So much to savor here, Nancy! But I think my favorite is your #motleycore coinage, whose example was clearly inspired by my second grade wardrobe’s theme of pairing random dresses with random pants.
About your footnote number 1: I feel the same way about “influencer,” so I was taken aback when I learned, doing my recreational Duolingo, that the Italian word for influencer is… Influencer. At least I will use no brain space trying to remember it!
As soon as I saw 'demure' I thought of a scene from, of all things, the 1990 movie Total Recall. This two-minute clip has Arnold Schwarzenegger choosing the parameters of his "trip." It seemed an odd script choice at the time and it still does!
Another movie connection: watching the 2001 film Spy Game this weekend, I laughed out loud to see in the credits that Robert Redford's character is named Nathan D. Muir. Since the D. did figure into the plot -- I'm not sure it even got mentioned -- this is perhaps a subtle joke on the part of one of the writers.
Brad Pitt's young and cute, Redford's, um, not as old as he is now. The camera is always in motion, whether the scene requires it or not. I'll give it a good not great rating.
Beyond #motleycore, which is brilliant, I also loved the Schultz quote, “[i]n the land of internet humour, there is a fine line between cultural relevance and cringe.”
It seems that’s true of *everything on the internet, humour or not…
Two comments. One, it's interesting how it often shows up in the form "very x, very demure." Two, I wonder what the connection if any is with the verb "demur," meaning raising objections.
Hi Ben — as I write in the post (citing John Kelly):
>>Alternatively, demure (pronounced de-MYOOR) may be related to demur (pronounced de-MURR), whose verb form means “to object, to show reluctance” and which came into English from French demorer, “to delay or hinder.” (Demur can also be a noun that means “hesitation” or “protest.”)<<
So much to savor here, Nancy! But I think my favorite is your #motleycore coinage, whose example was clearly inspired by my second grade wardrobe’s theme of pairing random dresses with random pants.
Thanks, Jessica! Let's make #motleycore happen.
+1 to "motleycore". And I'm not even a fashion guy.
About your footnote number 1: I feel the same way about “influencer,” so I was taken aback when I learned, doing my recreational Duolingo, that the Italian word for influencer is… Influencer. At least I will use no brain space trying to remember it!
What?! Not “influenza”?
Maybe they’re hoping that if they don’t make it real Italian it will just go away?
As soon as I saw 'demure' I thought of a scene from, of all things, the 1990 movie Total Recall. This two-minute clip has Arnold Schwarzenegger choosing the parameters of his "trip." It seemed an odd script choice at the time and it still does!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJXx9HE2Rm4
Hah! That's great. I've somehow never seen Total Recall; must fix that!
Another movie connection: watching the 2001 film Spy Game this weekend, I laughed out loud to see in the credits that Robert Redford's character is named Nathan D. Muir. Since the D. did figure into the plot -- I'm not sure it even got mentioned -- this is perhaps a subtle joke on the part of one of the writers.
Another movie I've never seen! Amazon calls it "pulse-pounding."
"Since the D. did NOT figure into the plot..."
Brad Pitt's young and cute, Redford's, um, not as old as he is now. The camera is always in motion, whether the scene requires it or not. I'll give it a good not great rating.
this is fantastic! thanks for doing a deep dive on this!
Thanks, Sarah!
Usually, when I find out about something like, "very x, very demure", it's been dead for a year.
I'm still working on "bad", or "sick" meaning "good."
These articles are keeping me very mindful.
Just doing my job, sir.
Love this as I've been slow to catch up on this one over the last couple of weeks.
18th cent image: 'demure as an old whore at a christening'.
Even Joe Biden (or his social team) hopped on the "demure" train on Twitter...
I'm pretty much a non-Twitterer these days, so I miss this!
Beyond #motleycore, which is brilliant, I also loved the Schultz quote, “[i]n the land of internet humour, there is a fine line between cultural relevance and cringe.”
It seems that’s true of *everything on the internet, humour or not…
Two comments. One, it's interesting how it often shows up in the form "very x, very demure." Two, I wonder what the connection if any is with the verb "demur," meaning raising objections.
Hi Ben — as I write in the post (citing John Kelly):
>>Alternatively, demure (pronounced de-MYOOR) may be related to demur (pronounced de-MURR), whose verb form means “to object, to show reluctance” and which came into English from French demorer, “to delay or hinder.” (Demur can also be a noun that means “hesitation” or “protest.”)<<
I gotta read more carefully!
Also, in California state legal practice IIRC (not a CA lawyer, I need to clarify) a demurrer is the fancy name for a motion to dismiss.