docoflove1974

Oh bother Whether you call them dictionaries or grammars, 'dialects' have been studied and documented for many a decade, and in some cases for a couple of centuries now. As far as 'language' vs. 'dialect'...it depends on whose definition you're talking about. In the linguistics realm, the distinction is pretty clear: you have 2 'dialects' when there is some level of mutual intelligibility--albeit strained, as I can think of many friends who couldn't watch "Trainspotting" without the English subtitles, although I didn't need help in understanding (most) anyone. On the other hand, there are 2 'languages' when there is zero intelligibility. What most people use as the criterion for 'language' vs. 'dialect' usually centers around political lines: there is usually only "Chinese" (until you realize that Cantonese, Mandarin and the like are very different, and no where near mutually intelligible!), "Serbian" and "Croatian" are separated (yet there is a very high level of mutual intelligibility...yet you will never hear either a Serb or a Croat tell that story!), as well as "Norwegian" and "Swedish" are traditionally separated (again, they're usually considered dialects of each other). The Italians consider the different regional 'speeches' to be dialects, although I will tell you from personal as well as other antectdotal accounts that I cannot understand most Southern Italian speech (Sicilian in particular), so one could argue with that. I would argue, based on the linguistic data, that there might be a 'Sicilian language,' because of actual differences in the inflectional structure. But there is much debate regarding this, and I really don't have the time nor space to do it justice. As for the dessert...I thought Neopolitans just had that funny ice cream

It's all good, dudes (I'd put a hippie smiley on, but it's not one of the ones listed...alas, it would have fit so nicely!)

SLANDER, LIES, CALUMNY, LIBEL, MENDACITY, PERNICIOUS UNTRUTH, DISSIMULATION, FOUL RUMOR MONGERING!!! GRRRR! Do you hear me down there in the boondocks? And you an Eyetalian! Shame! Shame! :bag: Where is your proof? What acceptable sources can you cite? Those people eat cous-cous, tabbouleh, baba ganoij! When was the last time you had spaghetti in an ARab restaurant? :2guns: :punk: :1eye: I cite chef Mario Batali...who, as I first read this reply of Mr. P's, said the exact same thing on his "Molto Mario" show. C'mon, they already had cous cous...it's not much of a jump...same wheat (I believe), just a different process. Enough of the temper tantrum

Aye, laddie...female through and through. Amazing how many people have assumed that I was male!

Oh, I love the weather here...just not used to it hitting triple digits. Well, not here. I thought I had left those in my collegiate and post-collegiate life. As for the wine...it's just fine. Well, it'll be tested tonight, just to make sure

We've had a lot of little shakes lately...or so they say. I haven't felt anything yet. *shrug* YOU CAN'T SCARE ME AWAY, YA YANKEE BUM!!!

Also: your big words make my head hurt. I actually had to use a *gasp* dictionary! You must subscribe to Webster's Word-Of-The-Day...I should start reading those emails. In future, stop using words that force me to learn more about my native tongue hehe

Well, it is to me...

La-la-land? I take an enormous amount of offence to that. If Northern California had its way, we'd jettison everything south of Big Sur into the Pacific. Bleep them, I tell you! La-la-land indeed *snort*

I finally had some time to work on some pictures from the trip to Aruba last month Every underwater shot is taken by my brother Matt, and the topside shots are either mine or my mom's. I still have a few more to add, once I work on them. Anyway, enjoy!

Not everyone from Cali is weird. Just the ones in Bezerkeley

To your chop suey, I say ptooey! (Besides, out here we call it chow mein or lo mein...) No need for A/C...it's now down to 76'!! The fog is back, baby! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Just as an update: top temp according to our thermometer was 104'F, the current temp. But inside, with the fans going...it's a comfy 80'F. Iced tea, hot dogs, and ice cream for everyone!

I was under the impression that one of the many 'treasures' that Marco Polo brought back with him from his journeys to the Far East was the concept of pasta. Of course, that being a folktale, who knows the accurate truth to that.