European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Words amp wit 3\ a to �7treading Between and slew spit and spat James a Kilpatrick. Athe writers Art is it better to write that last night they Clung together or that they dinged together what a the past tense of Shine shined or shone the English language is in constant flux a and a Good thing too. It is through the casting off and the adding on that our Mothe Tongue maintains its vitality. Nowhere Are the changes More Subtle than in our verbs. Example to Spring. Back in the 14th Century the past tense of a a Spring was the rider sprang to his horse. A few Hundred years later a a sprang disappeared to be replaced by last year the fort Lauderdale Fla Sun Sentine reported that a boy was killed a when an Alligator sprung up from the Loxahatchee All three of my desk dictionaries put a a sprang ahead of a sprung a but this Means Only that the editors have found More frequent citations of Well then what a right the answer is that both forms Are which form is a a better my ear tells me that a a sprang is better in the context of sudden or violent action. I would have written that the Alligator sprang up. A a sprung seems to me better in other contexts the Winter wheat sprung up. It tined yesterday and umbrellas sprung up. What about a a Shine the Buffalo . New s carried a Story last summer about an optimistic maker of personal computers a this Confidence sounds right to me. Websters american heritage and random House All list both a a shone and Quot shined a random House suggests a a shined if we re talking about shoes. As an indication of How the language changes websters second International 1950 identified a shined Quot As archaic. I thought the parts of a to cling Quot were cling Clung Clung. How did a a cringed Quot get in there beats me but in the Seattle times a Friend a a cringed to Anne in the Las vegas review Roumal a her husband has cringed to a custom of i like to my ear it sounds Wingier than Clung but your ear May Well prefer the Standard Clung. Consider the past tense of a to its a slew a Isnit it that a what you will learn from random House and american heritage Beowulf slew poor old Grendel. But websters has a reminder we a Oul Dnn to write that Jay Leno slew his audience last night he slayed Mem. A couple of months ago i heard from a Reader who asked about Quot spit a a vigorous verb that dates from before the 12th Century. Here you have a Choice of a the spite or a the two dictionaries put spit ahead of spat american heritage puts spat ahead of spit. My suggestion is that we use a a spite when no malice is involved a the baby spit up her for traumatic occasions a a spat sounds meaner and nastier a take that a she spat As she brained the intruder with a poker. Universal press Syndicate a it 4 a Lac a a Popcorn and popping questions the Clinton Way Tony Kornheiser o Popcorn makes you fat As a House. Wow. Maybe that a Why they Call it a a medium sized according to a Survey by the Center for. Science in the Public interest you go into a theater and you have your Eye on a bag of milk duds about the size of a Collie but you spurn the Candy and buy Popcorn instead thinking you re on the moral High ground. Except it turns out that the stuff is popped in Coconut Oil which is so full of grease that eating it is like lying under your car loosening the nut under the crankcase and opening your Mouth. Actually in a pleased Popcorn is fattening because yuppies eat Popcorn. Yuppies who Wear $245 eyeglasses with Clear Glass lenses because they done to need glasses they just want to look like the Guy they saw in go. I hate these thin twits especially the ones who loudly announce what they Are eating because they Are so in love with their healthy diets. A a in a going to lunch to obtain a salad made completely of Arr gala and Radichio and drink some wheat grass juice. Do you want me to bring you Back some a buttered Anisette Flavoured Popcorn a no i want you to choke and die speaking of extremely oily things i cannot help but wonder whether the president of the United states might need a Little work on his romantic technique. If we Are to believe the allegations in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against the president then we must believe that Clinton had an intermediary Tell her she a made his Knees Knock a passed her a note with his hotel room number and then by Way of personal introduction removed his pants. God that a smooth. In be heard about cutting to the Chase but this is risk ill ask for a special counsel to investigate How i a exp lost m shirt. But i its nobody business How i lost my pants a i atty. A a a / / Dic Ulous. This is eliminating the Chase altogether. This is cutting right to the Bone. I mean what about dinner what about conversation a you make my Knees Knock Isnit conversation a its a Little Richard Lyric. What about poetry writing a hotel room number on a piece of paper and sending it Over with a state trooper is not exactly a but soft what Light through yonder window Breaks it is the East and Juliet is the it just have been the same if Romeo had said Quot babe room 1732.&Quot but simply dropping your pants who a he Call for advice on that one Teddy Kennedy if its True that would make Clarence a Coke can Thomas look like David Niven. I want to sign up for the Arkansas school of smooth seduction where for a 525 fee you too can learn How to score big with babes who get their hair curled with a Fry baby. Lets take the most common dating situation you re in a bar. You spot a woman with enough lipstick to paint a Bam. She appeals to you because she reminds you of a fire engine. Step 1. You say you re the governor of Arkansas. Step 2. You compliment her on How Good she looks in artificial Light. Step 3. You take your pants off. Or lets say you re at the National billboard convention and you see a woman who makes your Knees Knock. Step 1. You say you re the governor of Arkansas. Step 2. You ask a a what a your sign get it a what s your sign Quot step. 3. You take your pants off. Or toughest Conquest of All you meet a woman at the Law Library and you fall head Over heels in lust with her. You know she s very Classy and you want this to be perfect. Step 1. You painstakingly research her schedule and find out she san honors graduate from Vassar who leads a study group in interpreting the uniform commercial code from 6 30 to 8 . On thursdays. Step 2. You quit your Job at blockbuster video pass the Law boards buy a custom tailored Brooks Brothers suit enrol in her class join the study group and wangle your Wray into the seat next to hers by telling her you Are the son of Antonin Scalia. Step 3. You take your pants off. Somehow this subject of Clumsy seduction brings to mind that scene in the movie a new Hon Boogie Sheftel played by Mickey Rourke comes on to a girl in a crude though straightforward fashion in a darkened movie theater. Remember it involved the tra Legie utilization of a Box of Popcorn. Did t think i d find a Way Back did you pest May 15. 15? to
