Corrections to the blogosphere, the consensus, and the world

Friday, June 19, 2009

Specificity can be overdone

An argument at work between the Welsh and those other sheepshaggers from across the Tasman, centering on a long name competition between Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch ("The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red cave") and Taumata whaka tangi hanga koauau o tamatea turi pukakapi ki maunga horo nuku poka i whenua kitana tahu (the 'place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as land-eater, played his flute to his loved one').

I mean, are there really so many churches in Wales that you actually have to distinguish them in such detail? Are there really Welsh folk complaining “Yes, I know you said The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's, but you didn’t say which cave, and I’ve been waiting for two hours in the blue cave”?

Similarly in NZ.

1 comment:

Tony said...

This is nothing to do with your post, but I can think of no other way to ask you a couple of questions, merely out of curiosity:

Why, after five years of regular posting in an interesting and literate blog, have you had so few comments?

Why do you give away so little about yourself?

Just thought I'd ask.

All good wishes.

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