E-Primitive Sand Box

Regenerative Culture Language & Oral Tradition
#1

Okay folks. Since no one has started it, I did. What e-prime games should we play first? Willem, I know you have a shit load up your sleeve. Do share.

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E-Prime Phrases of Speech Challenge
#2

Thank you Urbs.

I propose that we use this space for two purposes…firstly [“the first purpose is”] to put little brackets around times we had to find another way of saying something that first occurred to us in be-english. I think this will help others see a lot of the very common strategies that we (those of us who write a lot in e-prime) use to de- and re-construct our language.

Secondly [some part of me wanted to say “the second purpose is”…well, [“it was”] a very small part of me wanted that anyway :)]. [does this make sense so far? do the brackets work?], we can experiment with other ways of communicating the e-primitive side of things, rather than just the e-prime, such as verbing nouns and such.

Although it might better serve us in the beginning to just tackle the e-prime challenge with the brackets as helpers, before we move onto other stuff. I don’t know. [“It’s up to you guys”] What do you think? Do we need a theme to write about, or perhaps just talking about e-prime itself will suffice as a theme? :slight_smile:

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#3

ANY BODY

Willem

I like the bracket idea.

US

[As long as I don’t get any in my crack “I’m” game.]

Thanks for the jump start on this thread, and yes,
I’d love to play in the sand too, as long as I don’t get any in my crack, well [maybe {unspirited}] [perhaps {spirited}] a little won’t hurt.

So…hmmm…how does that sound, did I make the brackets work? I noticed that I added {} symbols with the words ‘unspirited’ or ‘spirited’ inbetween them depending on if what I said came out with or without the spirit of e-prime. So far, to me, ‘unspirited’ meaning having little or no energy focused on trying to fizzle out the ‘be’ altogether, in other words, doing what works without showing or feeling enjoyment from what works, and ‘spirited’ meaning having energy focused towards fizzling the ‘be’ out, embracing e-prime full-heartedly with acknowledgeable spirit.

#4

“To-be or not-to-be” [That ‘is’ the question]. To me that sounds like a question, which, personally, I’d go with “not to-be”.

~Mods: I meant “THAT ‘is’ the question”, not, "THIS ‘is’ the question. See, I put ‘this’ instead ‘that’.

#5

[I was thinking] I had the thought to take some snippets from things I have run across lately and slap them down here for the community to practice priming.

One of the things I have loved so far about seeing other people’s e-priming consists of [is] the different possibilities for translating a phrase.

Let’s start with this one [Here’s one to get us started] if anyone finds this concept interesting [if anyone is interested]:

I [b]am [/b] reading a great book that [b]is [/b] making me think a lot about who we [b]are [/b] as a species. [b]It's [/b] called "Spell of the Sensuous" and [b]it's [/b] about animism. This has [b]to be [/b] one of my all time favorite books.

I hope this idea doesn’t come across as [isn’t] too “english teacher-ish”.

#6

I’ll bite (hopefully won’t get too much sand in my mouth).

I [am reading] continue to read a great book that provokes thoughts in me [is making me think] about [who we are as a species] our species’ identity. [It’s called] “Spell of the Sensuous” discusses animism. [This has to be one of my all time favorite books.] I enjoy this book more than most others I’ve read.

Wow. That exercise provoked thoughts in ME. Nothing [is changing] changes when we say IS–it describes a static, still situation. [Are we that attached to avoiding change] Do we fear change that much? Maybe our fear of change in part drives our civilized way of speaking? [Is this] Have we found a passive way (our descriptions take no action in the world) of expressing our desire to slow change to a stop? Or what, to take a step back from the action? What a strange construction, now that I think about it, to filter river flows into river is flowing(. . .the bystander observed, stifling a yawn). And as I speak I continue to manufacture these strange constructions. . . [it’s part of me] aaaah! can’t stop!

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#7

I like it Yarrow Dreamer. I’ll take your sand chewing, and raise you some grit in my eye.

I [b]am [/b] reading a great book that [b]is [/b] making me think a lot about who we [b]are [/b] as a species. [b]It's [/b] called "Spell of the Sensuous" and [b]it's [/b] about animism. This has [b]to be [/b] one of my all time favorite books.

I’ve got a great book on my mind, that I haven’t finished yet, but that has kept my thoughts whirling about the true nature of the human species. The book, “Spell of the Sensuous”, deals principally with animism. It truly ranks as one of my all time fav books.

#8

mmm that sand tastes great, less clunky.

#9

Nice work boys. I love how different minds come up with different solutions.

Try these [here are some] excerpts from my latest blog entry that i almost let slip past:

I smiled to myself to know that a little stand of cattails [b]was[/b] trying to get itself started so close to my home.

Which I modified to: “I smiled to myself to know that a little stand of cattails had started growing so close to my home.”

I cooked up the batch of semi-mature flowers that [b]were[/b] starting to go to pollen.

My e-prime version: “I cooked up the batch of semi-mature flowers that had started going to pollen.”

Notice my difficulty with progressives, both of which involve the verb “to start”. Hmmm.

#10

[I am stuck in] I find myself stuck in the Pittsburgh airport right now. My fucking flight [was cancelled] could not leave, due to bad weather in Chicago. I guess [there was] they’ve had bad weather there for a few days. I will [be] sit here now for like 16 fucking hours, just to see if I can get on standby. Otherwise I will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon… 20 hours, until I can get a flight out of here. BULLSHIT. I’ll never fly again. The trip [was] felt worth it though. It [was] felt good to meet Penny Scout in the flesh… if you know what I mean. Penny Knows. :wink:

#11

Awe, this sucks, US. I suggest having fun if you can, 'cause you know what we say somtimes, “time always flies when we have fun.”

#12

Hey all, I’ve got a game I’d like to suggest. I’ll post a paragraph or two or three that someone wrote in B-English, then the next person e-primes the paragraph and posts another paragraph they find written in B-English for the next person to re-write in E-prime!

One more time for you slow-pokes; Rewrite the paragraph posted by the last person in E-prime. Search the internet for a few paragraphs written in B-English and post it at the end of the same post. Than the next person does the same thing. Feel free to add in any insights you have about e-prime after you’ve translated the paragraph, but before your B-English paragraph left for the next person.

Okay, one more time for the super slow pokes.

I come to this thread and see someone has left me a B-English paragraph. I translate it and post any reflections or ideas I have. Than I post (in the same post) a few paragraphs of something I find in B-English. Then Rix comes and see’s my post and rewrites the B-english paragraphs I have written in E-prime, with his own thoughts. Then he leaves a few paragraphs of something in B-English that he found for the next person. and on and on.

Okay, here goes:

The blockade was a surprisingly volatine reaction from the normally skittish Trade Federation. It was a calculated protest against increased taxation of outlying trade routes, a move by the Republic that cut into Trade Federation profits. The Niemoidian officials, who had a stranglehold on major shipping throughout the galaxy, wanted to flex their muscle in front of the Republic and did so by targeting and out-of-the-way world dependent on the trade they facilitated. They could have targeted larger worlds, but that would have garnered bigger risks of backfire and Republic retaliation.

So, why Naboo? It was small yet known; in the public eye yet a fair distance away. Its representative in the Senate, Palpatine, had a hand in the taxation measure, so the message of retribution couldn’t be missed. And, conveniently enough, their secret benefactor Darth Sidious provided the Trade Federation schemers with all the intelligence data they needed to make for a very easy and very profitable endeavor.

Or at least that was the plan. Anakin and Amidala managed to derail this scheme.

#13

The normally skittish Trade Federation reacted with surprising volatility through a blockade. They had calculated their protest in response to increased taxation of outlying trade routes, a move by the Repulic that cut into Trade Federation profits.

[blah…blah…all in e-prime until:] Or at least, they had planned as such. Anakin and Amidala managed to derail this scheme.

The blockade was a surprisingly volatine reaction from the normally skittish Trade Federation. It was a calculated protest against increased taxation of outlying trade routes, a move by the Republic that cut into Trade Federation profits. The Niemoidian officials, who had a stranglehold on major shipping throughout the galaxy, wanted to flex their muscle in front of the Republic and did so by targeting and out-of-the-way world dependent on the trade they facilitated. They could have targeted larger worlds, but that would have garnered bigger risks of backfire and Republic retaliation.

So, why Naboo? It was small yet known; in the public eye yet a fair distance away. Its representative in the Senate, Palpatine, had a hand in the taxation measure, so the message of retribution couldn’t be missed. And, conveniently enough, their secret benefactor Darth Sidious provided the Trade Federation schemers with all the intelligence data they needed to make for a very easy and very profitable endeavor.

Or at least that was the plan. Anakin and Amidala managed to derail this scheme.


[/quote]

I accept your star wars quote, and raise you with:

Two guys face a gunman. One takes a bullet in the chest and falls dead. The other takes a bullet in the chest, then calmly fires back, shooting the gunman dead. Again it's obvious that the second one had something the first didn't, and what he had is also obvious: body armor.

Two civilizations. One goes along for a while, then maybe something bad happens (or maybe not) and suddenly everyone just walks away from it. The other civilization goes along for much longer, constantly suffering every conceivable catastrophe–but no one dreams of walking away from it for even one second.

Again it’s obvious that the second civilization had something the first didn’t-- but exactly what it had is not so obvious. It had a meme.

#14
Two guys face a gunman. One takes a bullet in the chest and falls dead. The other takes a bullet in the chest, then calmly fires back, shooting the gunman dead. Again it's obvious that the second one had something the first didn't, and what he had is also obvious: body armor.

Two civilizations. One goes along for a while, then maybe something bad happens (or maybe not) and suddenly everyone just walks away from it. The other civilization goes along for much longer, constantly suffering every conceivable catastrophe–but no one dreams of walking away from it for even one second.

Again it’s obvious that the second civilization had something the first didn’t-- but exactly what it had is not so obvious. It had a meme.

Two guys face a gunman. One takes a bullet in the chest and falls dead. The other takes a bullet in the chest, then calmly fires back, shooting the gunman dead. Obviously the second one had something the first didn't: he had body armor.

[no “to be” verbs lurk in the middle paragraph]

Again, obviously the second civilization had something the first didn’t-- but this one may elude you. It had a meme.

I am Wind In His Hair. Do you see that I am your friend? Can you see that you will always be my friend?
#15
I am wind in his hair. Do you see that I am your friend? Do you see that I will always be your friend?
I wind through his hair. Do you see that we have a friendship? Do you see that we will always have a friendship?

Boo-yah! Like my re-verb the noun on wind? I totally e-primitived that shit. Woah!? Did I just e-primitive e-primitive!?!

To Be or Not to Be is a 1942 comedy film about a troupe of actors in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who use their abilities at disguise and acting to fool the occupying troops. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The film has been deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The movie was released 2 months after actress Carole Lombard was killed in an airplane crash.

Hahaha. I totally cheated.

#16

Yep, the plane killed her–I love the action in e-prime! To continue with the movie theme, e-prime this:

[quote=“The making of Ten Canoes in B-English”]The camp was a living, vibrant, noisy entity. The cast generally brought wives, husbands and families and friends, and it was not long before more tents had to be shipped in to accommodate the overflow. Children played around the camp and roamed the surrounding areas, those not working would go fishing or hunting and often enough the crew and cast would return from a day’s shooting to the smell of fresh fish cooking on little fires scattered throughout the camp.

Extra food had to be shipped in to alleviate the pressure on catering…more than once there was an unexpected influx of visitors and all the food was gone before everyone had eaten. The Balanda crew, to their credit, took the stresses mostly in good humour. It was not easy for them, working hard through the hot days, then returning to a noisy, mosquito plagued camp with food shortages, no alcohol to wind down, nowhere to go to get away from it all, not even any real respite in one’s own tent because it was surrounded by other tents, other people.

But there was a real benefit to this cheek-by-jowl living, and that was on set. The Yolngu and the Balanda, by their enforced closeness and intermingling during time away from shooting, were very quickly and very substantially demystified to each other, both personally and culturally. Accommodation to each other’s ways was found in camp, had to be found. This led to a very easy and trusting atmosphere on set, which was generally much calmer and quieter than camp. With the increased understanding of both cultures, people were able to really enjoy working together on set.[/quote]

#17

Me play! Me play!

I forewarn you - I rarely pay attention to grammar.

To Be or Not to Be is a 1942 comedy film about a troupe of actors in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who use their abilities at disguise and acting to fool the occupying troops. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The film has been deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The movie was released 2 months after actress Carole Lombard was killed in an airplane crash.
Guess the title of the movie I have described below and win a free pudding pop.

The plot revolves around a the lives of a gathering of people the audience can clearly identify as actors playing actors admixt the bruhaha of Nazi-occupied Warsaw. This film received some judgements from creeps who think they define quality. The United States Library of Congress deemed this 1942 flick “culturally significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry, but what the fuck do they know?

This movie made a mark on the map of cinematic excellence two months after the death of the devastatingly beautiful minx Carole Lombard. Let us take a moment to cherish one of her many spectacular acheivements.

Carole, you rocked as only you could.

And… try this.

If you’re the only one will I never be enough, yeah Hail, hail the lucky ones I refer to those in love, yeah

Oh, how I’d love ya till the day I die… and beyond
Are we goin’ to the same place?
If so can I come?
It’s egg rollin’ , thick and heavy
All, the past we carry
Oh, I could be new
You under-estimate me

If you’re the only one will I never be enough, yeah
Hail, hail the lucky ones
I refer to those in love, yeah

I sometimes realize…i could only be as good as you’ll let me
Are you woman enough to be my man?
Bandaged hand in hand.

#18

Hi! I am posting at this virtual gathering for the first time, writing with as few namings as possible and using “to be” only when speaking about what I am doing at the moment. I enjoy fox walking and rubbing sticks together, trying to make a spark. I live in Germany and I bring my own rewilding story to this gathering.
I really enjoy this!

#19

welcome, feelingape. nice to see more folks from outside the US joining the forum.

#20

sometimes I post something and then see “to be’s” that I swear didn’t exist a minute ago. i can read through it over and over and they still sneak past like slippery little fish. or invisible fish.

i can has be’s burger.