I'm sorry, but I have a violent antipathy to all this: if you write, you use
your own skin, not computer programs, nor thesauri, nor most definitely
rhyming dictionaries. Nor assontantal wordbanks. Writing comes from one's
own contingency, it is not a matter for calculation in a field of others,
anyone who relies on such aids shouldn't be claiming to be there in the
first place.
david bircumshaw
----- Original Message -----
From: neville attkins <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2000 11:27 AM
Subject: cant is all bunk isn't it?
> Thank you for the book suggestions, I shall hunt them
> out, but
>
> cant is all bunk isn't it?
>
> its just set up by dictionary makers as the container
> for words spoken by tramps, theives, prostitutes and
> literary types. Into the cant tank all sorts of stuff
> gets put, for example the OED is as likely to say that
> a word is 'cant' as its origin is obscure. My reason
> for choosing the OED was that it it not necessarily an
> honest representation, also the words were just so
> toothsome they sort of wrote themselves, probably
> evident from my poetiking.
>
> I liked P.Howard's cant poem very much it had penny
> dreadful quality about it, the smut content
> practically drowned the ship by the end.
>
> I have a number of questions:
>
> Do any of you out there use computers in the process
> of literary creation? I don't mean necessarily word
> processors, but what about tools like GREP or PERL, I
> have had various levels of success with same I
> wondered what anyone elses luck was?
>
> Also in talking about the OED have you used in on CD,
> is it just me that finds it incredibly annoying to
> use? does anyone know how to do clever reverse
> engineering type things on it? I know this is faintly
> illegal but the interface is so provoking it can't be
> borne.
>
> Lastly have any of you used Wordnet with the tree walk
> software? If you haven't I suggest a visit to
> www.wordnet.com it is free!
> where you will find the most wonderful tool for
> composition. Give it a word and it will provide
> hypernyms holonyms Meronyms, coordinates and so forth.
> To give an example from the word 'clipper ship'
> hypernyms: conveyance, vehicle, craft etc
> hyponyms: cutty sark, mary rose etc
> meronyms: helm,mast,hull etc
> holonyms: fleet etc
> coordinates: bark,brig,cutter,galleon.
>
> A wonderful thing put together at Princeton.
>
> This time in keeping with my belief that the following
> of tricky rules brings out something not gettable at
> any other way another poem. I have found pairs of
> words such that by removing the letter 'a' at the
> beginning creates a new word: so averse is good
> because it gives two not necessarily related words
> 'verse' and 'averse' but 'amoral' is less good because
> 'amoral' and 'moral' are rather boringly related. Well
> anyway here it is:
>
> One A1 big girl Abigail
>
> A capital city, a Georgian terrace,
> And Acid Sid's abyss
> biz assets' set up
> basement abasements, mounts for amounts
>
> with atom tom 'Abby',leggy
> allegory, with vice advisors
> Abbot B-b-b-b-bots
> and abacus Bacchus as a-a-a-a-countants .
>
> for Amen Bra man Abraham
> Abby was Abigail or 'Big Gail'
> for big Arab Rabi,
> acerbic whore abhorring Serbians
>
> queued butts abutting
> for at cost accosting,
> got to grow on cue
> from cussing in agro argot
>
> like Chillian Che the SS ass men,
> genital agents the flayed
> affraid affluent and fluent
> all had for this miss amiss an Achilles ache.
>
> But though adept with debt, maxing
> on the Amex, and attack tax
> Abby got her costly rear
> accosted in arrears with Mitty amities
>
> The trophy of the atrophy was podgy
> apology Lisa alias Alibi Libby
> with tricks attic the lass alas tole
> stole Abby's accustomed custom
>
> When auntie 'Untie' Abe's aid and maid
> alighted on the lights,
> And Abe's Doberman,
> Over the abdomen (able peers
>
> appeared, to arrange peals of bells
> to appeal the amassed masses
> to mass.) Auntie untie
> called the adjusted justice
>
> who called for a bag for the bag.
> Abby from topsy
> to autopsy had been a tom
> now she's ashes atoms.
>
>
>
>
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