’s a wealth of hidden meaning packed into to her name, and some of those meanings are explicitly discussed in the original novel. 

The name “Fantine” comes from the french word “enfantine,” meaning  “childike, infant-like.” Her name basically means “Baby.” And obviously this speaks to her innocence and naivety. But also “baby”  is kind of,.,, well, it sounds more like an informal term of endearment than an actual legal name?  

And that’s because– Plot twist– Fantine isn’t her legal name!

 What is her legal name? She doesn’t have one. 

And the reason she doesn’t have one is directly tied to political turmoil of the era she was born into. 

Fantine grew up an orphan living on the streets, without a family without parents. Hugo tells us the origin of her name: 

“She bore on her brow the sign of the anonymous and the unknown. (...)She was called Fantine. Why Fantine? She had never borne any other name. At the epoch of her birth the Directory still existed. She had no family name; she had no family; no baptismal name; the Church no longer existed. She bore the name which pleased the first random passer-by, who had encountered her, when a very small child, running bare-legged in the street. She received the name as she received the water from the clouds upon her brow when it rained. “

This moment is adapted beautifully in the Manga adaptation by Takahiro Arai: 

But now let’s talk about the Directory. 

To wildly oversimplifly a lot of complex history: Before the French Revolution, the Catholic Church’s records of baptismal ceremonies were often used as a  registry of people’s legal names. During the French Revolution, the Revolutionary government– including the Directory– put in place a series of policies we now call “dechristianization,” where they attempted to dismantle the power of the Catholic church. 

Fantine was born during the age of these dechristianization policies. So she was likely never baptised, her baptismal name was never recorded, and so she has no documented legal or family name. She’s slipped through the cracks of the legal system, and ended up completely anonymous.

This sets Fantine up as this anonymous child of the Revolution– a stand-in for everyone who was left behind when the Revolution was left behind, and kings were restored to the throne. 

Fantine’s namelessness is meant to show her isolation. She has NO support system. She has nothing to connect her to other people, nothing to connect her to a support system. 

Finally, the way Fantine tends to “slip through the cracks” is something that follows her throughout her life.  When she’s fired from her job at a factory, Mayor Madeleine never learns  of it– Fantine has this tendency to be overlooked and forgotten in official records.  At the end of the story, she is buried in an unmarked grave, with not even the name “Fantine” on her headstone. She is born anonymous and she dies anonymous.

It ties into the novel’s questions about  which people we consider worth remembering, whose lives are worth being recorded. 

[Thank you for reading! This essay was originally posted as a video here. For more Les Mis talk, you should subscribe to the 2025 @lesmisletters readalong on Substack here, and join the BrickClub Discord server here!]

[sannehnagi]

In anni the verbs that derive body parts (possibly the reverse, I’m not entirely sure which I prefer) are also locative affixes that modify the meanings of verbs- Rover, in the translation, is a pet name which I translated as laatim->laa.t.im, away/from.to go.and the diminutive, where laa- comes from the verb -la- to push, connected to the noun laak- shoulder/upper arm.

So, laatim, cute goes-away from, he roves.

I did consider using ha-, from -ha- to embrace, which has the locative meaning of around/about

But each of the “base” body parts have a locative form (as well as instrumental and direct object forms) which attach directly to the verb stem.

T’aniš- t.taniš->dim.be small- little tiny one

Luupeq-la.uu.pi.q->shoulder(obj).on(back).sit.NOM(animal)->animal that sits on the shoulder

Haat’eqim-haa.t.q.im->arm/forelimb(INST).go.NOM(animal).DIM->bird+ie

Ayaak uking itš'inniit ataš aaniig nkateeq eqaasaš a'anaq uliigumbingiigaa atahanniil laatim, ana t'aniš, ana luupeq, ana haat'eqim sauigutl'ipia yaneqaš, hatl'anniit ikiitš'akilaa uumbing amaaš tuunt'ilaaq. Atataataš iluuliigassii aatlaatlii yuntunrhiiš a'up'anng anni at ngiinuyaš aaniig, tsiitlii a'oqqatlii, a'mu'untlii, a'utšatlii, a'laapunantlii.

But when they understood the problem was one of personal choice, anyone who wanted to be called Rover, or froufrou, or polly, or birdie in the personal sense was perfectly free to do so, they had no objections and so left the generic appellations behind. Insects left their names in great clouds and swarms of ephemeral syllables, buzzing, and stinging, and humming, and crawling, and tunneling away.

[nomgett]

Once Edwin and Charles figure their relationship out, normalise Charles being super silly ™ in dates with Edwin.

This, by now, is their 2nd or 3rd official date and they are returning to their flat. Hand in hand they walk down the lamp lit London road leading to the office flat. Edwin is reveling in the slight warmth of Charles' hand in his, and atmosphere of the night. But suddenly, Charles takes off on a sprint, Edwin fumbles, calling for him and then begins to run after him. But the head start that Charles had means that he is already at the flat whilst Edwin is climbing the last flight of stairs. To his shock, the door is thrown open and Charles is kneeling on one knee, with one hand outstretched for Edwin and the other holding the door. His head is almost brushing the floor, but without looking up he says between ragged breaths:

"Come through, your honour. "

Edwin gently lifts his hand to his mouth in a shocked movement, but places his hand in Charles'.

"Thank you Charles, really I've never had someone do this for m-"

Edwin can't say anymore because in a single, swift movement, Charles sweeps around the stand behind Edwin, leaving his hand gently hovering for Charles' used to be.

"Anything for my best mate. " Charles breathes into Edwin's neck, winking. Suddenly Charles hands are sliding Edwin's overcoat off and hanging them on the nearby coat hanger.

Edwin has stopped working and has disintegrated into a furiously blushing puddle on the floor.

[stoleyourgender]

do you ever think about how the bad kids were only just children during s1?

Gorgug was 14 years old when he first died and had ended up in that dark forest, and when he was resurrected had to live through the terror that followed him to the waking world with the thought that he ended up in hell, because he was only 14, just a child, what had he done to end up in such a place? was it a result of his rage, the rage he was constantly trying to tamper down, was his simple nature fundamentally horrible enough to automatically buy him a seat in hell?

Kristen was only 14 when she had her entire existence turned upside down, everything she'd known and believed in unraveled in just one day. She had died, she'd met god(!), the god that had spoken to her, guided her, given her reason and given her purpose, and yet the meeting was disappointing, and it left Kristen confused and scared and wondering what to do next, what path to take if the one with Helio, the path she'd been walking her whole life, turned out to be leading to a destination she didn't want.

And isn't it scary, isn't it terrifying to end up in the place you've heard so many horrible rumors about, and for all those violent tales to turn out to be true? The moment Adaine walked into her new school all her fears were confirmed, and in just a few hours she went from bitterly mourning not being at Hudol to stealing an important book from the library, from sitting in detention to holding a broken out of shape ladle, sleeves of her uniform ripped and blood smearing her clothes and face, a body at her feet of a women who surely did not deserve anything that Adaine had just done to her.

Isn't it scary when everything suddenly goes so awfully, horribly wrong, and now you're stuck in a party with a group of people you don't know at all, who you didn't choose, and you're all just kids having to witness all these things you didn't sign up for and yet everything is only just beginning, and now you can't go back

[linghxr]

The 的-地 mystery

Every learner of Chinese has feelings about the 3 de’s, 的-地-得. Well over the past couple years, I have noticed numerous instances of �� used instead of 地 in Taiwanese Mandarin dictionaries. But it was a Taiwan Ministry of Education dictionary—they certainly know better than I do, right? So started doubting my understanding of 的 vs. 地.

Screenshots from Pleco MOEDict:

【匆忙】 他匆忙的走过去。

(Cōngmáng) Tā cōngmáng 的 zǒu guòqù.

【历历在目】 清清楚楚的呈现在眼前。

(Lìlìzàimù) Qīngqīngchǔchǔ 的 chéngxiàn zài yǎnqián.

【若无其事】 发生了这么严重的事，你怎么还若无其事的在这儿喝茶？

(Ruòwúqíshì) Fāshēngle zhème yánzhòng de shì, nǐ zěnme hái ruòwúqíshì 的 zài zhè'er hē chá?

As I noticed more and more instances, I grew increasingly perplexed. I’ve been studying Chinese for so long, so I was pretty confident I understand how to use 地! Finally, this week I learned the explanation: at some point, the Taiwan MOE decided you can use 的 in place of 地, and the school curriculum was revised.

MOE online dictionary entry:

（4）置于副词后。同「地」。如：「慢慢的走」、「高高的飞」。

(4) Placed after an adverb. Same as 「地」. For example: 「mànmàn 的 zǒu」, 「gāogāo 的 fēi」.

So finally, the mystery is solved. This certainly explains a lot! But how confusing for us learners, especially because, from my understanding, using 的 like this would just be plain incorrect in Mainland China (although I’m sure some native speakers make this mistake).

So what do Taiwanese people think of 的-地? Well some are not a fan.

Facebook post from MOE:

3. 置于副词后，同「地」；如：「慢慢的走」

3. Placed after an adverb, same as 「地」; e.g. 「mànmàn 的 zòu」

Comments from said Facebook post:

副词地已经放弃了吗？

Has adverbial 地 been abandoned?

不要再慢慢“的”走了……只能接受慢慢地走

No more walking slowly with 的...I’ll only accept walking slowly with 地

解释3为什么不用“地”？？

Why doesn’t definition 3 use "地"? ?

A：明明小学教过【3.】只能用“地”不是用“的”，并且“的、得、地”得分清楚；现今不知道什么时候才开始说：“都能用。”，是因为轻声时都同音吗？

A: Obviously we were taught in elementary school that for [3.] only “地” can be used and not “的”, and that “的、得、地” must be distinguished clearly; I don’t know when people started saying “All of them can be used.” Is it because they have the same pronunciation with in the neutral tone?

B：国小64课纲就已经取消地了、至今也有45年以上

B: It was already abolished in the 64 elementary school curriculum, it’s been over 45 years

过了几年，教育部发现大家还是不会分：“的”是形容词，“地”是副词。所以干脆废除“地”

After a few years, the Ministry of Education found that people still couldn't differentiate them: "的" is an adjective, and "地" is an adverb. So they simply abolished "地".

The Facebook comments reminds me of how older generations complain about young people using “like” and “literally” too liberally in English. I’m sure your language has something similar that gets people riled up! We are all so very human.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Do you use AI generators to compile or scrape this information?

no

[quibbs126]

I need to figure out how to draw Transformers at this point

I have this comic idea in my brain, where basically a post TF One Optimus sees Earthspark Optimus and Megatron, and he just goes internally “THE WEDDING IS BACK ON”, thinking that this means he and D will get back together (only to be disappointed when he meets the other Optimuses (Optimi I think is actually the correct term by Latin standards?) and realizes that this is the exception)

But alas, I do not yet know how to draw them, and I have a test and then work today, and also a thing I was supposed to do for a video game project I’m in that I haven’t, so I can’t draw my image yet

Which sucks because it’s infinitely less funny when I have to describe the scene verbally rather than just show it to you

If I do end up making it, I’ll delete this and post it instead

[hometoursandotherstuff]

English major humor. I remember that “A” is for action, so affect is the verb. 

[letswonderspirit]

I made a uquiz! what Kind of spirit are you? 👻https://uquiz.com/gGB9B7

[starppleb]

I need more Danny ‘No more hero’ Phantom, so here I will be reasoning why he’s an Anti-Hero (in Dp x Dc prompt)

Danny doesn't see Death as the worst thing. He's too familiar with it (He is Death).

Sometimes it's better than 'living'. It's like a 'new beginning', a chance to let go like he tried to he did.

He left hero things with everything in his hometown. Where no matter what, he's been The Villain, The ghost, the menace. 

People Humans only see in him what he did while being mind-controlled or forced to. Not that he saves them every day. They are afraid of him, of his power. 

Just how are people still like Superman and other heroes who are more powerful than regular humans? They get mind-controlled and forced to be evil sometimes too.

That isn't fair. 

And while They chose to save other people's asses because they wanted to, Danny didn't have a choice, if he didn't step in, the town would be destroyed in days. 

He hoped that his parents Fentons would finally realize why ghosts were coming into town, but they just blamed Ghost Boy for all of the wrongdoings and never considered they were wrong. 

So after 2 and a half years of hope, he burned out and just destroyed the portal, cleared out all of the ectoplasm, and left.

Now if ghosts wanted to 'visit' living they needed to go to Danny and personally ask.

This means no more Technus 'I will take over the world' and Emder 'I will make everyone love my music by mind-control', and just Technus 'I'll only check new tech stuff' and Ember 'I'll hang out with Kitty in the park and play some guitar', of course in more human form.

Danny himself decided to stick around Gotham because one - Bats are interesting, and two - ectoplasm (which he tries to clear out, at least a little bit). 

So now he messes with Bats and humans while he's Anti-Hero - Phantom.

And gets yelled at by people at Batburger while he's a regular worker - Danny Nightingale. 

But what will the Justice League do when Phantom will save the world from some big bad ghost with impressive ease, and just leave…

That powerful being is not just some generic troublemaker in the streets of Gotham.

He's the end and sawing of the world (and Infinite Realms). 

[spookygibberish]

I've sort of developed a strange relationship with the concept of "realism" in the things I make.

Something I was very into as like, an eleven year old (im not implying this was immature to be into, just that it was formative for me), was speculative biology specifically for dragons, and now, specifically in the case of dragons I find a lot of attempts to make them biologically plausible fully missing the appeal of dragons at all.

Thinking specifically about the supernatural elements of JoM and where the line is drawn. The dagnyds are made from the remains of godlike entities, and are not entirely earthly animals. They have a supernatural origin. It would be fully justified in giving them magic abilities or making magic an aspect of the setting, but have absolutely zero interest in doing so. It doesn't interest me. I think about shit like healing powers or glowy energy attacks and my reaction is just "what does this even add? Why do I need this? Does this make things more interesting?" And it simply doesn't. Healing is more interesting as a prolonged process, combat is more interesting with teeth and claws and metal and blood. These are options which are more realistic, closer to real life, but the realism isn't what makes them interesting: it's physicality.

When I design a creature for this world, I am not thinking about making it biologically plausible, and yet, I try to design things which look like they could 'move under their own power'. There is a sense of heft and mechanical "soundness" which I value more than realism, but often also aligns with looking 'realistic'.

I would say that it's better to serve a narrative than strive for absolute realism, but I don't actually write stories, although I do have ideas for them occasionally. I guess a version of this which is more relevant and applicable is that i prefer to strive for a particular vibe.