Of Dis and Dat! Part 11

CONTINUING… You know something? I have a theory about those canine-copulating types. I think that not too long from now, their babies will be emerging at birth already bent in two and on all fours, in the favoured position and fully ready to continue what in the future will have become a tradition of what is now today’s new normal.

But you see how easily and effectively the turnaround could happen if only there was the will, and with each of the entities (mentioned in last week’s submission) playing its part? Of course, for a total clean-up, all associated “art forms” such as what passes for “songs”, with similarly gross complementary lyrics, would have to be given the same treatment, since in many cases they clearly inspire the gross actions. However, we know that that’s not about to happen of its own accord. Too many wimps around. Moreover, just look at what‘s made it internationally as we are constantly reminded. It has become the gold standard for creativity out of Saint Lucia. This “original art form” is being worshipped and glorified, not to talk of intellectualised by some of our local professors. Can you believe it? (Heaven help us!)

Well, if the society were truly interested in raising the bar and protecting the reputation of St Lucia, from taking a further nose dive, then all it would take is the will of those many persons who can effect the needed change with the full support of the majority of our citizens from all walks of life (my helper and her neighbours think exactly as I do about what they see and what they would like to see). Otherwise the slide will continue, and Heaven only knows where we will end up. Surely you know that that’s the way the cookie crumbles every time. We have a whole heap of examples in a whole host of areas.

And how about this circumstance, rife with ingratitude? The current government has greatly increased its monetary input into Carnival and into the arts generally, even as its leader is being abused on all fronts by not a few of those very ingrate-beneficiaries in the cultural and artistic communities. He gives this fête epitomised population what they want and yet they continue to criticize and abuse. “More! More!” they scream. He has created an organised, professional, business entity which ensures that a wide variety of local artists (and one uses the word very loosely to include all and sundry, even those who are artists in their minds only) are incubated, included, covered, supported, encouraged and better rewarded, yet that community is among the most vocal of his critics. Somehow, I never heard their voices during the life of the former regime. Not a whimper. Did you? Looks like no good deed goes unpunished. Or just perhaps, as some might say, it really wasn’t that much of a good deed to begin with… But do please pump a reasonable portion of the ($3 million) moolah into the Junior Carnival to encourage and support the organizers and participants in their efforts to develop it in a desirable manner, consciously chart a new course, and not follow a mindless, copycat one.

Well, I believe I shall bring this subject to a close, at least in this column. There are other things to share – such as a little language, something about which you’ve recently reminded me. I’d forgotten that I said I’d stick some into every piece. So let’s check out a few which were heard during the past weeks. The word ‘offspring’ remains the same for both singular and plural forms. It is never said or written with an ’s’ at the end. The same applies to the word ‘aircraft’. One aircraft, a hundred aircraft. Next, why is the word ‘motor’ pronounced ‘moto’ by so many, when it should be pronounced just as the words ‘factor’, ‘doctor’, ‘realtor’, ‘manor’, ‘donor’ are, with the terminal ‘uh’ sound? We don’t say facto, docto, dono etc. The word ‘motor’ is pronounced ‘motuh’ just like the other ‘or’ and ‘er’ word endings. Then there’s ‘audacity’ and ‘audacious’. The initial syllable is not sounded as an ‘ow’ as in ‘cow’ and ‘how’, but as the ‘au’ in ‘August’, ‘authentic’, ‘audit’, ‘author’. May I recommend the user-friendly ‘Howjsay’ website for correct pronounciation, no, no, no – the word is not ‘pronounciation’. It’s ‘pronunciation’. Everytime! Every single time!