From: Patsloane-AT-aol.com
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 08:47:32 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: PLC: MotduJour:"gull"


> I've always had the feeling that there was a primordial linguistic 
> phenomenon
>  in onomatopoeia; this has been confirmed in listening to my two sons (6 &
4) 
> who
>  entertain themselves and each other with making up fictitious words
(they're 
> in
>  their 'disgusting,' often 'scatological' word-modeling phase), and I say 
> words
>  rather than just hilarious sounds, for they make up words and seem to know

> what
>  each other is talking about.  
>  
Reg,

I seriously believe that word-play might be the natural language of the human
mind. But we clean it up before we speak publicly, as your sons will learn to
do.  Points to consider.

1) Freud said he wrote Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious because
Fliess asked him why dreams include so many jokes and puns.  

2) Bloom says the oldest part of Genesis is full of puns in the Hebrew. I
think I can see some of it even without knowing Hebrew.  Like, the same word
is used for dirt, Adam (the name), and red.  Makes sense. If he was made of
the dirt or dust, why shouldn't that be his name?

I don't trust people who won't laugh at puns.  I'll make an exception in your
case, though, if you don't like them. You do have other good qualities.

best,

pat sloane


     --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---