Word: absurdness
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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There is no doubt that to incorporate a separate American dialect would be absurd, and that language deteriorates from careless use. But when they very exponent of perfect English speech himself employs the Americanism "pretty-good" in almost his first words, it is rather hard to see how Americanisms can be escaped. For although Dr. Van Dyke may pronounce his words perfectly, he unconsciously used the language of the people with whom he comes in contact. As he says, "English was kept alive and propagated as the hereditary language of this country by vocal...
Insofar as the law forbade the teaching of other languages to English-speaking children, its provinciality and bigotry are manifest. This recoiling from all languages except English, while perhaps excusable in war times, was ill-advised then, and now is absurd. The knowledge of two modern languages could be nothing but a boon, and the advantages of having them taught in the elementary schools is obvious...
...stage" the poet chooses only moment of inner conflict to array upon his stage of words; and yet he offers clues to imagination for the rest that give if life. Prolixity at time intrudes; and his inordinate concern for their domestic trivialities is sometimes tedious and a bit absurd--bathos, perhaps. Consider Gabrielle's expostulating with the guest at breakfast for lax appreciation of the trout...
...butchers of Japan when meat-eaters were social pariahs. Although the ignominy attached to this class of people was removed by a legislative ordinance some years ago, the Eta have, nevertheless, been subjected to discriminatory treatment. The difficulty is to find some means of effectively destroying the absurd prejudice. It is evidently not enough to pass a law; for although it may be illegal to slight the Eta, there is always a way out of the difficulty for the superior classes: that of leaving them severely alone...
...reality, the battle is only half won by even the most thorough understanding of an assignment, for the modern curriculum is essentially scientific in nature and demands the employment of an accurate terminology. It would be absurd to describe a machine in terms of a zoological science, and it is often equally absurd to attempt to discuss even one of the so-called abstract sciences in terms of everyday conversation. The inability to use the peculiar vocabulary of the subject leads to a failure to speak convincingly with one who is more thoroughly acquainted with the topic at hand. Accuracy...