As Tinman has indicated in another thread, I have a lot to learn about words! Recently, I was at an art museum in Washington DC, and a colleague and I viewed a painting with monkeys. They called it a singerie, which is a picture of monkeys dressed as people. Do any of you know anything more about this word? Are there other words like this, e.g., names for other animals dressed as humans?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
As Tinman has indicated in another thread, I have a lot to learn about words!

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Now, Kalleh, I didn't say that and that was not my intention.

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Are there other words like this, e.g., names for other animals dressed as humans?

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Sure. Don't you remember when Bonzo went to the White House?

Tinman

[This message was edited by tinman on Wed Oct 29th, 2003 at 1:22.]

The first picture that comes to mind is that awful daub showing a group of dogs dressed as people playing pool. Singe is the French word for monkey, and chien is French for dog, so logically the picture I am thinking of would be described as a chienerie.

However, when did logic ever have any influence over languages?

Tinman, I do have a lot to learn about words, or I wouldn't be here! And, I took your comment very kindly, as I do comment from you. After all, you and Arnie are the site's professors, right?

Arnie, what a great name for dogs dressed as humans. I found a lot of sites where dogs dressed as humans; here are a couple.

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you and Arnie are the site's professors, right?

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Huh? I can't speak for tinman, but I am certainly no professor, merely an enthusiastic amateur.

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Originally posted by tinman:
Sure. Don't you remember when http://www.quickchange.com/reagan/ went to the White House?

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Excellent site, T., if only slightly off the original thread topic. "Ronald Regan's Reign of Error" is another great source for examples of why we Americans should be deeply ashamed of ourselves and our leaders. Not that we are, of course. We're Americans. There have been serious moves to put Regan's face on currency (a new 10-dollar bill, I think) or up on Rushmore! Appalling!!

To wind this back around to the English language, I would suggest that the decline in the proper use of our beloved Mother Tongue is a reflection of our shamefully lessening respect for intelligence in general. It's true, Regan was one of the dimmest bulbs to occupy the Oval Office and yet he was almost universally beloved. George Dubya is not too many steps behind and God only knows what's going on in California.

I don't see this pattern reversing itself here (or, for that matter, in the U.K. either) and the end result can't help but be the sinking of our country as a whole on any number of levels. Information is today's currency, intelligence has always been and will always be strength. And yet we're drawn to celebrity instead. What cattle we've become!

A prediction? Take any group of people who devoutly respect intellect and who actively pursue ways to better themselves intellectually and I have no doubt that they will pass us by as if we were standing still AND quite possibly within our own lifetimes! My money is on the South Koreans, with or without tongue surgery.

Or course (to continue the wagering analogy) to cover my bet, I will continue to gently correct those around me when they are particularly stupid in public in an effort to prod them back into a mindset where intelligence is something to be admired.


We shall see...

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Huh? I can't speak for tinman, but I am certainly no professor, merely an enthusiastic amateur.

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Oh, for heaven's sake, Arnie, I have called you and Tinman "professors" here from the beginning. I don't care about degrees; I'm talking about how much I have learned from you both. It was meant to be a compliment. [Life is not easy on wordcraft!]

CJ, if you can't spell Reagan's name accurately, how much credence should we give your further views of him?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Oh, for heaven's sake, Arnie, I have called you and Tinman "professors" here from the beginning. I don't care about degrees; I'm talking about how much I have learned from you both. It was meant to be a compliment.

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I realise that, Kalleh, and am flattered. But I felt that I should set out my lack of standing in the world of letters, lest newcomers to the forum ascribe a gravitas to my posts that they do not deserve.

Singerie - lacy underwear for monkeys...

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my lack of standing in the world of letters, lest newcomers to the forum ascribe a gravitas to my posts that they do not deserve.

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You are very modest, Arnie, something that is rather foreign on this site.

However, the newcomers only have to read your marvelous posts to realize your "standing in the world of letters."

I would be much more concerned, regarding newcomers, the way recently people have been correcting everyone's posts. Surely, we all know each other and take that kindly (well, Richard's discussion about a dash between Rolls and Royce being essential may be an exception for me! ). However, I know there are lurkers here who are considering whether or not to post. While those comments are all in fun, and we do understand each other, I am not sure how lurkers might take it. But, I have said my piece and that is about all I can do.

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Originally posted by shufitz:
CJ, if you can't spell Reagan's name accurately, how much credence should we give your further views of him?

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It was a typo.

Twice.

(grumble, grumble...)