I think the etymology of boot[strapping] is funny, myself.
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.Yeah, ultimately scientists are lazy like that
Still, it's something we can lock down, and dead languages at least help.
edited 20th Jan '11 12:38:50 PM by Pykrete
Bootstrapping? You mean like Will Turner's dad?
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?No, it means pulling yourself out of a swamp by pulling up on your boot's straps. Look up Baron Münchausen.
^^what is this I don't even
edited 20th Jan '11 12:40:56 PM by Tzetze
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.That's mechanically impossible.
^Pirates Of The Caribbean s the first time I've ever head the word "bootstraps", and in fact the only instance besides the "pulling oneself from one's own bootstraps" idiom, which always, always puzzled me. That a computer can do this makes even less sense. Even Discworld's booting by Percussive Maintenance makes more sense than this.
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?That's the joke.
It's a bit technical. Basically you have a really basic simple process that the machine can run, then that runs a more complicated process, etc.
Also Wikipedia tells me that it wasn't actually a Münchhausen fable, but something like one, so whatever.
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.a bit technical
You mean it involves more incomprehensible Techno Babble?
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?So. Why do spellchekrs not acknoledge such combowords as, say spellchecker, insisting I call it spell-checker?
I think the lack of regulation is what makes english more conservative than other languages, since there is no-on to allow and legitimize new usages, which are then treated like shitty underclass slang by the highbrow elite.
This is why they say TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Vocabulary rather than enhance it.
edited 20th Jan '11 2:16:55 PM by RawPower
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?They aren't Newords, they're Oldwords that are agglutinated into awesome. Seriously, why don't we just have a rule agglutinate stuff, Japanese-style, or Russian-style? We Will Use WikiWords in the Future!
edited 20th Jan '11 5:18:02 PM by RawPower
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?And agglutination is adding affixes, anyway, not making portmanteaus and compounds.
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.dude, what-ever, let's just strongbuild the funwords, it's more awesomecool that way.
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?I smash words together sometimes because fuck you spellcheck is a word. STOP DOING THAT SPELLCHECK. YOU'RE A WORD WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
I hear German likes super long words. German and I will be good friends.
If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan ChahThere is an advanced philosophical term in german which has "boobs" in it somewhere. As in, woman's breasts. Seriously.
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?Do you know why We Will Use WikiWords in the Future isn't Truth in Television? Because when you do it intentionally it sounds dumb.
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.RAMIREZ!
...
Actualy, go along, you were saying?
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?That's not a problem unique to German, and I don't see why German would have it particularly bad.
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Even in academia people are scornful of language regulations. I've seen a lot of Latin American professors roll their eyes when a Spaniard corrects their use of Ustedes over Vosotros, as if that wasn't the way many Spanish speaking countries haven't been using their language for over a century.
Consider me another "no". The grammarians who have conniptions over the rise of Ebonics and leetspeak are obnoxious enough as it is.
Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.