Patrick Kurp is interesting as usual, this time looking at rare words, with particular reference to Geoffrey Hill, the word “shotten”, and a discussion on the entropy of language.
I thought the phrase 'shotten herring' was uncommon, but not rare. I've certainly seen it in literature several times. I think it's in Lewis Grassic Gibbon, and certainly in Hugh MacDiarmid and Neil Gunn.
I'm sure Patrick Kurp will be really interested in your observations, Colin. Thanks.
Andy, rather you than me for writing that review! A tough one. Smiths vs. Morrissey, eh? Sustained and inspired briliance vs. inconsistent patches of genius... Yes, probably.
4 comments:
I thought the phrase 'shotten herring' was uncommon, but not rare. I've certainly seen it in literature several times. I think it's in Lewis Grassic Gibbon, and certainly in Hugh MacDiarmid and Neil Gunn.
Cheers Rob ... I now feel even more queasy at having to write a review of 'A Treatise on Civil Power'.
Perhaps I'll scrap my analogy of The Smiths vs. solo Morrissey in relation to pre- and post-1990 Hill.
ABJ
I'm sure Patrick Kurp will be really interested in your observations, Colin. Thanks.
Andy, rather you than me for writing that review! A tough one. Smiths vs. Morrissey, eh? Sustained and inspired briliance vs. inconsistent patches of genius... Yes, probably.
Yes but the idea of comparing Hill to (ergh) Morrissey...!
No, seriously. Go with it, Andy.
btw I know you two are far away but Geoffrey Hill is going to be in London reading in three weeks. Pretty exciting!
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