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Subject:Re: I just heard another one From:voxwoman <voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"Boudreaux, Madelyn (GE Healthcare, consultant)" <MadelynBoudreaux -at- ge -dot- com> Date:Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:07:25 -0500
I thought it started with William Shatner's speaking as Capt. Kirk in Star
Trek.
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 3:48 PM, Boudreaux, Madelyn (GE Healthcare,
consultant) <MadelynBoudreaux -at- ge -dot- com> wrote:
> John Posada wrote:
> >> Come. On. Now. (Use of initial caps for
> >> emphasis.)
>
> >How is it that we find the grammar transgression of verbing
> >nouns so offensive, but it is OK to construct three sentences
> >out of those three words, which I don't think are valid sentences?
>
> I think one difference is that the 1-word sentence for emphasis is
> deliberately ironic, sarcastic, playful, or otherwise intended for an
> amusing effect. Verbificated* nouns and nouncified* verbs, however, are
> usually the result of thoughtlessness but are intended seriously.
>
> I've actually been trying (read: failing) to research to origin of this
> usage. Best I can figure, it's from the Comic Book Guy from the
> Simpsons, who speaks in a condescending manner to say things like,
> "Worst. Episode. Ever."
>
> This has expanded to include things like, "Oh. My. God. Buffy. Look. At.
> Her. Socks," delivered sotto voce, which would definitely suggest that
> whatever is going on with her socks, it's WELL worth looking at. And
> it's ALWAYS addresses to Buffy, even if your friend to whom you are
> speaking is not named Buffy.
>
> It's all about poetical* licensure*.
>
> - Madelyn
>
> * - heh heh heh, I could do this all day!
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