Archive: Arts & Entertainment

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Aurora, New York— Wells College presents a special screening of the documentary film “300 Miles to Freedom.” The film describes the life of John W. Jones as he escaped slavery in the American South, traveled north via the Underground Railroad, and settled in Elmira N.Y. The screening will take place at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 7, in Phipps Auditorium of Macmillan Hall on the Wells College campus. It will be followed by a Q-and-A session with the filmmakers. This event is a part of the College’s Celebrating Scholarship and Engagement series; the day will feature several events on the subject of Civil Rights and Liberties.

SMART TALK

by Dr. Dot Pilcrow

PLEASE R.S.V.P.: At the Center for English as a First Language, we often get invitations to tony gatherings that need authentic authorities in some field who might lend legitimacy to the function. Ironically, the formal invitations often end with Please R.S.V.P.

We never answer these at all.

Anyone who uses R.S.V.P. to close a communication should know that the letters stand for "Reply, please" in French. If they don't know that, they should stick to what they do know and simply write Please reply.

Please R.S.V.P. means "Please reply, please" and makes the writer look ignorant.

Not understanding common abbreviations can cause frequent embarrassment. We often hear goofs such as P.I.N. number, V.I.N. number, A.T.M. machine, A.B.S. system, S.A.T. test, L.C.D. display, and recently, C.F.L. lights.

We try to be polite. Instead of laughing, we encourage these unfortunates to come in for a free diagnostic test.

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SMART TALK

by Dr. Thorn Schwa

HOPEFULLY: George Carlin was one of our great crusaders for English as a first language. First, he over-used so-called offensive expressions to desensitize us to them. Then he attacked the words and phrases that are truly offensive. Offensive because they're used by people who pretend to themselves that they know American English.

Hopefully was a favorite target of Carlin's. Instead of the correct "I hope we'll do all right," the ignorant say, "Hopefully, we'll do all right." Or, even worse, alright.

Words ending in -ly usually modify verbs, as in "Cautiously, the dog approached," which a rearrangement of "The dog approached cautiously." To say, "Hopefully, we'll do all right" is simply a reordering of "We'll do all right hopefully," which is to announce that you'll do all the right things in a hopeful manner. Huh? Not what you mean. To say what you mean, try "I hope we'll do all right."

There. How hard was that? You're not only speaking correctly and clearly, you're now owning the thought by making it personal: "I hope." Now your audience can infer that you actually care, and can care more about you.

Besides, in saying I hope instead of hopefully, you're saving a syllable, thus tightening and simplifying your language. In these days, when a computer user gets all tingly about a shortcut that saves one keystroke, saving a syllable might be incentive enough to stop using hopefully.

Another approach: Would you say "I feel hopefully" instead of "I feel hopeful?" Very good, class! No more than you'd say "I feel badly" rather than the correct "I feel bad," right? Oops, same error, better for another column.

In honor of George Carlin's crusade for clearer English, the Center for English as a First Language displays his portrait on our Wall of Fame in the Lobby of Strunk Hall.


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The Lansing Writers’ Group (LWG) debuted at the Lansing Community Library on January 20, 2010. Started by Vickey A. Beaver, a local writer, the group has a core of about six writers from the area. After two years of fluid, yet stable membership, LWG presents its fourth free LWG Reads! event on Wednesday, January 18, at the Lansing Community Library from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The writers represent a mix of ages, genders, genres, styles, and publishing aspirations. The all adult group meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the library with few exceptions. Each meeting is designed to allow the writer to read up to a few pages, get a constructive critique, and give one in return for others who share their work. Members use the feedback to strengthen their writing.

The Gallery @ FOUND is pleased to welcome "Cornell Sculpture Garden: Cement Sculpture Abstracts" by photographic artist Nancy Ridenour. The show opens on Wednesday, January 18th. An opening reception will take place on Thursday, January 19th from 5-7 pm. Please stop by to meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments. The show will hang in the gallery until February 12th.

The synergy of gardens, travel, and local scenery are the focus of Nancy's photographic montages. Initially these montages were primarily of the beautiful lotus flower. They now include sculptures and architecture as well. Nancy's work is printed with archival ink on photographic art paper, satin, or canvas.

SMART TALK

by Dr. Tilde Cedilla

ARE CAR: At the Center for English as a First Language, we hold that if English is indeed your first language, you should speak it plainly. Speakers of English as a second language, such as myself, want to understand you.

I've often been confused by many Americans' lack of concern for our. Given the self-absorbedness of so many in this country, wouldn't they make a point of saying our?

Granted, the informal Spanish of my native Cuba sounds as if the speaker's mouth were full of marbles, but I thought America considered itself a world leader, an example for the rest of us.

Americans sound careless, ignorant, or both when they say, "That's are car," or "That car's ars."

Our rhymes with "sour." Will we soon be hearing about sar pickles?" Or bouquets of flars? The ultimate desecration can sometimes be heard around here: far tar. It took me a long time to figure out that that's Texan for fire tower.

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The Broadway smash hit Hairspray will run at The State Theatre of Ithaca one weekend only, January 13-15, as produced by Running to Places Theatre Company. This winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical tells the story of pleasantly plump teen Tracy Turnblad as she pursues her dream of dancing on TV and breaking down barriers in racially segregated Baltimore of 1962.

Hairspray presents a high-energy, campy world in which the entire city breaks into song and dance, and the heroine's zaftig mother is traditionally played by a male.

IPEI and the Fine Arts Booster Group announce the Rella and Barney Cohn Music Scholarship Fund, established by Abby Cohn in memory of her parents and in honor of the excellent music education available in the Ithaca City School District public schools.  The fund will provide annual music scholarships for summer study through the Ithaca Youth Bureau Summer Band and Orchestra Program.

“Continuing music education is important to students’ overall academic, artistic and social development.  Summer time music activities help middle school students, in particular, solidify their skills and continue music study into their high school years,” notes Abby Cohn.