On Mon, 17 Feb 2003, Philip Hart wrote:
>I have just poked around on the web and find my interpretation of
>punctuation is idiosyncratic, perhaps unique. I'm nonetheless going
>to stick with my flash stones. For those seeking comprehension, the
>problem below might be resolved by writing, "As a certain Issola
>might put it, I am occasionally familiar..."
But it *wasn't* a certain Issola (although I suppose it might have
been). It was a certain Polonius. Although -- was it just me, or was
Khaavren's advice to Piro also a take on that famous blessing? [1]
Note that I had to look that up myself (I knew it was in Hamlet, but I
couldn't remember whether Laertes said it, or someone said it to
Laertes). Which is a point: sometimes one paraphrases because one
can't remember the exact quote or its source (and indeed, the original
source may not be known [2]), and sometimes because the original is
less appropriate than the paraphrase (in terms of changing second
person to first person, or vice versa), and sometimes it's all of the
above. I suppose one could tack on "as somebody or other once said,
approximately", but that seems clumsy, especially when one is trying
to be brief and witty.
Bah. I will use whichever phrasing seems appropriate for the
occasion. Those that get it, get it. Why do published authors
get to have all the fun with unreferenced in-jokes and allusions?
Although in this forum (going back to the previous paraphrase), it
seemed unnecessary to reference the source when the source was SKZB.
>
>On Mon, 17 Feb 2003, David Silberstein wrote:
>
>> I am occasionally familiar; I have no wish to be by any means vulgar.
>> Except when it is appropriate, of course. ;-)
>>
[1] [Laying his hand on Laertes's head.]
And these few precepts in thy memory
Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportion'd thought his act.
--> Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in,
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice:
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy:
For the apparel oft proclaims the man;
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be:
For loan oft loses both itself and friend;
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all,--to thine own self be true;
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!
Heh, heh. He said "dull thy palm with entertainment".
[2] As in this case, it might be that it was not Billy S,
but rather the Earl of Oxford. See?