Before and After
« previous post | next post »
According to recent Penny & Aggie strips (here and here), this can be the effect of a single linguistics-class lecture:
 |
 |
| BEFORE | AFTER |
The lecture material seems underwhelming in proportion to the apparent effect, so maybe it's the instructor's ponytail rather than his words that are responsible. Then again, other members of Lisa's circle also seem to have been strongly affected by their first college classroom experiences.
Ø said,
December 10, 2011 @ 7:47 am
I don't think he has braids. That looks like a big bushy ponytail.
[(myl) I think you're right.]
ENKI-][ said,
December 10, 2011 @ 8:45 am
Perhaps she went into this expecting a prescriptivist professor?
Heather Meadows said,
December 10, 2011 @ 10:50 am
As a longtime reader of T Campbell webcomics, I feel your interpretation of Lisa's reactions is a little off.
While we don't know why Lisa signed up for linguistics, we do know she is in the habit of modifying language to her own liking. It's part of her identity. From this, it would be reasonable to infer that she enjoys language and is interested in studying it.
She is not interested in spending time with Fiona, who at first she sees only as a temptation Sara doesn't need, a distraction from Sara finding herself. As the first strip you linked continues, it becomes apparent that Fiona is at the least aware of Lisa's disapproval, and she chooses to attack her in response. Her attack's content is horribly flawed–she has no idea what she's talking about–but her delivery is spot-on, and she succeeds in subduing Lisa.
That's why the lecture has such a profound effect. Lisa went into it afraid that what Fiona had said was true, that, as ENKI-][ posited, the professor would be a prescriptivist–that perhaps all linguists were prescriptivists (though she obviously doesn't know this term, being new to the field). So when the professor rips Fiona's little ploy into shreds, when he confirms that linguistics is what Lisa was hoping it would be after all (or maybe even better!), of course Lisa is ecstatic. She's not only found a way to pursue something she loves, she's found self-validation. Messing with language is such a huge part of who she is that finally finding a place where that sort of thing is observed and analyzed but never judged has to be uplifting.
T is probably being a little metaphorical here, since this series, a Penny & Aggie spinoff called Quiltbag, is about GLBT issues. (He seriously needs to rebrand the page, or make a new website or something…)
languagehat said,
December 10, 2011 @ 11:05 am
The lecture material seems underwhelming in proportion to the apparent effect
I think you may have forgotten how liberating an exposure to linguistics, with its sensible attitude toward language and its use, can be; it's like… well, I don't want to get into religion or politics, but I'm sure we can all think of parallels.
John Lawler said,
December 10, 2011 @ 12:40 pm
Having taught Intro Ling since around 1967, and having spent decades as undergraduate advisor in a Linguistics program, I know that look. I never know where it came from — at least at first — but it's clear that discovering linguistics is a profound experience (including relief) for many, many American students, at least. Probably for many of the reasons languagehat cited, and others as well.
This can be easily seen in the vast increase in undergraduate linguistics majors in the U.S.
over the last 20 years.
Rube said,
December 10, 2011 @ 1:23 pm
Indeed, the material may seem underwhelming to someone with multiple graduate degrees in linguistics, but I can well imagine it having the WOW factor for someone expecting to hear yet another set of rules from a "language maven".
[(myl) This is certainly the best interpretation from the perspective of the field of linguistics, and I'll root for the story to develop in that direction.]
Colin said,
December 10, 2011 @ 2:11 pm
"Are we supposed to be taking notes on this part?" FTW
Sili said,
December 10, 2011 @ 7:43 pm
Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I think I'd personally adopt a demeanour much like that if I ever were to get a chance to attend a lecture by you, Pullum or Zwicky.
Janice Byer said,
December 11, 2011 @ 12:04 pm
The parallel for me was, is Language Log.
Julie said,
December 12, 2011 @ 2:26 am
I reacted much that way.
bianca steele said,
December 12, 2011 @ 10:33 am
Aren't those dreadlocks? If the prof was a woman, I might guess that was otherwise loose hair held back by a barrette.
Svafa said,
December 12, 2011 @ 2:14 pm
Slightly off-topic, but you linked to it in the article… Sara is about to become an example of why you should never take only one semester of philosophy. Existential depression incoming.