mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
Before the holiday, if you recall, I spent a week’s worth of posts dishing out proper word selection and usage tips as put forth by the grand dame of etiquette, Amy Vanderbilt. But sometimes we can learn more about what to say and how to say it more by negative example than anything else.
The most obvious e.g. I could possibly serve up was unveiled earlier this week in the form of a condolence letter written by Lindsay Lohan after the passing of Robert Altman. I’ll refrain from inserting [sic] all over the place, as not to kill her, er, unique sense of rhythm.
Here are some excerpts (via this fine British rag):
“I am lucky enough to of been able to work with Robert Altman amongst the other greats on a film that I can genuinely say created a turning point in my career,” she began, less than certainly. “He was the closest thing to my father and grandfather that I really do believe I’ve had in several years… He left us with a legend that all of us have the ability to do.” A little lower down, she fell into improv philosophy, apparently riffing on the notion that life is too short to waste: “Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourselves’ (12st book) – everytime there’s a triumph in the world a million souls hafta be trampled on. – altman Its true. But treasure each triumph as they come.” And she signed off, “Be adequite. Lindsay Lohan.”
Comments (10)
Comment
- Follow mental_floss
Although I can see in the excerpt that Lindsay has indeed been somewhat creative with her use of English, I wasn’t aware that ‘adequate’ wasn’t already a word.
posted by A Pedant on 12-1-2006 at 10:01 am
Oh, and I think ’12st’ refers to ‘12 steps’, which whilst I agree is not an obvious abbreviation, it doesn’t appear to be a reference to ‘twelfth’, as implied.
posted by A Pedant on 12-1-2006 at 10:06 am
Thanks Pedant! You are not only right, but adequite indeed.
posted by David on 12-1-2006 at 10:17 am
And thanks to recent photos, we can tell that Ms. Lohan has class and breeding pouring out from every orifice.
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 12-1-2006 at 11:48 am
That reminds me of a quote by Walter Kerr, the playwright and critic. The sediment applies well to Ms. Lohan.
“(S)he had delusions of adequacy.”
posted by n2y2 on 12-1-2006 at 12:15 pm
Well, I was wondering what the heck was wrong with her publicist, and now this explains EVERYTHING:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061201/ap_en_ce/people_lohan
“My biggest fear is who’s the big idiot to out which (chapter) she goes to.”
“And, by the way, she’s not saying … she’ll stop drinking tomorrow.”
“No one judges her, and it’s going to be a slow process. But, to me, the fact that she’s seeing that there’s something not right makes her smarter than the next person.”
Yes, definitely. Assuming the next person is actually a house plant.
posted by KC on 12-1-2006 at 5:42 pm
“Be adequate”? Whatever happened to ’sincerely’?
posted by heather on 12-1-2006 at 9:40 pm
I know the bizarro grammar, spelling, and junk from the article is only a vehicle to showcase the 98% of gleaming titty in that photo! Admit it!
posted by Amanda on 12-2-2006 at 7:33 pm
I read elsewhere that Miss Lohan sez that sinse her wurdz came frum her hart, the speling and gramer dont matur.
Oh great. Now students will be using the excuse that their English essays came from deep within their souls, and therefore are not subject to correction.
Yep –pretty+dumb doesn’t amount to anything but pretty dumb.
posted by Allison on 12-5-2006 at 10:39 am
You best site very nices. Thanks owneri. Beti.
posted by Romuald Kaminski on 12-7-2006 at 5:04 am