Mefi's own Languagehat December 15, 2011 7:07 PM Subscribe
(mefi's own) Languagehat ranks #1 on the list of people asked about their favorite reads in 2011 by The Millions. I'm sure there are a couple other mefites on the list, too.
I still see him skulking around favoriting things. His contribution was well done.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:14 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:14 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
jessamyn: skulking
What an appropriate thread for me to learn a new word.
posted by gman at 7:16 PM on December 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
What an appropriate thread for me to learn a new word.
posted by gman at 7:16 PM on December 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
Congrats to the Hat for being consulted alongside such literary luminaries as Duff McKagan and Mayim Bialik.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:33 PM on December 15, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:33 PM on December 15, 2011 [4 favorites]
I still see him skulking around favoriting things.
I thought you had favorites turned off. Shenanigans.
posted by grouse at 7:45 PM on December 15, 2011
I thought you had favorites turned off. Shenanigans.
posted by grouse at 7:45 PM on December 15, 2011
Every time I see the word "skulking," I picture a skunk sulking.
Languagehat is indeed sorely missed. Thankfully, he is still out there on the Internet. His presence can sometimes even be felt among us Mefites as he shifts silently from shelf to shelf poring over his innumerable volumes, pausing now and again to gaze inward at us from the dusky shadows of the outer darkness that surrounds us here.
posted by koeselitz at 7:47 PM on December 15, 2011 [4 favorites]
Languagehat is indeed sorely missed. Thankfully, he is still out there on the Internet. His presence can sometimes even be felt among us Mefites as he shifts silently from shelf to shelf poring over his innumerable volumes, pausing now and again to gaze inward at us from the dusky shadows of the outer darkness that surrounds us here.
posted by koeselitz at 7:47 PM on December 15, 2011 [4 favorites]
I have favorites turned on but I use a Greasemonkey script to turn them into one/some/most indicators.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:53 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:53 PM on December 15, 2011
When reanimated skeletons in the thrall of necromancers do it it's called "skullking".
In lhat's honor, I checked the OED to confirm my hope that "skulk" is actually a super old word, apparently from Scandanavia originally. So skulking is one of the places where one is, in fact, some manner of viking.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:18 PM on December 15, 2011 [8 favorites]
In lhat's honor, I checked the OED to confirm my hope that "skulk" is actually a super old word, apparently from Scandanavia originally. So skulking is one of the places where one is, in fact, some manner of viking.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:18 PM on December 15, 2011 [8 favorites]
He's still here, people. He commented as recently as...today.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:33 PM on December 15, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 8:33 PM on December 15, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oh, dear. Yes, I have spent all day today thinking that it was the 13th, and my admin at work had to correct something I signed and dated the 13th, and I'm clearly still thinking it's the 13th.
My only hope is clearly to get him to post something today so that I won't be wrong. Only I think he's likely already asleep. Drat those time zones.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:59 PM on December 15, 2011
My only hope is clearly to get him to post something today so that I won't be wrong. Only I think he's likely already asleep. Drat those time zones.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:59 PM on December 15, 2011
Congrats to the Hat for being consulted alongside such literary luminaries as Duff McKagan and Mayim Bialik.
Is it 1991 again already?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:19 PM on December 15, 2011
Is it 1991 again already?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:19 PM on December 15, 2011
Is it 1991 again already?
I've been reading McKagan's quite excellent memoir, which was published this year. Until you have had Sly Stone smoke crack in your own filthy bathroom, mock not.
posted by Wolof at 10:27 PM on December 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
I've been reading McKagan's quite excellent memoir, which was published this year. Until you have had Sly Stone smoke crack in your own filthy bathroom, mock not.
posted by Wolof at 10:27 PM on December 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
The book he talks about (Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate) is a great one and everyone should read it. Unless, of course, they hate books.
posted by daniel_charms at 11:32 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by daniel_charms at 11:32 PM on December 15, 2011
Way back, he mentioned also loving Sorley MacLean and having a copy of Kinsella's Tain signed by the translator himself, so I tend to trust lh's reading recommendations will be right up my street.
posted by Abiezer at 2:26 AM on December 16, 2011
posted by Abiezer at 2:26 AM on December 16, 2011
Ah, I just prefer recommendations from the cute clerk in my local independent bookstore... Oh wait.
Congrats LH!
posted by spitbull at 2:38 AM on December 16, 2011
Congrats LH!
posted by spitbull at 2:38 AM on December 16, 2011
Congrats to the 'hat! He is one of those MeFites I associate with being gracious in everything he does, and to whose example I aspire. Occasional fightyness notwithstanding.
posted by Phire at 5:37 AM on December 16, 2011
posted by Phire at 5:37 AM on December 16, 2011
Occasional fightyness notwithstanding.
I love that his fourth most recent word on the site is "idiotic." Skull king indeed!
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:07 AM on December 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I love that his fourth most recent word on the site is "idiotic." Skull king indeed!
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:07 AM on December 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Much as I hate to break the beautiful symmetry of "MetaTalk: 7 posts, 7000 comments," mathematics must give way before humanity, and I love gingerbeer too much to let her be WRONG ON THE INTERNET. So I'll break radio silence to say thanks for the kind words, and go read Grossman's terrific novel! (Yes, it's a long Russian novel with a lot of names, but NYRB Books has included a very helpful list of characters at the back. Also, it gets grim at times, but if you can handle MetaTalk, you can handle that.)
posted by languagehat at 7:27 AM on December 16, 2011 [30 favorites]
posted by languagehat at 7:27 AM on December 16, 2011 [30 favorites]
I predict another grudging six comments over the next interim to bring the comment count up to a nice palindrome. I'll see if I can get someone to post some addled prescriptivist nonsense.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:32 AM on December 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:32 AM on December 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oh man, I've clearly been reading this site too much lately when I read "radio silence" and immediately think it should be "radio silents."
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:34 AM on December 16, 2011
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:34 AM on December 16, 2011
I'll see if I can get someone to post some addled prescriptivist nonsense.
That could start a vicious cycle.
*waits patiently*
posted by middleclasstool at 7:39 AM on December 16, 2011
That could start a vicious cycle.
*waits patiently*
posted by middleclasstool at 7:39 AM on December 16, 2011
I think you mean... viscous cycle.
posted by taz (staff) at 7:44 AM on December 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 7:44 AM on December 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
I won't be satisfied until we can declare Mayim Bialik to be MetaFilter's own.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 8:23 AM on December 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 8:23 AM on December 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
That is probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me on Metafilter! Thank you, lhat, for retroactively saving me from my own mistake!
posted by gingerbeer at 8:30 AM on December 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by gingerbeer at 8:30 AM on December 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Congrats to the Hat for being consulted alongside such literary luminaries as Duff McKagan and Mayim Bialik
The name that jumped out at me was Jennifer Egan, who I believe won the Pulitzer either this year or last. I have read some Pulitzer winners that were quite terrible, but I have read some of Egan's other stuff and I bet hers is not.
posted by Diablevert at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2011
The name that jumped out at me was Jennifer Egan, who I believe won the Pulitzer either this year or last. I have read some Pulitzer winners that were quite terrible, but I have read some of Egan's other stuff and I bet hers is not.
posted by Diablevert at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2011
he mentioned also loving Sorley MacLean and having a copy of Kinsella's Tain signed by the translator himself
*drops things in shock*
Languagehat, if you are out there, I want you to picture me doing the Waynes'World kowtowing and "I'm not worthy!" thing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:14 AM on December 16, 2011
*drops things in shock*
Languagehat, if you are out there, I want you to picture me doing the Waynes'World kowtowing and "I'm not worthy!" thing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:14 AM on December 16, 2011
I won't be satisfied until we can declare Mayim Bialik to be MetaFilter's own.
Waitaminute--languagehat? Are we really sure he hasn't been Blossom in a beard this whole time?
posted by Sys Rq at 11:45 AM on December 16, 2011
Waitaminute--languagehat? Are we really sure he hasn't been Blossom in a beard this whole time?
posted by Sys Rq at 11:45 AM on December 16, 2011
Much as I hate to break the beautiful symmetry of "MetaTalk: 7 posts, 7000 comments," -- Maybe I should now begrudgingly admit that a small, tiny part of the reason for making this post in the first place was to cajole you into resurfacing and move you off of that quasi-significant number. That, and I think that it's important to feature not only the extra-curricular goings on of people other than Metafilter staff on Metatalk.
posted by crunchland at 11:52 AM on December 16, 2011
posted by crunchland at 11:52 AM on December 16, 2011
i have 666 answers in AskMe. no wonder everythings going wrong.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:14 PM on December 16, 2011
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:14 PM on December 16, 2011
Thank you for pointing to this list. I have put Life and Fate on my reader and I'm thinking about adding The Great Frustration as well. I'm always looking for new recommendations.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:26 PM on December 16, 2011
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:26 PM on December 16, 2011
Nice work Languagehat!
And people, don't be disrespecting Mayim Bialik. Yes, she was Blossom, fifteen years ago. These days she has a PhD in Neuroscience, and is a notable author, and pretty funny as Sheldon's girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory.
posted by ErikaB at 2:17 PM on December 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
And people, don't be disrespecting Mayim Bialik. Yes, she was Blossom, fifteen years ago. These days she has a PhD in Neuroscience, and is a notable author, and pretty funny as Sheldon's girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory.
posted by ErikaB at 2:17 PM on December 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'll see if I can get someone to post some addled prescriptivist nonsense.
Unnecessary deviation from established rules of a language places an unnecessary cognitive burden on readers. So yay prescriptivism!
posted by Anything at 6:32 PM on December 16, 2011
Unnecessary deviation from established rules of a language places an unnecessary cognitive burden on readers. So yay prescriptivism!
posted by Anything at 6:32 PM on December 16, 2011
I hope (and sort of assume) that Mr. Hat will be reading this thread. I, too, miss his presence here and am feeling nostalgic for the old lawn, off of which he has apparently got. But really it was his in the first place.
posted by trip and a half at 9:38 PM on December 16, 2011
posted by trip and a half at 9:38 PM on December 16, 2011
Sweet! A huge list of reading recommendations.
posted by thelastcamel at 12:08 AM on December 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by thelastcamel at 12:08 AM on December 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
Ohh, so awesome to see this here. I'd love to find out who else on this list is a mefite!
(For the record this one's mine.)
posted by emilycardigan at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
(For the record this one's mine.)
posted by emilycardigan at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
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posted by jonmc at 7:13 PM on December 15, 2011 [2 favorites]