Comments for Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com Part Mop. Part Puppet. All Crazy. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:33:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on I Can Has Integrity? by Seth http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/09/04/i-can-has-integrity/#comment-557600 Seth Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:34:31 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2132#comment-557600 It's OK. You're comment was adjacent to being completely right. It’s OK. You’re comment was adjacent to being completely right.

]]> Comment on I Can Has Integrity? by Will Hindmarch http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/09/04/i-can-has-integrity/#comment-557599 Will Hindmarch Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:26:42 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2132#comment-557599 Sorry. Sorry.

]]> Comment on I Can Has Integrity? by Seth http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/09/04/i-can-has-integrity/#comment-557586 Seth Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:12:31 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2132#comment-557586 Buzzkill Buzzkill

]]> Comment on I Can Has Integrity? by Will Hindmarch http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/09/04/i-can-has-integrity/#comment-557483 Will Hindmarch Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:29:03 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2132#comment-557483 It's not an oversight in the language, it's a statement on the nature of integrity. Your "integrous" implies something with a likening to integrity, a semblance of it — as the definition for generous involves "showing a readiness to give more of something" but does not necessarily involve the actual giving. That is, an adjective likens, but a noun IS. Something that is like integrity is not integrity; that's part of the unique nature of integrity, isn't it? It is complete and solid. It is, according to the OAD, "whole and undivided." A semblance of, a likening to wholeness, doesn't count toward integrity. If a thing isn't complete, then it is incomplete — all qualities shy of completeness are incomplete. Being "almost complete" doesn't get to share the word for completeness. Being complete isn't an adjectival idea, it's a definition of a thing's state. In English, the notion of something being adjacent to integrity, almost but not complete, is wobbly by design. It's a precarious and unfinished state, meant to seem peculiar in speech. In part, I think this is to protect the quality of integrity as an idea. "Integrous" is, therefore, absurd. Which is not to say it's necessarily invalid — I think absurdity is sort of what you're after in your usage — but just having it in play runs the risk of it becoming parlance (see "Internets") and losing its impact. When the idea of something-near-to-but-less-than-integrity becomes a state so easily regarded and described that it is "close enough," we're in trouble. (Too much?) It’s not an oversight in the language, it’s a statement on the nature of integrity. Your “integrous” implies something with a likening to integrity, a semblance of it — as the definition for generous involves “showing a readiness to give more of something” but does not necessarily involve the actual giving. That is, an adjective likens, but a noun IS.

Something that is like integrity is not integrity; that’s part of the unique nature of integrity, isn’t it? It is complete and solid. It is, according to the OAD, “whole and undivided.” A semblance of, a likening to wholeness, doesn’t count toward integrity. If a thing isn’t complete, then it is incomplete — all qualities shy of completeness are incomplete. Being “almost complete” doesn’t get to share the word for completeness. Being complete isn’t an adjectival idea, it’s a definition of a thing’s state.

In English, the notion of something being adjacent to integrity, almost but not complete, is wobbly by design. It’s a precarious and unfinished state, meant to seem peculiar in speech. In part, I think this is to protect the quality of integrity as an idea.

“Integrous” is, therefore, absurd. Which is not to say it’s necessarily invalid — I think absurdity is sort of what you’re after in your usage — but just having it in play runs the risk of it becoming parlance (see “Internets”) and losing its impact. When the idea of something-near-to-but-less-than-integrity becomes a state so easily regarded and described that it is “close enough,” we’re in trouble.

(Too much?)

]]> Comment on Whelmed by Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2006/06/01/whelmed/#comment-557266 Mostly Muppet Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:28:16 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/archives/2006/06/01/whelmed/#comment-557266 <strong>I Can Has Integrity?...</strong> Blogging today comes at the suggestion/intervention of a co-worker. Happy to oblige the readership. Her quandary: Is there another form of “has integrity”, one that denotes ownership with a verb of being as opposed to has/have? So an adjec... I Can Has Integrity?…

Blogging today comes at the suggestion/intervention of a co-worker. Happy to oblige the readership.
Her quandary: Is there another form of “has integrity”, one that denotes ownership with a verb of being as opposed to has/have? So an adjec…

]]> Comment on Lost: The Beginning Of The End by Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/01/31/lost-the-beginning-of-the-end/#comment-557228 Mostly Muppet Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:38:47 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/archives/2008/01/31/lost-the-beginning-of-the-end/#comment-557228 <strong>A Link Post About Lost...</strong> So what if the Summer is over and you’ll never catch up on your Lost reading group [Via TV Squad] in time for the season 5/series return in February 2009? So what if you’ve got multiple opportunities to catch up if you’re behind (on b... A Link Post About Lost…

So what if the Summer is over and you’ll never catch up on your Lost reading group [Via TV Squad] in time for the season 5/series return in February 2009?
So what if you’ve got multiple opportunities to catch up if you’re behind (on b…

]]> Comment on ‘Mad’ about Twitter by Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/08/26/mad-about-twitter/#comment-556904 Mostly Muppet Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:15:55 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2097#comment-556904 <strong>Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies...</strong> Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer: re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who ... Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies…

Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer:
re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who …

]]> Comment on Book Review: The Areas Of My Expertise by Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2007/03/20/book-review-the-areas-of-my-expertise/#comment-556903 Mostly Muppet Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:15:55 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/archives/2007/03/20/book-review-the-areas-of-my-expertise/#comment-556903 <strong>Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies...</strong> Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer: re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who ... Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies…

Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer:
re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who …

]]> Comment on New Matthew Sweet Album, Sunshine Lies, out August 26! by Mostly Muppet http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/08/15/new-matthew-sweet-album-sunshine-lies-out-august-26/#comment-556902 Mostly Muppet Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:15:55 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2070#comment-556902 <strong>Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies...</strong> Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer: re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who ... Hodgman, Twitter and signed copies…

Way back in the beginning of June, John Hodgman (”PC” in those Mac & PC ads that Apple does) “tweeted” an interesting offer:
re: a TAXONOMY OF COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE. I will sign and send one to you and the next four who …

]]> Comment on Seperated at birth: Maria Bello and Mary McCormack by JP http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/07/08/seperated-at-birth-maria-bello-and-mary-mccormack/#comment-556678 JP Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:57:26 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2052#comment-556678 Could these two be sisters in some way? :) Anyone says they are NOT alike is not sane.. Could these two be sisters in some way? :)

Anyone says they are NOT alike is not sane..

]]>