The greatest American debate on English grammar

來源: renqiulan 2023-09-20 18:16:31 [] [博客] [舊帖] [給我悄悄話] 本文已被閱讀: 次 (1844 bytes)

Only Americans have the humility to call the United States an Imperfect Union. Only Americans have the audacity to promise themselves a More Perfect Union. We don't even care if "More Perfect" makes grammatical sense. But then we are Americans. Grammatical sense be damned.

Grammatical sense be damned? Not so fast.

In 1776 Americans had actually kicked off the greatest grammar debate in the history of the English-speaking world. To make the long story short, some of the American founders argued for "inalienable rights" regarding the early versions of the Declaration of Independence. When it came to the final version, though, they conceded to the majority who voted for "unalienable rights." Interestingly, modern American dictionaries prefer "inalienable" as a proper adjective. 

Unalienable rights, however, have long been declared enough but not exercised enough. Consequently or consequentially, our history shows a gnawing gap between rights declared and rights exercised. With that being said, this gnawing gap keeps narrowing. If that's not progress, I don't know what is.

Can we imagine a world without America? Can we imagine an America without unalienable rights enshrined in its Declaration of Independence?


Author: renqiulan

 

(Google image)

所有跟帖: 

沙發~ ~ -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:19:51

Comfy? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:24:08

Of course! haha -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:26:38

Actually, you are in the driving seat. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:34:46

Absolutely! We're all in this together. :) -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:14:01

I'm taking a joy ride. You're doing the heavy lifting. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:46:30

"inalienable rights" 和 "unalienable rights" 的差別 -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:25:47

Well, "inalienable" originates from a combination of the -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:39:24

prefix in- and alienable via the Middle French aliénable. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:40:38

Like inalienable, unalienable originates from the -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:49:26

prefix un– and alienable via the Middle French aliénable -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:50:10

and was first recorded in 1610–20. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:50:52

Thanks for sharing.How do you translate these two words into -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:02:19

Chinese? What's the difference? :) -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:03:35

Could you give it a try, in the context of the -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:11:25

First Amendment? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:11:50

查了中英字典,都是 ”不可剝奪的“的意思? -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:21:06

Close. It implies something that is "God-given." -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:25:45

inalienable: 不可剝奪的。unalienable:未被剝奪的。 -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:18:05

多謝居士兄分享 -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:25:41

inalienable: 不可剝奪的。unalienable:沒有可剝奪的。 -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:30:59

Thank you, 方外居士! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:08:30

They both originate from a Middle French term "aliénable." -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:28:52

可以意譯作‘’天賦權利‘’嗎? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:31:53

應該是這個意思。 -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (298 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:33:46

Goodnight, 盈盈! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:07:13

Same as 不可剝奪的 -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:34:57

I doubt it. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:06:20

“天賦人權”僅僅是用了宗教性的語言來說同一件事,make it holly-like -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:31:51

All the American founders were religious to a fault. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:52:59

Last summer I visited Philadelphia. It's an unforgettable -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:32:52

experience to learn and appreciate American history. -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:35:29

When I visited the Birthplace of American Independence -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:54:03

in Philadelphia as a little kid, I thought it was a -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:55:31

school building! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:55:53

The Independence Hall in Philadelphia?haha -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:10:18

And the cracked Liberty Bell... -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:19:03

so imperfect and yet so indispensable to a noble cause. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:21:42

No grammar is perfect -Zhuzitaba- 給 Zhuzitaba 發送悄悄話 Zhuzitaba 的博客首頁 (504 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:34:49

It goes without saying that nothing is -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:44:17

truly perfect. Correct me if I'm wrong. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:47:41

Why? I thought the 2nd was correct. No? -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:35:44

You have a good answer to your good question. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:07:51

Second might mean that each of them has more than one head -Zhuzitaba- 給 Zhuzitaba 發送悄悄話 Zhuzitaba 的博客首頁 (233 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 05:39:25

Wow, Qiulan is here! 問好! -66的山梁- 給 66的山梁 發送悄悄話 66的山梁 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 18:54:07

Hi,66的山梁! How's it going? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:00:39

歡迎66來美壇,問好 ~ ~ -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:15:16

恭賀盈盈榮任版主! -66的山梁- 給 66的山梁 發送悄悄話 66的山梁 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/22/2023 postreply 16:42:56

[unalienable rights] = Chinglish :-) -TJKCB- 給 TJKCB 發送悄悄話 TJKCB 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:34:05

Just like "long time no see"? -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:37:07

Yup, that. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:12:07

哈哈哈,可否演義一二? -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:37:11

請方外居士作指路明燈! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:14:14

Would you care to elaborate? Thank you, TJKCB ! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:10:43

unalienable rights vs. long time no see = Chinglish :-),,,, -TJKCB- 給 TJKCB 發送悄悄話 TJKCB 的博客首頁 (4796 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 22:21:58

When a story is that good, its grammar is moot :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 19:45:44

You are not serious, are you? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:15:07

Why not? -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:37:23

Now you are really serious. I like that. Goodnight! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:48:52

in- vs un-,感覺頭很大,哈哈哈,謝謝秋蘭 -顫音- 給 顫音 發送悄悄話 顫音 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:09:42

同感!頭痛病一直沒有好過! -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:12:50

方外居士保重! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:22:33

開國諸君已投票通過了"unalienable",這是史實。當然,史實未必符合現實。 -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:21:13

顫音好,謝謝! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:23:25

Perfect is perfect, perfect can't be more perfect for sure! -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:28:05

A world without America would be imperfect, -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:32:29

especially no MYSJ any more :) -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:34:00

I hate to break it to you, but a world WITH America is still -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:38:10

IMPERFECT! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:38:47

You're absolutely right. -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:42:04

Anyway, a world WITH America is MORE perfect :) -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:43:50

Or less imperfect. Yin and yang. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:48:01

Yes, less imperfect! Perfect word pick! -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:56:04

See? I'm shrewd enough to err on the safe side. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:02:44

Don't get me wrong, though. I mean, chasing perfection is -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:42:34

like chasing sunrise. We need to see hope on the horizon. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:43:58

Great thought. I cannot agree more. -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:47:19

Thanks. Call it chicken soup for the soul. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:51:44

心靈雞湯! -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:58:03

Our founding fathers had a good sense of humor, right? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:35:07

Yes, they did :) -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:45:07

“More perfect” doesn’t make sense semantically, -AutoFill123- 給 AutoFill123 發送悄悄話 (34 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 20:05:46

I would say, "More Perfect" makes rhetorical sense. But you -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/23/2023 postreply 06:08:17

really have a good point. Thanks a million! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/23/2023 postreply 06:09:59

Great post by a great MYSJ painter Qiulan :) 謝謝秋蘭分享。 -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:38:28

I'm just finger-painting something, like a preschooler. Haha -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 20:58:03

You're too humble. If that is the case, then I'm a newborn. -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:00:39

Speaking of "a newborn," Homer's following verse comes back -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:08:22

to me: "When the early-born (ērigeneia), rose-fingered -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:10:17

(rhododaktylos) dawn appeared." This, I'm told, is an -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:12:04

ancient Greek phrase used by Homer to say -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:13:19

"when the day broke out." Homer IS truly a painter. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:14:19

See, you know everything! Thank you for sharing. -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:22:47

I know NOTHING. I'm trying to dream up something. Goodnight! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:32:15

Good night. Best wishes to your dream :) -CBA7- 給 CBA7 發送悄悄話 CBA7 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 21:53:44

哈哈,有趣!Sounds more like a communist country with the unaliena -天玉之- 給 天玉之 發送悄悄話 天玉之 的博客首頁 (24 bytes) () 09/20/2023 postreply 22:25:44

Thanks for your thoughts. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 19:32:39

inalienable = unalienable :) In my area, instable = unstable -Zhuzitaba- 給 Zhuzitaba 發送悄悄話 Zhuzitaba 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 05:46:24

Ditto in my neck of the woods. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 19:35:38

According to etymology dictionary, in- means "not, -dhyang_wxc- 給 dhyang_wxc 發送悄悄話 dhyang_wxc 的博客首頁 (495 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 11:16:06

From where you took off, you could let your imagination fly. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 19:37:42

謝謝秋蘭,謝謝網管,The greatest American debate on English grammar -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 20:49:42

推薦文學城首頁成功 -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/21/2023 postreply 20:50:02

感謝! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/22/2023 postreply 11:36:25

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