Thursday, January 7, 2010

Simpsons bringin' in the D'Oh!

Yea, this week has been heavy on the grammar. Got a bit intense with the verbs, eh? Sheesh! Today's light and fluffy post is brought to you by Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies (which is a perfectly lovely book and hysterical as well. June Casagrande wrote it, in case you are wondering).

Did you know that the Simpsons are very grammatically correct? According to the author of Grammar Snobs, who conducted her own "scientific research," the show features correct grammar, linguistic superiority and sheer brilliance. And they single-handedly coined the term "D'oh," which now appears in the Oxford Dictionary.
Lisa often interjects a linguistics lesson when she coaches Homer on the correct word usage. It is just all together a well written, well animated show and deserves the long time it has spent in the spotlight. Even after 20 years on the air, the show still finds a way to amuse people. Go Simpsons!

As proof, I submit the following:
In episode "Take My Wife, Sleeze" (Season 11, ep. 8) Marge and the leader of a biker gang, Hell's Satan's, engage in a discussion about how to pronounce "resume." (I tried to find a clip, but couldn't, so here is an excerpt from the quotes on iMDb.

Meathook: Alright Satans, we roll out at dawn.
Marge Simpson: Where are we going?
Meathook: To the Biker's Jamboree in South Dakota. You'll love it. Mickey Rourke is comin' and we're gonna jump him.
Marge Simpson: You know, there's more to life than boozing and roughhousing.
[entire gang looks around at each other, confused]
Marge Simpson: Haven't any of you had a dream?
Ramrod: Yeah, I had a dream! I was in this beautiful garden... pounding the crap out of a shopkeeper. Then...
Marge Simpson: Noo! I mean the dream of a good job, a loving family, and a home in the suburbs.
Meathook: Aww man, to get all that you'd have to kill live fifty people!
Marge Simpson: Noooo, you don't have to kill anyone! Not if you have jobs. And the first step is an eye-catching resume.
Ramrod: Nah, actually it's called résumé.
Meathook: Actually, both are acceptable.

Loses something with just the words, but still humorous to think of Marge and a biker discussing pronunciations.

Jane Casagrande also points out the use of such brilliant words. For instance:

"perspicacity" (Season 6, ep. 1):

Lisa: Relax? I can't relax. Nor can I yield, relent, or... Only two synonyms? Oh my God, I'm losing my perspicacity. Aaaaa!
Homer: Well, it's always in the last place you look.

"phallocentric" (Season 11, ep. 16)
Lisa: I propose to you that your heir not need be a boy. In this phallocentric society of ours--
Mr. Burns: I don't know what phallocentric means, but no girls!
Milhouse: (dressed as a girl) So much for Plan B!

and "crapulence." (Season 7, ep. 1)
Mr. Burns: Smithers had thwarted my earlier attempt to take candy from a baby, but with him out of the picture, I was free to wallow in my own crapulence.

And since language is ever evolving, the Simpsons have left their mark on linguistic history as well. In addition to d'oh, Cracked has a sweet review of the top 12 words we now have in our vocabulary. Be warned, however. Cracked is a very addicting site.

And as final proof I offer this clip, from this season. "Thursdays With Abie" features a clip where Nelson is instructing Bart to write about his weekend with the stuffed lamb of the classroom. "Tell the diary how special he makes you feel." Instructs Nelsin to Bart. Then as Bart is writing, Nelson chastizes, "More adjectives....that's an adverb." And punches him in the shoulder.
Here is the episode, but I cannot figure out how to do clips, so check out 6.09-6.24 of the video.

What is YOUR favorite Simpson's episode(s)? I doubt I can narrow it down to just one...

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