For those who don't live in the UK there is a product here which you may or may not have heard of. It's a margarine called "I can't believe it's not butter". I believe it was originally from the United States but I have no idea if it's available elsewhere in the world under that name. I don't use it myself but I am quite taken with the linguistic aspects of the latest advertising campaign promoting the new improved version.
It uses the slogan "I can't believe 'I can't believe it's not butter' is better" which it subsequently expands into "I can't believe 'I can't believe 'I can't believe it's not butter' is better' is better than 'I can't believe it's not butter'".
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
June 30, 2010, 18:36
zmježd
Yes, we have heard of this product under that name. In fact, Fabian (IIRC) used to promote it on TV. But, yes, to answer your question, recursion in language is divine ...
—Ceci n'est pas un seing.
June 30, 2010, 21:12
Kalleh
Yes, so have I. Unfortunately, I am having Adobe Flash Player/Firefox issues, so I can't watch the video. (I have gone around and around the stupid directions for loading Adobe Flash Player for Firefox, and they are just fools with describing what to do. I don't have the screen that they think I have. I may never watch another YouTube video again!)
Loved your use of apostrophes!
June 30, 2010, 23:12
BobHale
Transcript.
In the Vicar of Dibley Alice describes her experience of "I can't believe it's not butter."
quote:
You know that stuff that they're selling now at the local shop? (Which stuff?) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter? (Oh yes) Well, you know, I can't believe it's not butter! (I believe that is the idea, yes.) Then yesterday, I went to Crookenden and I bought this other stuff, like a sort of home brand, you know? And, you know, I can't believe it's not I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. (I'm losing you now) Well, you know I Can't Believe It's Not Butter? (Yeah, yeah. You think it is butter.) No, no, I mean, you know the stuff that I can't believe is not butter is called I Can't Believe It's Not Butter? (Probably, yes.) Well, I can't believe the stuff that is not I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is not I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, and I can't believe that both I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and the stuff that I can't believe is not I Can't Believe It's Not Butter are both, in fact, not butter. And I believe they both might be butter in a cunning disguise. And, in fact, there's a lot more butter around than we all thought there was. (Yes. You see I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm sure God does and is intrigued by the whole thing.)
This message has been edited. Last edited by: BobHale,
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
